Key spouse program strengthens Team Shaw Published Oct. 21, 2009 By Angelina F. Wilson 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- A book cover once said that it takes a village to raise a child. That may be, but it takes a worldwide network to support the Air Force. Essential to that network are the spouses, family members, agencies and service programs to keep the Air Force strong. One node in that network is the Key Spouse Program. A peer-to-peer, spouse-support program, KSP enables spouses of Airmen to get involved in the "chain of concern" between families and the base leadership team. Participants say the program fills a longstanding gap in the communication chain linking Team Shaw's military and family members. "It is important first and foremost, for families to feel like they have a voice," said Mags Dearduff, Shaw KSP advisor and manager. "The KSP is a great way to do that." The program's purpose is to be a framework of support and stability for Air Force families by maintaining regular contact with family members and providing information about base events, agencies and resources available to families. The Air Force program mutated from the Navy Ombudsman Program and was first tested in 1996 at only five bases, then implemented Air Force-wide as a voluntary program in 1999. However, in March 2009, the Air Force standardized the program and deployed it service-wide as part of the Year of the Air Force Family. Shaw Air Force Base is currently implementing the KSP base-wide. "The commanders are now on-board," said Claudia Bostic, Shaw KSP coordinator. Bostic and the Shaw Airman & Family Readiness Center staff regularly assist key spouses who tackle the program's daily challenges such as welcoming new unit families to the base, cultivating relationships within units, providing peer-to-peer support, providing information and referral assistance to families during a crisis and serving as a link between unit leadership and families. Since the KSP is a commander-run program, the duties of participants differ from unit to unit based on the culture and needs of each squadron. Whatever role participants play, they are an important part of Team Shaw. "The key spouse helps build the Air Force Community," said Bostic. "As a community, we can't afford to have one person left out. If the spouse is okay, then the military member is okay, and that military member is ready to fulfill the mission." At Shaw, participants are assisted in their endeavor by first sergeants, squadron commanders, base leadership and mentors. Mentors are generally the spouses of first sergeants, commanders and other senior leadership. Mentors use their experience as Air Force spouses to advise participants regarding issues such as dealing with deployments, preparing for relocation and successfully integrating into a new community. As a representative of the unit, every participant must be appointed by the unit commander and undergo a challenging process. The civilian volunteer who wishes to become a key spouse must first notify their squadron first sergeant. Then interview with the first sergeant, the squadron commander or both. If the volunteer is selected, he or she must complete at least 12 hours of mandatory training on subjects such as military protocol, operational security, how to handle medical emergencies and interpersonal communication. "The key spouses become part of the team," said Dearduff. "They help lighten the load of the commander and first sergeant by focusing on the families in the squadron." Though the job is sometimes hectic, spouses throughout the Shaw community are stepping up and accepting the challenge. Some squadrons have multiple key spouses who represent a cross section of the unit's population including junior enlisted, senior enlisted and officers. However, some squadrons are still without even one key spouse. "We're trying to change that," said Dearduff, "Our goal is to have at least one key spouse in every squadron." Even so, connecting every family is a huge undertaking. Dearduff said families can help their key spouse by making the initial contact. "All it takes is a phone call to the squadron first sergeant and we can get you in touch with your key spouse or at least get you on our email list to start getting information," Dearduff said. "Key spouses are so important. Especially because we deploy a lot," said Bostic. "But with the Shaw Key Spouse program, you are never alone. Never."