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Show HILL TOP TIMES Wdntday, Nov.mb.r Froiilly support ceonteirs about family problems are clearly not as productive on the job," said General Harpe. Recognizing the need for an agency to help with those family problems, the Air Force began developing a service-wid- e network of family supcenters in 1981. General Harpe port said some commanders were "not sold" at first on the need for family support centers. However, over the past five years, he said, most commanders have become strong advocates of those centers. The general pointed out that 23 of the existing 67 centers were funded by major commands "out of their own hide" by reordering priorities from within their own operating budgets. General Harpe said, "Those major commanders are obviously very supportive of family support centers." Local family support centers are encouraged to design their own programs based on family needs at their installations. "Our family support centers have all the flexibility in the world," said General Harpe. "We ask our centers to learn what their base needs and build their programs accordingly. We don't try to prescribe from headquarters." Much of family support centers' efforts are concerned with helping with family relocation problems. General Harpe said, "The disruption of families as they move about PCS has been one of the major morale problems in the Air Force." Family support centers have done their part to remedy that situation, offering a variety of relocation problem counseling. That counseling includes: (1) programs for By MSgt. Dwight Trimmer Air Force News Service Air Force Where can find employment aswives go to sistance? Who eases the relocation for newly arrived Air Force families? What Air Force agency can help families with their financial, marital or family separation problems? Air Force families can find answers to those and many other problems at one of 67 family support centers Air Force-widBy 1991, the Air Force will have increased the number of support centers to 123 one for every job-huntin- g e. major installation. According to Maj. Gen. Winfield S. Harpe, Air Force assistant deputy chief of staff for personnel, "The support centers give Air Force families a great opportunity for assistance that they haven't had in the past." General Harpe recalled that in 1980 when the military was suffering "tremendous retention problems," the Air Force did everything possible to find how to improve its retention rates. General Harpe said, "One of the discoveries the Air Force made was the great influence that family attitudes have on the member's willingness to reenlist." An Air Force survey showed that 70 percent of the Air Force members said their spouse's opinions would greatly influence their decision whether or not decision had to reenlist. "The 'stay-ibecome a family decision," explained General Harpe. The general said the Air Force began to understand the importance of families, first in retention and second in productivity. "People who worry n' . 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ii 1 1 1 1 k f n iMI n BueDp reiteinifltoin) of tackling those problems. At bases with family support centers, retention rates have improved above Air Force averages. vv 11,11 me auuitiun ui uo muie centers Air Force-wid- e over the next five years, the future for family support centers appears bright. General Harpe pointed out that despite significant reductions in the most recent Air these areas." Force budget, the family support Family support centers offer other center program remains intact. services as well, ranging from "quit "This is an important statement smoking" clinics to programs assistfrom Air Force leadership, a strong ing foreign-borspouses. The support fiscal commitment to families," he centers can help find a plumber to said. The family support center budgrepair a leaky faucet or a marriage et for fiscal 1987 is $14 million. It will counselor to heal an ailing marriage. gradually increase over the next four will centers take "Family support years to $33 million in fiscal 1990. on any problem," said General Harpe. "The Air Force has been very good "If they don't have the expertise to over the years in taking care of its peodeal with the problem, they will refer ple," General Harpe said. He added the family to the agency that does." that family support centers are an Air Force statistics show family outgrowth of that care. support centers have done a good job n We Care Enough About You To Personalize Your Travel,,, i -- MiniimiiiiiiiiiiiJ KM ir-r-H-lnl ' 1 111 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 -- jl llnniniuniiiitiiL mm wm JJC newly arrived spouses, (2) relocation seminars to address the "uprooting" problems of teenagers and (3) family separation programs to help families left behind when the Air Force member is reassigned to a remote overseas location. General Harpe said, "I'd like to see continuing emphasis and support in ng rTsViruTi .1 J ym r I V job-hunti- 26, 1986 CALL US ABOUT- - I Carvan Senior Graduation Cruise ( $870. $499. 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