ALI BASE, Iraq, Aug. 12, 2005 — Airman 1st Class Catherine Dilena did not know what to think when her first sergeant dropped by her office and told her to stand by to meet with him in a few minutes.

Nervously, the 407th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron client support administrator here waited for him to return, mentally running through a checklist of reasons why he would want to speak with her.

A few minutes later, instead of chatting with her first sergeant, she received a counseling session of sorts from an unexpected visitor — her mom.