Devitt most recently served six years in the same capacity at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. But it is her personal experience, growing up in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as the daughter of a father who served as an Air Force aircraft mechanic, and a mother who worked as a civilian personnel officer at the U.S. Air Force Academy, that led to her desire to serve as a civilian.
Devitt holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in community counseling. She also is an award-winning mediator in the Air Force’s alternative dispute resolution program.
The mother of three joined federal service in 2004, working in the Military Personnel Flight and subsequently the Airman & Family Readiness Center as the family life coordinator at Peterson AFB, Colorado. A similar position at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, followed, then she moved on to Ramstein AB. Devitt’s younger son, Mark, graduated high school there before the family’s latest move. They arrived Oct. 2, and Devitt said she “plunged right in.”
As CSC, she serves as executive director of the base’s Community Action Information Board; IDS chair; manager of the installation’s resilience program; and coordinator of Caring for People Forums.
There are several community concerns the CSC focuses on, but the main issues are suicide prevention and awareness, sexual assault, alcohol and substance abuse, and domestic violence.
During the few weeks Devitt has been at Wright-Patterson AFB, she said she has been “intrigued by everyone’s helpfulness and welcoming attitude.”
Her “to do” list includes working with the base’s helping agencies to realign the IDS and revamp the Community Action Information Board. She added she is excited that Air Force Materiel Command has been selected to do a beta test of a violence response and prevention program and she will be involved in its launch.
“IDS agency members will be trained first to support all prevention programs regardless of the issue,” Devitt said.
Her other initial projects include holding a Caring for People Forum to improve the quality of programs and resources offered through Wright-Patterson AFB and the Air Force in general.
The forum will target support for families, single Airmen, families with an exceptional family member, schools, spouses, deployments, health and wellness, National Guard, Reservists and teens/youth. Attendees will be encouraged to bring forth ideas on improving policies or quality-of-life services.
“We will select our identified groups, then bring them together to see if they can identify their top three issues or concerns affecting Wright-Patterson Air Force Base,” she noted. “That information will be compiled into a memorandum of understanding that will be sent to Col. Bradley McDonald, 88th Air Base Wing commander.”
The MOU also will include results from a new Air Force Community Needs Assessment, Devitt said. Suggestions compiled from the Caring for People Forum and the survey will be incorporated into a new Community Action Plan, she added.
The upcoming project has drawn Devitt’s enthusiasm.
“I’m trying to get the pulse of the base, and I’m excited to be here,” she said. “This is going to be a new adventure.”
Devitt may be reached at Mary.Devitt@us.af.mil and 937-257-6442.
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