Key spouses sharpen knowledge

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Michelle Vickers
  • 1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla.-- --  Hurlburt's Airman & Family Readiness Center hosted a key spouse networking fair at the Soundside Club on Hurlburt Field, March 11.

Conceived in response to spouse requests at town hall meetings, the networking fair gave both veteran and new key spouses a chance to share ideas as well as gain valuable information on base resources from agencies including Hurlburt's A&FRC, health and wellness center and new parent support program.

"[Key spouses] have the opportunity to cross-talk with some of the other spouses to figure out some of the ingenuity that other squadrons are showing," said Lt. Col. Derrick Floyd, commander of 1st Special Operations Force Support Squadron.

Besides key spouses discovering what base agencies can assist them in their mission to help Airmen's families, the fair also gave more seasoned key spouses a chance to share their successes with spouses new to the program. Three squadrons highlighted some of their best practices that are working for their units.

"We have our newsletter and our welcome buckets that hopefully other key spouses can utilize our ideas, and it will be helpful to their squadron," said Crystal Gordon, a key spouse of 1st Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron and wife of Staff Sgt. Scott Gordon. "[Being a key spouse] involves supporting other spouses in our squadron, not only while active-duty members are deployed, but just keeping them linked into the squadron so they don't feel isolated."

For more information on the key spouses program, please call the A&FRC at 884-5441.