CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Senior leadership came together June 23 at the Airman and Family Readiness Center here to learn about a new Office of the Secretary of Defense initiative to help Airmen and their families cope with issues surrounding deployments and how it affects the family.
The Military and Family Life Consultant Program, which started at overseas bases in 2004, will be in place late August to provide non-medical, short-term, situational, problem-solving counseling services to all service members: active duty, Reserve, Guard and their families.
The Military Family Life Consultant, or also known as MFLC, could be considered as a sounding board for a military member or their dependant to help with issues they may be experiencing in their lives.
"Most people need to just talk through issues," said Flora Hoss-Mason, A&FRC director. "If the needs arise, more formal resources would be recommended."
For an Airman or a family member to speak with a MFLC, they would need to call the A&FRC and arrange for a time and place to talk. Once having a good understanding of the situation, a counselor will either recommend different ways to deal with the situation or recommend formal intervention from another agency on base.
To help better explain the program, Ms. Hoss-Mason used an example involving a couple who might be having marital issues. If they went to speak to an MFLC, the MFLC might explain ways for the couples to cope with their issues, but if the MFLC feels the couple has deeper issues -- more than can be helped through a conversation -- the couple would be referred to a couple's class held at the 437th Medical Group Mental Health Office.
Once the program begins, licensed clinical counselors will be sent to bases on a rotational basis for 30, 45, 60 or 90 days. For Charleston AFB, the MFLC will be here for 45 days. Toward the end of the rotation, a new MFLC will arrive and receive turn over from the old MFLC. Then the new MFLC will assume duty for the next 45 days.
"The program is set up this way to help ensure the focus is on the program and not on the representative," Ms. Hoss-Mason said.
A benefit of the program is the ease at which family members will be able to contact the MFLC.
To help service members and their families to speak easily with the MFLC, individuals will be able to speak with the MFLC at an office in the A&FRC or at a public area on- or off-base. This is especially beneficial for extended family members, or a boyfriend or girlfriend who does not have a military identification card to get on base. This is because they may feel there is an issue that needs to be discussed but do not have access to the base, said Ms. Hoss-Mason.
Though the program has yet to be implemented here, leadership has seen the benefits of having such a program in place through the briefings held on base.
"This is an outstanding program benefitting our Airmen and their families as they deal with the stress of longer, more frequent deployments and multiply reintegration issues upon their return," said Lt. Col. Susan Ferrera, 437th Mission Support Group deputy commander. "It is yet another avenue of assistance enabling them to work one-on-one with an MFLC and be provided additional help if needed."