FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. -- Team Fairchild leadership and key spouses came together during the second-annual Key Spouse Conference to brainstorm ideas on how to support Airmen and their families, Oct. 3.
The Key Spouse program is designed to support Airmen and their families during deployments, permanent changes of station and temporary duties; during the conference the key spouses played educational games to provide its members a fun approach to broaden their knowledge on the program.
“[The Key Spouse Conference] provides an opportunity for leadership to come together with key spouse members to take a tactical pause to think about how we can learn from each other,” said Kris Salmi, 92nd Air Refueling Wing key spouse advisor. “We wanted to take time to share best practices, go over program updates and become stronger together.”
During the conference, participants were able to develop tangible tokens such as cards and “What you missed while you were gone” jars to show Airmen’s spouses that their Team Fairchild family was thinking about them during a tough time.
These gifts will be delivered to front porches, doorsteps and hung on doorknobs to brighten a spouse’s day.
“The tangible tokens gives us a way to reach out and support our spouses and families physically,” Salmi said. “We care, we come together, but nothing beats a surprise waiting for you on your doorstep saying ‘Hey, your Air Force family cares about you.’”
Through feedback and Q & As, Key Spouse Program leadership and base leadership were able to come together as a group and establish additional ways to improve the support they give to spouses.
The Key Spouse Program is an Air Force-mandated program that facilitates care for Airmen and their families. For more information on the program, contact the Airman and Family Readiness Center at (509) 247-2246.