AF instant messaging eases deployment stress Published March 2, 2007 By Tech. Sgt. Kevin Wallace 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs DOVER AIR FORCE BASE. Del. -- The Air Force Instant Messenger program is now online, allowing Dover Airmen or family members to chat with family or friends deployed to virtually anywhere in the world from their home computers. The AFIM was designed to help ease deployment-related stress by keeping loved ones and friends in touch. "The program is taking off everywhere in the Air Force," said Tech. Sgt. Shawn Swanson, 436th Mission Support Squadron Family Readiness NCO. "We are online here at Dover. We had our first family member chatting with his deployed wife (Feb. 23)." Mr. Kevin Potter, husband of Maj. Marcia Potter, 436th Medical Operations Squadron family nurse practitioner, was the first to use Dover's AFIM program. "I had no interest in chatting with instant messengers until I tried it," said Mr. Potter. "I thought e-mail and the Heart Apart morale calls would be enough. But, now that I tried it, I am hooked. It is great!" The Heart Apart program provides two free 15-minute phone calls to deployed family members, said Sergeant Swanson. It is nice to utilize the Heart Apart program, said Mr. Potter. The problem is members only get to use it twice a week and often it is hard to coordinate times with the deployed spouse. Before the AFIM, that left members with only e-mail correspondence. "E-mail is not personal enough," said Mr. Potter. "There are too many delays. If I need to ask her a question and send an e-mail, her response is delayed and may not be detailed enough. Then, I have to send another e-mail to get the answer I need. With this system we can just communicate instantly, which is really important to my wife and I." AFIM is definitely a stress reliever for the spouse at home, said Mr. Potter. Also, it is a great reliever for the deployed Airmen. "I am a big fan of the AFIM," said Major Potter. "It was easy to set up and had no lag time between setup and use." However, it's not just the technical aspects and ease of use that impressed Major Potter. "It's nice not to have to worry about a time constraint such as with a morale phone call," she added. "I will admit that nothing replaces talking with my family, but the AFIM comes as a close runner up. It's so much faster than e-mail and gives a more natural flow to the conversations." For help setting up an AFIM account on the Air Force Portal or for more information concerning the AFIM, contact Tech. Sgt. Shawn Swanson at 677-6930. Military member must have an AF Portal account http://www.my.af.mil Adding a family member or friend: · Login to AF Portal · Click "My Profile" - top right corner of page · Click "Manage FFIM" (Family/Friends Instant Messenger) · Follow instructions to "Add Contacts" · User name and password will be sent to the email address of your family/friend · After you have added your family/friend, go back to the AF Portal home page and click on "AFIM" · Once "JAVA" is downloaded, click "ADD + SEARCH" icon · Click "Add Contacts," then type in family/friends username@guest and click "Add Contact" button · Once that is completed your family/friend will be added to your contacts · Double click on family/friend's name · At this point, if both member and family/friend are on-line you should be able to "IM" Family/friend instructions: · Go to AF Portal Web site http:guest.my.af.mil · Family/friend log into AF Portal with user name and password that was emailed to them, family/friend will then be asked to change their password · Family/friend will then have to log in again with new password · Once logged in click "Launch IM"