JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C.-- –
On April 14, 2021, the Key Spouse Program hosted its inaugural conference with leaders from various units around Joint Base Charleston to discuss the importance and basic structure of the program.
“Every unit should have an appointed key spouse or key spouse mentor,” said Jessica Volkman, Joint Base Charleston Key Spouse Program Manager. “It is one of the program requirements that every unit has at least one. You don’t have to be married to be a part of the program; it has nothing to do with marital status for a commander either. It’s really about highlighting your members and their families and making sure they’re taken care of.”
The purpose of the conference was to ensure that every attendee is provided with information and can help service member’s spouses receive the support they need while the service member is deployed or for general information.
Volkman said how important it is for the units to utilize this program to help military spouses and families.
“Some people don’t know exactly how beneficial the Key Spouse program can be,” she said. “We make sure that the spouses have the resources they need and answer any questions that arise.”
The Key Spouse Program is an Air Force Unit Family Readiness Program designed to enhance readiness, personal/family resiliency and establish a sense of Air Force community. Key Spouses are commander-appointed and are a vital resource to support Air Force families. The strategic vision is to increase resiliency amongst military members and their families throughout their time serving.
“From what I've seen the more that a unit feels like a family, the more cohesive the team is,” said Master Sgt. Jonah Uhl, 628th Wing Staff Agency first sergeant. “That’s why it's so important to me that we get involved in programs like this, especially with our deployed members. Sometimes people have a hard time reaching out for help and I think it’s on us as a unit to make sure the family is taken care of. The Key Spouse program is great in helping us make those lines of communication happen.”
For more information on Joint Base Charleston’s Key Spouse and Ombudsman Programs please see below:
https://jbcmfr.com/our-programs/key-spouse-ombudsman-support/