JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
Deployment is hard for all of us. There are so many things that have to be addressed, from how the bills are going to be paid to who is going to help our family if they need it. Of course we have supervisors and the Key Spouse Program to check on families of deployed Airmen, but for some military members, it is much more of a concern. The Family Care Plan is one way those military members can firm up the care of family members and not have to worry as much.
AFI 36-2908 lays out who must have a family care plan and the necessary items in that plan. Those that require a family care plan include: military married to military, single parents and those members that have civilian family members with special needs. The form used to document the plan is the AF Form 357. This form will list the primary short term caregiver, a primary long term caregiver, an alternate caregiver and a temporary custody designee. Other documents in this plan include: powers of attorney giving caregivers the ability to get medical treatment for those family members identified, and additional information such as maps to dependant's day care or schools. Upon your assignment to an organization, your new first sergeant will ask to evaluate whether a family care plan is required or not. Remember, a family care plan should be accomplished within 60 days when assigned to a new unit.
If there are any questions or concerns about your need to have a family care plan, you can look up AFI 36-2908 or see your first sergeant. Do not be one of those people who is stressing because of a short notice deployment requiring you to leave family members behind and not knowing how to care for them. Ensure that you have a family care plan in place.
628 CES/CCF