LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- 913th Airlift Group Key Spouse program is available to support all families, whether they have prior active duty experience or brand new to Air Force Reserve life.
“We all need each other at different times, not just when member are deployed,” said Shanna Holmes, 913th Airlift Group Key Spouse. “We are all in this together.”
Family readiness and resiliency is critical to overall combat readiness for an organization. Key spouses work with unit leadership to distribute information and foster a sense of military family across the units.
“Being part of the Air Force Reserve presents a unique challenge since most members are spread out over long distance,” said Holmes. “We do our best to host various events to help spouses get to know one another and network prior to deployments.”
Familiar with deployments, her spouse has been with the group for more than eight years and previously with a rescue unit in Florida.
“Information about resources and support sometimes does not make it down to the family,” said Holmes. “We are all incredibly busy, so when the unit was gearing up for their deployment in 2019, the Key Spouses put together information packets to mail to the family members.”
She went on to mention that the small gestures of passing information, hosting networking events, sending care packages to deployment members, or just being at the airport to greet individual members returning from a deployment goes a long way toward bring the unit closer together.
Holmes when on to say, “we welcome anyone who wants to help, whether that’s in the Key Spouse official capacity or as a Key Supporter.”
To get in contact with your unit’s key spouse email 913thkeyspouses@gmail.com or read more about the program here: https://www.913ag.afrc.af.mil/Home/Key-Spouse-Program