Whether it’s just to get additional information on a program or a need to be referred to an agency that can help in extreme cases, the Air Force has set in place programs that can help alleviate the hurdles that come with living a military lifestyle.
At Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the Airman & Family Readiness Center provides such programs to enhance morale and quality of life for military members of all branches, Department of Defense civilians and their families.
The following are some of the programs that military families can take advantage of during permanent change of station moves and deployments.
Relocation planning comes with checklists, appointments, packing, fast food and every frustrating thing that wants to pop-up while families try to focus their concentration on a successful move. To make sure you don’t leave anything important out of your “to do” list, Plan My Move is a class offered to help in the preparation. If you are on the roll with all the checklist items and you need the little ones out of the way, the A&FRC provides eligible families with free certificates that are good up to 20 hours of childcare per child. Also, if families are moving overseas, the center provides specific information about countries abroad to help ease the transition.
Enrolling children into schools in the middle of the school year due to an off-season PCS move, can be hectic and stressful for the entire family. It’s important to a child to be able to make new friends, but sometimes children may feel apprehensive or become isolated because they don’t “fit-in” with their new school environment. Child military family life consultants can help children cope with such issues. Base school liaison officers understand military child enrollments and are available to help coordinate a smooth transition into the school system and to engage in various academic issues.
Do you ever wonder why every time your spouse deploys, one of your children decides to act up? Or during the winter months, nature drops quadruple the amount of snow compared to the year before, but this time your spouse isn’t home to help with shoveling the driveway. Times such as these can get overwhelming, but are so much easier to manage when you have other people to share similar experiences with and to network with on resources. The A&FRC hosts events that provide such opportunities.
The parent, who is playing the “single-parent” role for the time being, can meet other parents who are going through the same ordeal at Hearts Together events under the Family Readiness program. The program also provides resources to help children to get a better understanding on the deployment process that their parents go through. These events create a bond within deployed families and can help keep their minds off their loved ones being gone during the holidays, anniversaries and birthdays. Also, the center makes photo pillowcases as a keepsake.
All types of life-enhancing programs are available at the A&FRC. Assistance can range from needing help with an oil change for a car to learning how to write a resume.
Additional A&FRC resources can be found under the center’s core programs: Information and Referral, Family Services, Family Readiness, Financial Services, Employment Assistance, Volunteer Resources, Air Force Aid Society, Relocation Assistance, Transition Assistance, Sponsorship, and Exceptional Family Member Program.
For more information on A&FRC programs call 937-257-3592 or visit https://www.facebook.com/Airmanandfamilyreadinesscenter/
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