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Support services available to Cannon spouses

  • Published
  • By Desiree Ann Montenegro
  • 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  What exactly is support? Is it the lending of a hand in a time of need or a kind word when one needs it the most? When life can be unpredictable and so uncertain, it is nice to know that there are supportive services, offices and individuals whose goal and purpose is to support military spouses and families.
"Taking care of Airmen and their families is not only the right thing to do for our Airmen, it's the smart thing to do for our Air Force," said Secretary of the Air Force Michael B. Donley in the State of The Air Force 2012.

At any given time there could be multiple external or internal variables that affect and put stress upon Airmen, their spouses and their families.

"One of the most challenging things about being a military spouse is sacrifice; leaving your friends and family, coming to a new place, putting all your eggs in one basket. And that basket is called your husband," said Amanda Kennedy-Bruner, Cannon Youth Center assistant.

The Airman & Family Readiness Center at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., has the sole purpose of providing support to Airmen and their families, as well as retirees, and Department of Defense civilians. Through this office, it is made apparent which services are well known and used, and those that are not.
  •  Readiness - being ready to make a permanent change of station, transition to civilian life, financially ready for emergencies or retirement.
  • Support - Air Force Aid, the school liaison offices, the deployment support program, and support to Airmen and their families in all areas of military life.
  • Training and mentoring - workshops or briefings for virtually every area of service offered and Key Spouse and Sponsorship training programs.
  • Information and Referral - answers about any base agency, service or local area program.
"Two occasionally overlooked, yet very vital services are deployment support, also known as the Heart's Apart program. and Personal Financial Management. There are still many families who are unaware of what services are available while a service member is deployed," said Sharon McDaniel A&FRC, community readiness specialist.

Other notable support services include but are not limited to, Transition Assistance, which lets sponsors and their families know about the benefits available after leaving the military and Exceptional Family Member Program, which ensures that spouses and children of active duty who have special needs receive all of the medical and educational support they need.

In addition, Relocation provides knowledge about Cannon and the local area to incoming families and tools to help outgoing families so that they have a smooth move to their next base, Personal Financial Management offers certified financial counselors who help build budgets, offer assistance with paying down debt, and have a wealth of knowledge regarding saving and retirement options, and the Air Force Aid can provide emergency funds when something unexpected happens such as a death in the family.

For more information regarding A&FRC and supportive services please contact McDaniel at (575) 784-4228 or visit their website.

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