Deployment program helps families, sponsors

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Matthew Hubby
  • 436th AW Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Deployment is a part of military life, and it is something that every military family understands.

The Year of the Air Force Family mandate has initiated a program for families that have a member deployed or soon to be deployed. This program is known as DePLAYment tags, and they offer many things to the families of deployed servicemembers.

"Our overall goal in this program is to provide families of deployed members support while their spouse is away," said Susan Holliday, 436th Force Support Squadron Airman and Family Readiness Center chief. "This program provides these families with free child and youth classes, sport programs and hourly childcare during the parent's deployment. It also provides several other free family programs for the families left at home, or when the servicemember returns."

Most of the programs offered for the DePLAYment tags are either free or at a reduced cost. Fee bowling is offered Saturdays from 8 to 11 p.m. as well as free sports enrollment for youth ages five to 12, depending on availability.

"This is a great opportunity to network with other deployed families," said Ms. Holliday. "It's also a great chance to get out there and have some fun. It can be stressful when the entire family isn't around, and a lot of these programs allow you to blow off some steam."

To be eligible for the program, families must have a parent deployed or have just recently returned from deployment. After signing up for the tags at www.myairforcelife.com, the sponsor or spouse - if the sponsor has already deployed - must then go to the Airman & Family Readiness Center located at 262 Chad Street, third floor, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, with a copy of the sponsor's orders, to pick up the tags.