JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
The Air Force Assistance Fund campaign which began March 8 is set to conclude April 16, giving Joint Base Charleston a final opportunity to donate to four organizations which give back to Airmen.
The four charities include the Air Force Aid Society, Air Force Village Indigent Widows' Fund, Air Force Enlisted Village Indigent Widows' Fund and the General and Mrs. Lemay Foundation.
The AFAF has a long tradition of providing critical assistance to members of the Air Force family. Whether they become victims of natural disasters or endure the personal hardships of deployments, accidents, illness, aging or death, the charities exist to provide fast and reliable help.
Three of the charities focus on areas of need for retired service members, widows and widowers, and the Air Force Aid Society benefits active-duty, Reserve and Guard members under Title 10 orders, Air Force retirees and their family members.
The AFAS is commonly known for the emergency financial assistance it provides Airmen and their families worldwide, such as paying car loans during a time of financial difficulty, getting grants for college or paying for a flight to go home for a funeral.
According to the AFAS 2008 annual report, Joint Base Charleston received more than $227,000 in aid, which made up only a fraction of the approximately $3 million received throughout Air Mobility Command - making AMC the second largest recipient in the Air Force.
On average, the report said bases received $4.91 of assistance for every $1 donated, and Charleston is no exception, with 2008 donations totaling $52,222. The ability for AFAS to cover the difference lies in their return on capital investments, but with the economy in an upset, return on investment was down more than 20 percent.
Due to the changing times, Master Sgt. Mark Montrose, Air Force Aid officer with the Airman and Family Readiness Center here, stressed more than ever the importance of contributions to keep the program running.
Even if individuals steer away from receiving assistance, exploring all the benefits military members receive as a result of the AFAS reveals some may do so unknowingly through an array of base-level, community-enhancement programs.
For instance, many military members are accustomed to receiving free calling cards to keep in touch during the first weeks of a deployment - that's AFAS assistance. How about those who have taken advantage of free childcare through the Child Development Center or Youth Programs Center? That was AFAS again. Still not catching on? Well, the oil change a spouse can receive for free through the base Auto Skills Center during a deployment is paid for by AFAS too.
"It's not a handout," said Sergeant Montrose. "It's directly tied to readiness. If you're worried about your finances, or you're worried about your car getting paid, or your house getting paid, especially while you are deployed, you're not thinking about doing your job. Everything Air Force Aid does is to make sure we can focus on our job. That has been their charter since day one."
For any Team Charleston member looking to give back in the last week of the campaign, donations to any or all four of the charitable organizations are accepted, and the contributions to AFAF are tax deductible.
Unit project officers around JB CHS are currently serving as the representatives for collecting campaign contributions. Along with them, Capt. James Kurzdorfer is serving as installation project officer, and Senior Master Sgt. John Bush is serving as the assistant project officer for this year's campaign.
For more information on the local campaign, see a unit project officer or contact Captain Kurzdorfer at 963-6289. Information about the charitable organizations and AFAF is available at www.afassistancefund.org.