Program keys into spouses for effective, efficient communication

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Julius Delos Reyes
  • 95th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The Airman and Family Readiness Center hosted Edwards' first Key Spouse training session Jan. 15 as part of Air Force Materiel Command's effort to prioritize family readiness. 

The Key Spouse Program is a leadership tool to help commanders ensure military members and their families are prepared for separations and other hardships accompanied with military life. 

Twenty-two volunteer spouses from various base organizations attended the training. 

"The goal of key spouses is to get information out effectively and efficiently for their unit members' spouses," said Jennifer Higgins, AFRC team leader. "They will serve as a linkage between their unit and the community." 

Key spouses, recruited by unit leaderships, receive training at the AFRC. They will communicate regularly with unit families, particularly families of deployed members. 

Training includes topics such as privileged communication, confidentiality and privacy, Ms. Higgins said. They are also trained on how to use the tools they receive such as community resources. 

"Hopefully, the Key Spouse Program will help prevent and cut down some of the social problems we are dealing with because of deployments," she said. 

These problems include financial issues, domestic violence, child abuse, personal and family readiness, Ms. Higgins said. 

For Lisa Camplin, 95th Security Forces Squadron administrative assistant and a volunteer key spouse, having someone on board to help is very important -- especially when dealing with someone new to the base or whose spouse is deployed. 

"I volunteered because when I married my husband, I didn't understand how the squadron or how the military system (worked)," Ms. Camplin said. "I came from a small town with no exposure to the military lifestyle, so I was lost." 

Shortly after her marriage began 14 years ago, her husband, now-Master Sgt. Jon Camplin, deployed. 

"Seeing that we were new to the base and pregnant, I prayed that somebody would have came and helped, but I didn't know who to call," Ms. Camplin said. "Now, I want to be that person who can help a spouse in need." 

Through the training, Ms. Camplin said she can now assist unit members, and their spouses, by guiding them in the right direction so they can be empowered to take care of themselves. 

"The whole point of this program is to help these young Airmen and their dependents learn the military lifestyle," she said. 

The Key Spouse Program is a partnership between the key spouse, organizational leadership and the AFRC. 

For more information, call the AFRC at 277-0723.