Internships for Airmen, dependents and veterans

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class William Johnson
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  The 436th Force Support Squadron and 436th Medical Group have certified internship opportunities available for members of Team Dover enrolled in educational programs.

Here there are two avenues that offer Airmen, dependents, retirees and veterans an opportunity to complete a certified internship or volunteer their time to expand their career knowledge.
Personnel who are interested in interning or volunteering at the 436th MDG clinic need to contact the Red Cross to fill out an application and successfully complete a background check to qualify.

Sharon Jefferson, Red Cross regional manager for volunteer services, said the application can be filled out online and an expected turnaround time for the background check can take two to three days. She also said the Red Cross will notify the Medical Group of the intern's projected arrival date and fill out the appropriate paperwork to get the applicant base access if they don't already have it.

"The internship hours do count as community service hours," said Jefferson. "It's a great way to build your résumé and get career experience if you're interested in the medical field."

There are other agencies on Dover AFB that offer certified internship and volunteer opportunities that range from the Airman and Family Readiness Center to the Fitness Center. A complete list of intern and volunteer agencies can be obtained from the A&FRC.

To apply for one of these positions you must possess a military ID card and should contact William Oldham, 436th Airlift Wing retiree office director, to apply.

Oldham said his office can assist interns and volunteers in finding sponsors who will monitor and log work hours as outlined by the program. Oldham also said his staff can obtain volunteer access cards for students who need to gain computer network access for the duration of the internship.

"I think it's a great program, it gives students an opportunity to get their hours in and it gives them a different perspective of how the military functions and operates," said Oldham. "On average we log around 35,000 hours a year of retiree volunteer work alone."

Patricia Edwards, A&FRC community readiness consultant, used the program when she interned with the Child Development Center for her associates degree and again when she interned with the personnel area for her master's degree.

"The internship program is vital and beneficial to anyone and everyone," said Edwards. "The key is finding a sponsor that is willing to track your hours and report them to the respected department."

For more information on internships or volunteer opportunities contact the A&FRC at (302) 677-6930, William Oldham at (302) 677-4612 or the Red Cross at (800) 777-6620.