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Show Fatrwary 22. 2001 AFMC mission of families focus People, Safety Month Family History Month July August Summer Bash, Back to school night Focus on Education September Child Abuse Prevention October Month of the Military November June By Col. Brad Hlgglnbotham 75th Air Base Wing commander Force Beae Hill Air 'Mm "I'eople are the heart of the Air Force's military capability, and people will continue to be the most important element of the Air Force's success in capitaliz" ing on change. Global KtiKaxcnient: A Vision for the 21st Century Air Force. Many people don't realize the emphasis placet! on our greatest asset our people. With that asset conies some- Family Grand Finale calendar containing these activities and current news can be accessed from the Hill homepage under "Year December A Year Of The Family of the Family". i.hBl.af.mllyofam General Lyles goal is the same as "ensure that all members of mine thing just as important: the family. Hie commander of Air Force Materiel Command. Gen. I ester I. vies, has recognized the importance of the family to mission accomplishment and has designated L'001 as AFMC's Year of the Family, or YOFAM. This initiative is designed to address qualitx t t lite issues altectiny; military nu inhei s ot all ranks, married and siliot any jrade. cic. ci ilian coutiact woikt'isaiul tamily members. YOFAM i ecojjnizes the imHrtant role families play in the decision to remain in the military or as a civilian Pol) employee. The essence of YOFAM can be summed up in a phrase in the military. "We recruit the individual and retain the family." Here at Hill, our campaign officially kicked off Jan. 24 by none other than General Lyles himself. He left Hill well-accepte- d highly impressed with the program developed by Judith Maughan and Master Sgt. Andre Pires at the Family Support Center. Each month has a centralized theme designed to increase awareness of various issues. Here are the topics on the Hill YOFAM program schedule: Nutrition Month March Month of the Military Child April May Spouse's Day Information Fair. Mother's Day Essay Contest, 101 Critical Days of Summer launches Internet site for families with special needs DoD by Linda Kozaryn Need to know if your t.UTN) next duty station can accommodate a handicapped WASHING I ON tamily memlvr? It so. you can now turn to the Internet tor the information. lhe I Vpartmenl ot 1 Vfense's "Special Needs Network." a Web site tor military families with special medical or educational needs, went online Jan. 24 at http.Vmfrc. caUh.eouy snn ' . KeNwa IVsante. a program analyst at DOD's Office ot Fducational Opportunity, initiated the site to provide access to information and resources. She said the site would help service members and their families research assignments and hook up with care coordinators and son kv ptxnidecs. SIhx called "s4xvi.1l needs" an umbrella tei m tor a w ide range of services everything from and coordination, to family support, to speassignment cial education. IXD has no formal s4xxS.1l needs program, but the military puts a great deal of effort into families with special needs, I Vsanto said, noting that each service has an Fxceplional Family Member lYogram to coordinate assignments and to provide information and referrals to families with special needs, " He services take both educational and nxxiic.il needs ir.to consideration w hen assigning families overseas," she said. "For eank if a servkv nvmber going overseas has a wife who's in a wheelchair, we would try to find a place w here facilities are w htvlch.iirvx.Yssible. In sv:-.- v owrseas kvations, I'.S. facilities might be, but community taci!i:o$ might not be." IV the sanv token, military officials would try to assign a service ne:r.ber with a Mind child to a location overseas that has a teacher w ho specialises in working with chiktren. F.vh servkv has at least one is;j.C s;:ch location. lVs.ir.te s.iid. For slAteside Assign;r.ents, the military Exceptional rtmtfy Member programs are tvncenHxl mainly with nxxikwl rxxxis she said. Fr.tornnAteN. a ailabV support varies from base to hasv Nvar.rsv no sc.rchrd exists, she sakl Posante intends the Sxx-ii-l Needs Netwvci to complement available ser: wvs A:xi to beV those who with special needs tam- k HillAFB ilies to identify information and resources. The new Web site also provides access to a confidential members' network where families and service providers can chat and exchange information. The members' network will allow people to raise issues with others who might have the kind of information we may never have, like, 'I'm moving to Fort Lewis. Wash., and 1 need a dentist for my autistic child.' While most people wouldn't know any dentists with that specialty, another family in the same boat might, she said. Or someone with a Downs Syndrome child might be moving to an area and want to know about local advocacy groups and support programs. Site visitors can also use the members' network to ask another family with special needs to serve as "tour guides" when they relocate. "It's always your decision whether to share your with other members," Tosante stressed. The netw ork will automatically send interested members news about various issues. "People will be able to subscribe so that they will be alerted if something new comes up," she said. A Web section on state and federal programs will include requirements for such programs as Supplemental Security Income, food stamps and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, popularly known as W1C. "We want to link to other Web sites that can answer questions." Posante said. That's something I hope is going to grow, because even federal Web sites don't have the information that we might want." in her quest for a site mat's fast and easy to use, Posante said, the links don't just go to other agencies' Web home pages. Instead, links jump directly to the information state-specif- I Y 3t: Industrial love " Pags 4 Family Advocacy . Page 5 Singbmom Page 6 Elementary gukSnos Page? Acappella concert' Page 6 events Monthly Page 9 Family Support Page 13 . Adoption Pages 16-1- 7 Health benefit Page 18 In ciher MsJoreprcnsctT ic r1 r I P310 AFAF breast P8319 Eaton emphasizes 'situations! crcnccs' Pt3l9 q Wi, f Low as !.. . .... i : 4 35 HigW 29s Low 34? High 262 Low 37s High 28y Low UoK,t Kfom'mq tete ra;n 'sncw Articles focusing on Ycsr cf ths Family pages that users request. Eventually. Posante said, she hopes to include a section for civilian personnel. "Say you wvn? considering going overseas and one of your family members has multiple sclerosis. The job announcement, perhaps, might direct you to this Web site. You could learn about the health care available at various overseas locations," she said. In addition to the chat network, visitors can use an form on the site to send recommendations, links and information. (r i 46 High INSIDE: weather outlook 5-d- ay 4 A the AFMC family can say YOFAM made a positive impact on their lives and on the lives of their loved ones." I encourage each and every one of you to partake in the yearlong festivities w hich make up Hill's YOFAM program. I am a firm believer that you and your the family are greatest resource in our Air Force. Let's work together to make the 21st Century Vision a credible partial sw, late dering Increasing clouds with lato snow 37Q High 289 Low Snow showois |