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New A&FRC director has love for helping families

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Kristian Carter
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  After spending more than 19 years stationed overseas, the new Airman and Family Readiness Center director returned to the States.

Linda Miles, a civil servant with 30 years of service, recently arrived from Royal Air Force Alconbury, England, to join Team Fairchild and lead the Readiness Center.

Ms. Miles, a mother of two and grandmother of two boys, started working for the federal government at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, while her husband and high school sweetheart was teaching at the base junior high school.

When she was originally hired, she was in a financial counseling position. She so enjoyed being able to help people and watch them grow, she stayed with the center and continued to move up through various supervisory positions.

"If we can help them get the tools they need to have a better military career, then that's what we should be doing."

After Mountain Home, they moved overseas to RAF Bentwaters, England. When that base closed in 1993, they moved to RAF Alconbury and stayed for more than 16 years.

That's when a dream job opened up, director of the Airman and Family Readiness Center at Fairchild. "I've wanted this job at Fairchild for years. This is a great opportunity."
After they retire, the Miles plan to stay in the Spokane area.

In the short time Ms. Miles has been here, she's noticed the strong ties between Fairchild and the surrounding communities, she said.

"It's so nice to see how the community pulls together," said Ms. Miles "It just amazes me how we keep getting more and more donations through the door."

The only thing she'd change?

"I'd want a larger staff, so we could better serve the community and offer more programs."

The Readiness Center is moving towards a new Strategic Consultant Model. In this plan, the people working in the center will not be tied to a specialty, but instead will be able to provide Airmen and families with a broad range of assistance.

"Anyone in this office should be able to help anybody that walks in our door...with any issues they might have. Rather than be a specialist in one field, I'm trying to get the staff to be knowledgeable in all fields."

Ms. Miles still tries to find time for the things she enjoys when away from work. When she's not walking with the dogs, she likes to read.

Spirituality and family are priorities for Ms. Miles, without them she admits that she could still do her job, but she wouldn't do it very well.

"I'm most proud of my children and my husband."