Join us after the NASWI Base Open House for the OSCWI Membership Kick-off + Open House!

We invite current and prospective OSCWI members to stop by anytime between 3-5 PM on Saturday, September 17, 2022 to meet your Board and learn more about OSCWI! This year we are hosting the open house at 800 Coral Sea Drive on Seaplane Base again. 

This is a great opportunity to connect with other spouses, learn of upcoming meetups and events, inquire about committees to join, suggest ideas for events and more! 

Stop by for 10 mins or 2 hours... we welcome all! We look forward to meeting you!

Light refreshments and snacks will be served.

Spouses and children welcome!

We at OSCWI want to use this Time and Talent party to get our Whidbey Island spouse community "jump started" again so that we can get our community more connected to support each other better. 

Please know that if your command OSC isn't "officially" coming as a group to Time and Talent, (or you don't have a command OSC) PLEASE come to Time and Talent for the party! 

We also recognize that this is a very busy time of year and there are many events scheduled around the same time - if your command OSC has too much going on to "officially" attend, that's OK! We would still love to meet you! You are invited to attend as an OSCWI member, or non-member! 

We added a few pages to our website that will help with questions you may have about OSCWI and what we can do for command OSCs. 

• For Command OSCs & Reps
  
  
• Time and Talent Event Overview
  
  
• Time and Talent 2022 FAQs
  
  
• Get Tickets Here

Time and Talent has been OSCWI's
Biggest Fundraiser for several years...
but what is Time and Talent?  

Despite what it sounds like, it is NOT a Talent show!
Historically, this themed event consisted of Live and Silent Auction items - the Live Auction items being made up of a command's OSC's Time and Talent  - giving the event it's name. Keep reading for an example Time and Talent Item later in this post.  In 2022, we are shifting things around by replacing the Live Auction with a Cornhole Tournament! (We're keeping the Silent Auction!)

2022's overall theme is Superheroes & Villains, and individual command OSCs choose their own club themes within this overarching category. OSCWI's club theme is The Incredibles. 

Prizes are given for the following:

• Highest Command Participation
• Best Command Spirit
• Best Command Theme
  
  

Why does this event exist? 
Not only is it fun to get together as a bigger NASWI community, the main objective for Time and Talent is to raise funds for the scholarships OSCWI provides for military spouses and local high school seniors.
Time and Talent is also a fundraiser for the command OSCs who participate! (more on that later)

Why should I or my OSC attend?
Let's be honest: Both 2020 and 2021 were rough all around. We have some rebuilding to do -  not only with OSCWI, but with our individual command OSCs. 
We at OSCWI want to connect and support all of the NASWI individual command OSCs to help rebuild and strengthen the spouse support and networking system for our NASWI officer spouse community. 

OSCWI exists to connect officer spouses.
Some commands don't have any spouse groups at all; OSCWI is here to provide that support and be an avenue to make it easy to meet new friends. 

OSCWI is open to those who belong to a command OSC as well as those who don't! 
Participation with OSCWI events is a great way to branch out and meet other spouses outside of your immediate spouse community - you never know who you're going to meet! 

Who comes to Time and Talent?
OSCWI members and non-members and their spouses, command OSC members and their spouses, and any officer spouse and their spouse who wants to attend! 
OSCWI Membership is open to significant others, spouses, and widowers/widows of:

• Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the Department of the Navy, active, reserve, and retired
• Commissioned Officers of other military and Naval Service branches, U.S. and foreign, who are attached to NAS Whidbey Island
• Technical representatives assigned to NAS Whidbey Island
• GS-9 and above civilian employees employed at NAS Whidbey Island
  
  
  

My spouse's command doesn't have an OSC. Can I still come to Time and Talent?
YES! PLEASE come to Time and Talent. We'd love to meet you. OSCWI's  individual club theme this year is The Incredibles, so please feel free to dress up and join us! 

How does participation work for individual command OSCs?
We'd love to have you! Don't worry about being too late - please reach out if you want to come. oscwi.timeandtalent@gmail.com

• If you'd like to participate as an OSC group, you can find the OSC Command Time and Talent Packet with full details. 
• Then, you'll want to let us know your requested OSC Theme for your costumes and table decorations by completing this form (did I mention this was a costume party?)  
• You'll find a timeline, detailed instructions, and a full description in the Time and Talent Packet, but your command will then need to come up with 1 Time and Talent Silent Auction Item (& 2 Raffle Items) to bring to the Event.
  You will need to submit this form for EACH Silent Auction Item and Raffle Items
• 50% of EACH Silent Auction item you provide will go back to YOUR command's OSC! 

Example of a Time and Talent Silent Auction Item could be: 
"Whidbey Island Winery Tour complete with Designated Drivers for 10 people for 4 hours. Must be used by December 31st 2022."
(Your OSC would then be the designated drivers and tour guides for whomever purchased this item.)

What if my OSC isn't able to attend as an "official group" this year, but I still want to come? 
Please join us! Even if your OSC can't attend as an "official" group, we still invite you, your spouse, and any other officer spouses to attend.

Do I have to play Cornhole?
No, you don't have to play, but there will be a prize for the winning team! If there are spaces available the day of, you can walk on to the Tournament for a small fee. 

I want to play Cornhole, but I don't have a team yet. 
That's OK! Go ahead and register to reserve your spot and we can work out those details closer to the event. 

What else will there be to do at Time & Talent besides Cornhole and the Silent Auction?
If you haven't been to Wisteria Gardens, it's a beautiful venue! It's located just a hair past Deception Pass Bridge on the Anacortes side. 

In addition to the Cornhole Tournament and Silent Auction, we'll be raffling off Raffle items every 30 min shortly after the event starts, and we'll have lawn games, food, drinks, fun music, dancing, and you'll be making new friends in no time! 

And, If you did think it was a Talent Show and you do have a Talent to share - we might be able to make something happen! :) oscwi.timeandtalent@gmail.com

If there are any other questions you have, please feel free to reach out to oscwi.timeandtalent@gmail.com. We're here to help and are so excited to meet you! 

Thank you to all who participated in the 2021 Drive-thru Trunk or Treat. We are so grateful for this community! We hope you had as much fun as we did!

The VP-1 OSC is selling NASWI Tapestry Blankets!  The blanket proudly displays the patches of maritime patrol and reconnaissance squadrons stationed at NAS Whidbey Island, with the new P-8A leading the way and the beloved P-3C following its lead above the iconic Deception Pass Bridge.  These make great gifts or mementos of your time at NASWI!

The blankets are $50 each.  We offer free pick-up in Anacortes and on the Seaplane Base in Oak Harbor, local delivery for $5, and shipping for the cost of packaging and postage.  If you are interested in purchasing and supporting the VP-1 OSC, please fill out the below google form.  Please reach out to Morgan Sarkisian - Vice President, VP-1 OSC at morgansarkisian@gmail.com with any questions.

https://forms.gle/X5aY9njA9t683zSd6

Hi OSCWI Community! Sharing this message on behalf of VP-40 OSC for P-8 Model Ornament Orders:

Hi Friends,

The holidays are right around the corner! Get in the holiday spirit and purchase a one-of-a-kind model P-8 ornament!

This is a great way to commemorate your time with the squadron & support VP-40 OSC! If you are interested in purchasing, the ornaments are $30. You can submit your payments to VP-40 OSC Treasurer's Venmo @Emily-Piehl. We also take PayPal @vp40osc and cash. 

Please feel free to share with family and friends, but pick-up will be local only in early December.

When you send your payment, please include the following information so we may best contact you with updates and information regarding local pickup:

Name of the person who will pick the order

Squadron

Phone number & email

The deadline to order is next Monday, November 1st!

Lauren Myers - lcmyers39@gmail.com

Vice President, VP-40 OSC

OSCWI is planning our annual All Hands Holiday Bazaar, powered by Spouse-ly (like Etsy,  but for military spouses!)

We are looking for Military Spouse businesses and Squadrons to participate! We have secured an amazing location in Downtown Oak Harbor. (The Allgire Project location - https://www.allgireproject.com/)

Date: Saturday, December 4, 2021
Time: 10 am - 4 pm
Location: 720 SE Pioneer in Downtown Oak Harbor

We will also have access to the parking lot in between 720 and 740 SW Pioneer with all the murals; this will be our "Food Court".

Food Court vendors will need to provide their own setup (truck, tent, etc).
Please note that if you are a food vendor, you are required to have proper city and state permits.

Vendor rate (indoors): $40
Food Court vendor rate $30
*There will be no refunds after November 25th for cancellations*

Setup for Indoor vendors will begin on 4 pm 12/3, doors open for additional setup on 12/4 at 8 am.

Clean up will be done 4-6 pm on 12/4. Vendors are responsible for their "booth" clean up.

Masks are required for all vendors and shoppers.

There are 25 spaces available for the Indoor bazaar; please note that due to the interior layout of this historic building, spaces and tables available might vary in size.

We will accommodate one vendor per type of business on a first come, first serve basis.

Only ONE MLM representative from each company will be allowed.

Once all information has been gathered another email with details will follow.

Reserve your space today! Contact Britni at oscwi.events@gmail.com

Update 4/30/2021:  This event has been canceled.  Please consider registering for our virtual 5K fundraiser!

_________________________________________________

Registration opens on Monday, March 29. Details to follow so keep checking back!

I would like to update you regarding the listening session with Dr. Jill Biden. First, I would like to thank you for your participation in this visit through spreading the word, sharing your personal stories, sending your questions, challenges, recommendations or comments. 

The session was inspiring and empowering. Dr. Biden and her team were very engaging. They were eager to learn about the barriers and challenges our families face in a remote base and during COVID. The active listening and genuine willingness to act and make a difference were obvious and impressive. The spouses involved in this truly shared their personal experiences and how we as a community are affected. Dr. Biden and her team engaged us in two-way dialogue to discuss these barriers and it is evident that change is in our future. Dr. Biden truly listened and empowered our spouses to use their voices. This was a remarkable meeting focused acutely on the experiences here by all our spouses and the forward thinking of how barriers can be reduced. The genuine and sincere approach from the First Lady and her team were undeniable! After each point raised by spouses, the First Lady was sharing ideas and asking her team right away: "what can we do about this'', "what else can we do", "Did you write this down". The chief of staff, director of Joining Forces Initiatives, and the policy director were taking notes non-stop and engaging with solutions and suggestions. 

Three main areas of discussion:

1. Hindering barriers related to care on a remote base. (85% of the session)
2. Hindering barriers to empower mil spouses and family members on NASWI. (10% of the session)
3. Booklet compiling the voice of the community (included in point 1)
   • Presenting to the FLOTUS items made by mil spouses (5% of the session)

In regards to the 1st point: Hindering barriers related to care on our remote base: 

The spouses shared personal stories, questions, challenges, comments, and feedback covering:

• Metal health and healthcare challenges 
• Education challenges—specifically childcare
• Families with special needs children
• Barriers to employment and underemployment
• COVID challenges
• LGBT challenges
• Housing issues
• Suggestions to specific policy changes in the above areas

 

In regards to the 2nd point: Hindering barriers to empower mil spouses and family members on NASWI.  

• 21st century tools and resources to unlock potential and empower spouses on the educational, professional, and wellness levels—and with focus on the “inner self value”, “pride”, and “appreciation” within military spouses.
• While promoting diversity and inclusion within our military families: Inclusion, diversity, and connectedness are our building blocks to empower each other. The commitment to create the mindset of empowerment, inspiration, belonging, 'every voice matters', encouragement, and kindness are vital for our unique journey in serving our nation. Our responsibility to empower every voice, building an inclusive culture of inquiry, breaking diversity barriers between various groups, fostering strong connections, driving cultural change, and bringing them together around a unified mission. Our families need more than ever to be equipped with 21st century tools and innovative answers to the "HOW" and "YES, I CAN" to unlock potential and keep them resilient.

 

In regards to the 3rd point:  Booklet in your voice--the most valuable gift

The restrictions and limitations of the physical participation due to COVID did not hinder NASWI families from contributing and participating in this unique historic opportunity. We chose to be innovative in our approach by providing the opportunity for every military spouse and family member on NASWI to be included in the visit, get their voice heard, and connect with FLOTUS.

We put together a book during the weekend with 3 main sections covering stories that military spouses would like to share with the FLOTUS. Some opted to share with her their entrepreneurial journey and provided samples of their talents, skills, and work. Others were eager to share their challenges, questions, opinions, recommendations, and admiration of her leadership. The last section included testimonials from previous empowerment initiatives on NASWI and how spouses were touched by these efforts. 

I will send you a sample of the booklet in a separate email. I will remove section 2 for confidentiality purposes and will keep sections 1 and 3. 

Presenting to the FLOTUS items made by military spouses: 

In the last section, a spouse presented to FLOTUS items displayed on a table showing the talents, skills, and home-run businesses of mil spouses on Whidbey. She told the stories and entrepreneurship journey of these spouses. Dr. Biden appreciated this section a lot and it was a nice wrap-up shining light on the mil spouse entrepreneurship. Thank you Bryttany Scudder and Lauren Minckley for putting this project together. And thanks to all the spouses who participated in displaying their work. 

 Links from the visit: (from King5 News)

- FLOTUS Arrival: https://1drv.ms/v/s!AvkmroZVC_aroD4we1628-O0usa6?e=vhdOIi 

- FLOTUS Visit: CAPT Arny's speech: https://1drv.ms/v/s!AvkmroZVC_aroEAdIZYwFyP4ef4l?e=UUbHDO 

- FLOUS Visit: Samar Arny's speech: https://1drv.ms/v/s!AvkmroZVC_aroEHwkO9mhUybIrKa?e=m3UESP 

- Flotus remarks: https://1drv.ms/v/s!AvkmroZVC_aroEJtEbcgunj50ei_?e=zXJoGf

 

Regards,

Samar Arny 

NASWI Base COW

CLICK HERE FOR FULL ARTICLE:  FLOTUS visits NAS Whidbey Island

From Base COW Samar Arny:

It’s our greatest honor to host #FirstLadyDrJillBiden on Tuesday. I’m very excited for Dr. Jill Biden’s visit and to be inspired by her! We are very fortunate to be one of the first military installations in the US to be visited by the First Lady as she continues her work supporting military families. #TeamWhidbey has the same challenges that we see across the military such as access to childcare and spouse underemployment/unemployment. We are also a remote location where access to specialty healthcare services and mental health services for adults and children are among many barriers that our families face.

Our purpose in this visit is to provide the venue for some spouses to share their own stories of their personal challenges. We will also provide the stories of our passionate program managers in mental health, childcare, and other family support programs as they have sought to work beyond their resources to care for our families. All of this will shape the Joining Forces Initiative and, hopefully, influence policy to expand family support and empower our military spouses and families.

First lady Jill Biden waves to Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, during a visit to the Massey Cancer center at Virginia Commonwealth University for a discussion about cancer disparities. in Richmond, Va., Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)