Military, family life consultant program begins at DAFB

  • Published
  • By 436th Mission Support Squadron
  • Airman & Family Readiness Center
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  The DoD expanded the Military and Family Life Consultant program to Dover July 14. As part of the program, a military and family life consultant began a 45-day rotation at the Airman & Family Readiness Center. 

The goal of the program is to provide non-medical, short term, situational, problem-solving counseling for servicemembers, family members and groups. 

The Office of the Secretary of Defense sponsored program began as an effort to support the families of extended 1st Armored Division Soldiers. The success of the program in U.S. Army, Europe, resulted in OSD's decision to extend the program to all military families, with Pacific Air Forces adopting it in February 2006 and U.S Air Forces in Europe adopting it in September 2007. 

The program augments existing support services to meet the needs of military member's families. Licensed consultants are trained on Air Force-specific cultures and issues and work directly with Airman & Family Readiness Centers to provide life skills presentations and facilitate non-therapeutic groups on a variety of topics including communication, anger management, conflict resolution, parenting, social issues, deployment stress and emotional well-being. 

All consultants have a master's degree or doctorate. They are licensed clinical counselors who work with families, individuals, couples and children to provide non-medical problem identification counseling services. 

Counselors have flexible appointment times, flexible meeting locations, consultants' services are confidential, no records are kept and it is a free service. Contact is private except when a person is a threat to himself or others, or in cases of child and elder abuse, spouse abuse, substance abuse or any case that may affect a servicemember's Personnel Reliability Program status. 

For information on the MFLC program, call the MFLC direct line at (302) 535-6196, by e-mail at mflc.dover@gmail.com or contact the A&FRC at 677-6930.