Key Spouses create environment for Airmen, families to thrive

  • Published
  • By Airman Kai White
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs

In a letter to all squadron commanders and first sergeants earlier this month, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III called attention to the importance of preparing “our Airmen and families for challenges that exist today and tomorrow.”

He emphasized one way commanders and first sergeants can connect with families is through the Key Spouse Program.

“Your active leadership of the Key Spouse Program encourages a stronger sense of community through spouse-to-spouse support networks,” said Welsh in the letter. “It helps us build a more resilient force.”

Since its birth, the Key Spouse Program has been helping promote individual, family and unit readiness; building peer-to-peer support and strong Air Force communities as well as leadership support teams.

“During deployments anything can happen,” said Angela Sanclemente, Airman and Family Readiness Center team lead. “As soon as the service member leaves, the car can break down, the garage door won’t open or maybe an emergency happens back home and they just moved into town. Now what are they going to do? Who is going to help them?”

This is when Key Spouse volunteers step in to help.

“Information comes from the commanders and first sergeants,” said Teresa Clark, a Key Spouse. “Once it makes it to a Key Spouse, we have a unique way to relay the information to everyone in the unit.”

Before helping Airmen and their families, volunteers must attend six hours of training in sexual assault prevention and response, resiliency and operational security, which includes personally identifiable information and the privacy act.

Training is then broken into five sections: roles and responsibilities, resources, responding to the call, deployments and responsibilities in the deployment cycle. Lastly, they learn how to implement all the training and information as a Key Spouse when needed.

After volunteers are certified, there goal is ultimately to listen to the needs of the family, provide support, guide them to solutions through the unit and community events and keep open communication with the unit’s leadership.

“If Airmen know their family has the support that they need, then they don’t have to worry that the car has broken down or that they may have to go home for an emergency,” said Sanclemente. “They rest assured knowing they have a team back home that is taking care of their family while they execute the Air Force mission.”

For more information about the Key Spouse Program, contact the Airman and Family Readiness Center at 850-884-5441 or contact your unit's Key Spouse volunteer.