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Long tour, short tour? Airman & Family Readiness Center supports all of Team Shaw

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Brian Melton
  • Shaw Airman and Family Readiness Center
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Have you served on a remote tour and recall being upset that no one phoned or e-mailed your spouse while you were away? Maybe your spouse felt disconnected because there was not an avenue to receive information about base happenings once you left?
 
Did your spouse even know who his or her first sergeant was once you out-processed your unit? We all know a family who has endured a remote assignment. We have all heard the stories of significant challenges they faced that could have had a better outcome if only knew where to turn for help.

The harsh reality is that we have not always had a process in place that ensured our remote tour families were connected to the proper resources, or with the agencies on base that are here to help them during this difficult time.

We have been so focused on our deployers that we treated those going to Al Udeid, Qatar for six months differently than those going to Al Udeid for a year, and we treated those going to Al Udeid for a year differently than those going to Korea for a year. Why is that? These three groups of Airmen all have one thing in common: they are all departing for a very long time and leaving their family members here.

Deployment and remote tour preparations are the same from a separation and family sustainment viewpoint. So why has it been so difficult to capture both groups of families and ensure they are taken care of equally?

No more, I say!

When the active duty member receives an overseas assignment, the member will receive a virtual outprocessing checklist loaded to their virtual MPF. On this checklist is a new entry listed as, PCS/remote tour brief. If you are PCSing to a long tour, you will attend the anti-terrorism/force protection portion of this briefing to satisfy that PCS outprocessing requirement.

If you are departing on a remote tour, you will participate in the remainder of this briefing comprised of 12 separate support agencies from across the base. You will hear about all of your financial entitlements, as well as necessary changes to TriCare should your family relocate while you're downrange. You will get the scoop on wills, powers of attorney, SGLI, VRED and the differences between all of those, as well as hear about free vehicle oil changes and vehicle safety inspections for your family while you're gone.

You will hear about Red Cross notifications, chaplain assistance, dealing with the media and equal opportunity and treatment, as well as free child care, free Wi-Fi, free dinners and children's parties complete with bouncy houses. All this is for your family while you are serving on a remote tour. Is this starting to sound familiar? It should. This briefing was born from the weekly pre-deployment briefing.

We now hold a weekly pre-deployment and PCS/remote tour brief, or as I like to call it for short, the pre-departure brief. Remember, when it comes to preparing yourself and your family for a lengthy separation, it does not matter where you are going. The "before you go" message from your Team Shaw support agencies is virtually the same no matter your destination.

The family sustainment programs sponsored by the Airman and Family Readiness Center and your chaplain's office are the same no matter your destination. Deployers and remote tour PCSers both receive free oil changes, both groups receive free child care and both groups of spouses will receive e-mails from me. That's right; coming to this briefing will enable the A&FRC to capture your family's contact information and receive periodic check-ups by the A&FRC staff.

Not only will we keep them better informed on base happenings than most of you do, the days of our spouses feeling alienated, out of the loop or not knowing where to turn while you are away are long gone.

The suspense for remote tour members to attend one of these briefings is 30 days before your departure, same as deployers. The PCS/remote tour briefings are held every Thursday at the deployment processing center, auditorium A, starting at 8 a.m. and running to approximately 10 a.m. Seating is limited and spouses are highly encouraged to attend.

Pre-register and reserve a spot for you and your spouse by calling the A&FRC at 895-1253.

If spouses are unable to attend, the A&FRC is happy to schedule a one-on-one meeting at a time that is more convenient to them. We are also happy to attend your unit sponsored family pre-deployment functions.