No clowning around; family care is important

Published Aug. 12, 2010
By Staff Sgt. Andre Bowser
439th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. -- The base passenger terminal here looked different Aug. 8.

The men and women in military uniform fit right in. However, the children wearing face paint, parents socializing over cake and jovial clowns blowing up balloons kind of stood out during a gathering of family and friends of deployed members of the 42nd Aerial Port Squadron.

The gathering gave families a chance to share their similar experiences of having a loved one deployed, said Senior Master Sgt. Timothy Maguire, squadron first sergeant.

"It's also an opportunity for them to really get to know us," he said, adding that many reservists with the aerial port were present. The families, missing wives or husbands, fathers or mothers, came together at the half-point mark of their loved ones' deployments.

Christine Adamiec, wife of Senior Airman David Adamiec, said she is due to have a baby in early October. She hopes her husband gets home before the baby arrives.

Surrounded by families going through similar challenges, she said she appreciates the company.

"I think it's really nice to have other people who are going through the same thing share their views," she said.

Dawn Lawlor, wife of Master Sgt. Daniel Lawlor, said her husband has deployed many times. She likes giving advice and encouragement to the younger spouses.

"We should do this every deployment," she said, adding that the event was the second to be held by the families of aerial porters.

Family care isn't just underlined at Westover or elsewhere in Air Force Reserve Command. It's required Air Force-wide.

The Air Force has made it mandatory that single-parent or dual military families have a Family Care Plan in place for dependents during deployments.

"It's a tool for deploying Airmen to ensure that their families are taken care of while they are gone," said Master Sgt. Frederick Hetu, 439th Mission Support Squadron first sergeant.

Air Force Instruction 36-2908, Family Care Plan, states: "All Air Force members with families will have family care arrangements that reasonably cover all situations, both short and long term."

Airmen are required to develop a written plan (Air Force Form 357) to be maintained by the commander or first sergeant. It's designed to provide a smooth, rapid transfer of responsibilities to designees while Airmen are absent.

More information about a Family Care Plan is available by contacting a first sergeant or visiting www.af.mil/shared/media/epubs/AFI36-2908.pdf .