Heart Link

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Mrs. Ruth Dunn, wife of 920th Rescue Wing Commander, Col. Robert Dunn, speaks during a spouses meeting for the Heart Link program here. Experts from both military and civilain orginazations briefed an audience of about two dozen military spouses about their benefits and basic military need-to-know information. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Ryan Liss)

Heart Link

Heart Link, a program spearheaded by the Airman and Family Readiness Center, is designed to empower military spouses and supply them with useful information that helps with the unique challenges facing military families. The class provides information on base services and programs direct to the military spouse that sometimes doesn't come home with the busy military member.

Heart Link provides spouses with critical information

Published March 16, 2011
By Capt. Ryan Liss
920th Rescue Wing Public Affairs

PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- When a man or woman signs up to join the military, they take an oath to support and defend the U.S. Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

Sometimes, that oath gets called into play when an Airmen deploys. Then, their spouse who didn't sign up for a military commitment, suddenly is forced to take on a lot more. So who do they turn to for support?

Enter the Heart Link program.

Started in 2002 by then-Air Combat Command Commander, Gen. John P. Jumper, the program is designed to inform and educate spouses about a myriad of topics, from leave and earning statements to proper military protocol.

With deployments higher than ever for Reservists, Mrs. Ruth Dunn, wife of 920th Rescue Wing Commander, Col. Robert Dunn, felt the time was right to have the first Heart Link program for the spouses of 920th here.

About two dozen spouses attended the event on March 5th during the drill training weekend, receiving briefings from military and civilian organizations such as the personnel and finance offices, Military One Source and the Yellow Ribbon Program. Commanders and first sergeants also spoke throughout the highly informative day.

"This is a pre-deployment information seminar for spouses, but it's open to any spouse. We have a lot of good knowledge to share." said Mrs. Dunn, who also heads up the key spouse program.

Master Sgt. Sherri Ellison, non-commissioned officer in charge of the Airman and Family Readiness Office here, explained that Heart Link is designed to be a Basic 101 for spouses.

"Spouses get lost in the shuffle, so the goal of this is to help develop a network with their key spouses." said Sergeant Ellison.

"If there is one thing we want the spouses to take away is, there's someone there to get you the help you need. Whether it's your key spouse, your first sergeant or the AFRO, we will take care of you." said Mrs. Dunn.

For more information on the Key Spouse Program, or the Airman and Family Readiness Office, please call (321) 494-8925.

For more information on the 920th RQW, please visit our website and please become a fan of the 920th RQW on Facebook and Twitter.