CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
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Spotlight
315th Airlift Wing change of command: The 315 AW will welcome a new commander during a change of command ceremony April 17 at 10 a.m. in Nose Dock 1, Building 519. Col. Steve Chapman will take over as the 315 AW commander as Col. Timothy Wrighton becomes the special assistant to the 22nd Air Force Commander at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga. Colonel Chapman is currently the commander of the 919th Special Operations Wing at Duke Field, Fla.
437th Airlift Wing change of command: Charleston AFB will welcome a new base commander during a wing change of command ceremony May 8 at 10 a.m. in Nose Dock 2, Building 578. Col. John Wood will take over as the 437th Airlift Wing commander as Col. John "Red" Millander becomes the chief of the Air Force's Global Mobility Division at the Pentagon. Colonel Wood is currently part of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force's Fellows program at the Pentagon. More details on the ceremony will be published in next week's edition of the Airlift Dispatch.
Around the base
Spring into school: The 315th Airlift Wing Education office is hosting an education fair April 18 from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Building 51 classrooms. More than 19 college representatives will be on hand to discuss all levels of education. The education fair is open to all active duty and reserve Airmen, as well as spouses.
Lost and found: The 437th Security Forces Squadron investigations section maintains all lost and found items turned into security forces. Please telephone 963-3605 or 7266 if you have lost an item on Charleston AFB. As a reminder, in accordance with Air Force Instruction 31-206, security forces will generally not take custody of property, except for weapons, left with another installation agency, for example, luggage left by passengers at the passenger terminal or personal property left in or around the dorms, Base Exchange or the Commissary.
Airman Leadership School instructor position opening: The Charleston Airman Leadership School has an opening for a Professional Military Education Instructor in August. Are you a highly motivated technical sergeant with supervisory experience and a Community College of the Air Force degree? ALS Flight Instructors provide the Air Force's future leaders with the skills necessary to fulfill their supervisory responsibilities within the enlisted force structure and lead our Airmen of tomorrow. This is a four-year controlled tour, which will allow you the stability to reach your professional and personal goals. Please contact the ALS Commandant, Master Sgt. Beth Dickens at 963-4074 or via email at beth.dickens-02@charleston.af.mil.
Mom and Tot Play Group: The Mom and Tot Play Group meets every Wednesday in the base Youth Center at 9:15 a.m. The play group is open to all mothers and their children. For more information please contact Lauren Gonzalez at 843-819-6541, via e-mail at lauren.gonzalez16@gmail.com; or Aubrey Arnold at 405-924-2433, via e-mail at aubarnold@gmail.com.
CAC Registration: Everyone with a common access card is required to register it in the new Defense Biometric Identification System located at the Visitor Control Center Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cards may also be registered at the 437th Force Support Squadron Military Personnel Flight, Building 503, Monday through Friday between 7:30 a.m. and noon. For more information contact Bob Trout at 963-3623 or George Kennedy at 963-7807.
Legal assistance change of hours: Hours for legal assistance have changed. All wills and health care powers of attorney will be completed by appointment only (excluding deployers). Appointments will be available Thursdays from 8 a.m. to noon. All other legal assistance (consumer affairs, divorce, etc.) will be held on a walk-in basis Tuesdays from noon to 1 p.m. for active-duty Airmen and from 1 to 3 p.m. for all clients, including active-duty members. For more information or to make an appointment, contact the 437th Airlift Wing Legal Office at 963-5502.
MTIs needed: Airmen who may have missed the team's visit do not have to wait for the next visit to apply for Military Training Instructor duty. Airmen who wish to apply must be at least an airman first class with 24 months time in service on up to a technical sergeant with less than 16 years of total active federal military service. Master sergeants are hired on a case-by-case basis. To obtain a copy of the Air Education and Training Command Special Duty Application, contact the wing career assistance advisor, Master Sgt. Timothy Kelly, at 963-2768. For more information about being a MTI, visit the Air Force Portal under "Lackland AFB - 37 Training Wing" or call 210-671-1016 or 1018.
Free summer camp: The National Military Family Association has announced that Camp Tekoa, Henderson, N.C., has been chosen to host the 2009 Operation Purple summer camp June 7 to 10. Camp registration began March 16 and applications will only be accepted online. Sign up at www.operationpurple.org to receive e-mail notices and camp updates. The association developed this free summer camp program in response to the need for increased support for military children, especially those whose parents are or will be deployed.
Spread the Word available electronically: An electronic version of the Spread the Word briefing is now available online at https://ask.afpc.randolph.af.mil/pubaffairs/word/word.asp. Briefing topics range from the assignment cycle and tempo banding to upcoming uniform changes and civilian hiring procedures. Questions can be sent to the Spread the Word team at ste.workflow@randolph.af.mil.
Swim Team Registration: Registration is now underway for the Naval Weapons Station Federal Armed Services swim team for children ages 4 to 18. Registration is accepted at the NWS Youth Center through May 1. Family members of active-duty and retired military, Department of Defense and retired DoD and contractors are eligible. For registration information contact the NWS Youth Center at 764-7809. For additional program information contact the Morale, Welfare and Recreation Athletics office at 764-7530 or e-mail Greg Lutz at greg.lutz@navy.mil.
All classes and briefings sponsored by the Airman and Family Readiness Center will be held at Building 500 unless otherwise noted. If interested in signing up for an event, call 963-4406.
Transition Assistance Program: Military members transitioning from the military to the civilian sector can meet with experts from finance, the Veterans Administration, South Carolina job services and more April 21 to 23 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to learn the tools needed for a success transition.
Outside the Continental United States PCS: A stateside permanent change of station can be challenging ... an OCONUS PCS can be even more challenging. Get a jump start on your overseas move April 22 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and receive destination-specific information.
Resume I and cover letter class: Learn how to put together a resume during a class April 15 from 9 a.m. to noon. The class will include the purpose of a cover letter, what it should contain as well as formats for a resume.
Resume II and cover letter class: A one-on-one class will be offered April 28 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. to noon to learn how to finalize a resume and cover letter.
SC employment services: A representative from the South Carolina Employment Services will be here April 22 to meet with job seekers. Half-hour appointments are held from 10 a.m. to noon. Individuals seeking an appointment must register online before the appointment at www.scjoblink.org.
Family pre-deployment briefing: Families of Airmen deploying within the next 30 days can meet every Tuesday and Friday from 2 to 3 p.m. The briefing provides information on all realms of deployments, and there will be tips for a successful deployment for both the Airman deploying and his or her family.
Reintegration seminar: There is a reintegration seminar every Tuesday from 9 to 10 a.m. for Airmen returning from a deployment to help them reintegrate back into their family lives.
MFLC Program: The A&FRC now has a Military Family Life Consultant who is available by phone at 609-8717, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and available on weekends as well. The service is free and confidential with some restrictions and no kept records or documents. The consultant can also meet with Team Charleston Airmen on base or in a public setting such as a library or a restaurant. The consultant acts as a "life coach" in preventing issues from becoming problems and work with a wide variety of issues including relationships, anger and stress management, communications, parenting, work-related stress, decision-making skills, issues related to deployments and other "life adjustments."
Airman's Attic in need of donations: The Airman's Attic is in need of household items, children's clothing to size eight, appliances, food and furniture. If anyone has items that have been gently used, consider donating them to the attic. Donations can be dropped off Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, contact Betsy Crump at 963-4411.
Airman's Attic needs volunteers: Volunteers are needed to help at the Airman's Attic located in the A&FRC Monday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to sort donations and assist customers. There is also a need for individuals who own a truck or a trailer to volunteer as delivery drivers. Volunteers are eligible to participate in the base Recognizing Achievement and Volunteer Excellence program, which provides monthly incentives based on the number of hours volunteered. For more information, call 963-4408.
Consignment shop re-opens: The base consignment shop has recently re-opened and the hours are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Consignments and donations are also accepted during these times. For more information, contact Julie Brady at 963-3294.
TSP transfers to Roth IRAs: Separated Thrift Savings Plan participants and active participants eligible for age based in-service withdrawals now have the option to transfer all or part of TSP withdrawal payments to a Roth Individual Retirement Account as well as to traditional IRAs or other eligible employer plans. Keep in mind that members must meet eligibility criteria and they must pay tax on any amount that is transferred into a Roth IRA for the year of the transfer. For more information, see the "Questions and Answers" on the TSP Web site or the TSP tax notice "Important Tax Information About Payments From Your TSP Account," available from the TSP Web site, www.tsp.gov, or by calling the ThriftLine at 877-968-3778.
More storage available: The recreational vehicle storage lot has available spaces for boats, campers or trailers not exceeding 30 feet in length for individuals living on or off base. The fee is $35 per month or $360 per year. For more information, contact the Outdoor Recreation Center at 963-5271.
Lower Cost Hearing Aids Available for Military Retirees : Naval Health Clinic Charleston is now participating in the Retiree At-Cost Hearing Aid Program. RACHAP makes hearing aids available at significantly reduced costs to retired military service members. The program is available for those who are under 65 years old and enrolled to a primary care manager at NHCC or to the 437th Medical Group. Those receiving 10 percent or more disability from the Veteran's Administration are not eligible for hearing aids through RACHAP. Anyone interested in obtaining a hearing aid through RACHAP should call the Naval Health Clinic directly at 843-743-3709. Those wishing to change their primary care enrollment to NHCC should call 800-444-5445 or visit the TRICARE Service Center at the Naval Health Clinic on Rivers Avenue. For more information on the services available at NHCC, go to www.nhchasn.med.navy.mil.
Fellowships available for military spouses to earn financial counseling accreditation: Military spouses of active-duty, reserve or retired service members can apply for the competitive Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Foundation Military Spouse Fellowship Program. This program is one of many efforts launched by the FINRA Investor Education Foundation to increase the financial knowledge of military service members and their families. The fellowship covers the costs associated with completing the Accredited Financial Counselor training and testing. More information is available at www.SaveAndInvest.org. Applications are available at www.nmfa.org and are due by April 30.
Educational resources available: Parents of school-age children can access educational resources to support their child's math and reading skill development by registering for a free account at www.soarathome.org. For parents who are relocating, the site offers a test students can take on state learning standards and directs students to a tutorial that will improve their skills if needed. Student Online Achievement Resources cover skills in math, reading and language arts for students in grades 3-12.
Possible assistance for homeowners: President Obama introduced a comprehensive Financial Stability Plan and a critical piece of this effort is the Home Affordable Refinance Program. The program will give homeowners with loans owned by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac an opportunity to refinance into more affordable monthly payments. The consumer Web site, www.MakingHomeAffordable.gov, provides homeowners with detailed information about these programs along with self-assessment tools and calculators to empower borrowers with the resources needed to determine eligibility for a modification or refinance under the Administration's program. The Web site also allows borrowers to connect with free counseling resources to help with outstanding questions; locate homeowner events in their communities; find a handy checklist of key documents and materials to have ready when making that important call to their servicer as well as frequently asked questions from borrowers in similar circumstances and much more.