Focus on FSS: helping Airmen, families

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Ashlin Federick
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affaris
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Life in the Air Force can be difficult at times. Because of this, the Airman and Family Readiness Center offers programs for Airmen and their families to help in their time of need.

The Airman and Family Readiness Center is a referral agency for needs that may arise with a family. It is one of the first agencies an Airman sees when they arrive at Dover AFB during the newcomer's briefing. It is also one of the last agencies Airmen see when they are retiring, separating or getting a permanent change of station, because Airmen are required to visit them to out process.

Senior Master Sgt. Verna Ford, 436th Force Support Squadron readiness NCO in charge, said they help Airmen and families in terms of resiliency. They touch every area that Airmen need to be resilient except for spiritual support.

"We offer programs that make sure the families' readiness is intact," said Ford. "If they have issues in any area, whether it be finances or spouse employment, that Airmen is unable to fully do his or her job because they have those stressors."

The Airman and Family Readiness Center offers more than 30 different programs that range from financial assistance, relocation support, transition assistance and spouse employment.

One of the major programs the Airmen and Family Readiness Center oversees is the Key Spouse Program.

The Key Spouse Program is an official unit/family program designed to enhance readiness and establish a sense of Air Force community. Spouses are selected in each unit to help families with deployed military members.

"We really lean on our key spouses when a service member deploys and the spouses are left behind," said Ford.

The Airmen and Family Readiness Center also assists Airmen and their families when the service member is deployed.

Tech Sgt. Arthur Bradshaw, 436th FSS readiness NCO, is responsible for making sure service members are processed for deployments and that their families are taken care of while they are gone.

Bradshaw said it is important that all deployed military members have the peace of mind that their family is cared for.

"I know that when I am deployed my wife has a ton of resources at her disposal in case something does happen and she isn't just on her own," said Bradshaw.

The Airman and Family Readiness Center helps more than 100 Airmen and their families a month.

"I like all the programs because of the impact that you can make on someone's life and the ability to help folks figure things out," said Ford. "It is a very stressful environment we live in and with the civilian furloughs it is even more stressful. I like the fact that we can touch someone's life immediately."