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Key spouses prepare to aid families, mission

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Michael Cossaboom
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Key spouses are a link between base leadership and Airmen and their families. That link allows an Airman's loved one to have someone to turn to when they are in need of help and don't know where to go.

For key spouses to be better prepared to assist fellow spouses in a time of need, the 20th Force Support Squadron Airman and Family Readiness Center hosted the first ever key spouse's round table.

The Key Spouse program is a commander's program made up of volunteer spouses who provide peer-to-peer support and resources for all families in their assigned units. These spouses are trained to offer information and referral resources, helping to build resilient Air Force families within their units.

"We want our key spouses to be as prepared as possible for when the time comes and are asked to respond to a spouse in need," said Ara Thomas, 20th FSS AFRC key spouses program manager. "We don't want the key spouses to feel nervous; we want them to be ready to handle the challenge."

Throughout the 20th Fighter Wing there are approximately 80 key spouses and 30 mentors.

At the event, spouses split into groups and role-played possible scenarios that could be encountered while trying to assist a spouse in the event of deployment, separation or an emergency.

"These trainings and roundtables are so important because they add to the key spouse's tool kit, helping them to be even more effective in their vital role," said Thomas.

When a service member deploys or has to leave for a while, often times the responsibility falls on the spouse to maintain the home and anything else that is being left behind.

"Spouse and families are often over looked but I believe they are the backbone of our military," said Ponder. "If we don't take care of the backbone when their loved one is deployed, there's not anyone to support the mission at home."

No spouse can look into the future and know when a deployment is coming up, but with the Key Spouse program available as a resource, families will always have someone to turn to when their loved one is called to duty.