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Show OA - fc- atopU May 10. 2001 opens office T for family issues AFMC Future employees Spouse guides to the Air Force; Assistance with child development by Tech. Sgt. Carl Norman AFMC Public Affairs center costs; AFB, Ohio WRIGHT-PATTERSO-N -- The central hub for all Air Force Materiel Command and other family-relate- d issues came alive April as the command's Year of the Family-Quality of Life office opened its quality-of-lif- e 13 doors. With Lt. Col. David Arreola leading n staff the way, he and his are charged with making people aware of all new and existing YOFAM and quality of life initiatives. Arreola, 1st Lt. Jennifer Goldthwaite and Linda Hollen also make sure the command's initiatives in this arena get the attention and support they need, including funding, so the program can be successful. "Establishing this office is our leadership's way of concentrating on what the AFMC family needs," Arreola said. "Our leadership exhibited their commitment to the AFMC family by setting up this office, putting it as a direct report to the commander and setting two-perso- Photo by Uesel Woodard the first Teen Job Fair, sponsored by the Family Support Center. jobs as Inventory specialists, computer, hotel, food service and registration with Department of Workforce Services for ages 16 and older. Family Support also helped Civilian Personnel by providing applications and information for summer hire. Another Teen Job Fair will be held next spring. More than 200 attended Ten employers offered Communication awards presented The best in the Hill AFB Communications and Information community aside $5 million for YOFAM initiatives of the Air Logistics Command. Network Management team members include Ricky L. Sheffield, Alex S. were honored with team, individual and organization awards recently. Brig. Gen. Jim Totsch, Ogden ALC vice commander, announced the recipients of Hill AFB's 2000 C ommu lica-tioand Information awards. Individual Communica. ions ard mation professional awards recognize superior performance by off cers, civilians and enlisted personnel serving in and inforthe communications-compute- r mation management career fields. This year's Hill AFB winners are Lt. James M. Carsten, 75th Support Group; Alex S. Senior Master Sgt. Raymond E. Moore, Tech. Sgt. Mary K. Edwards, and "Airman 1st Class Erica M. Thiele, 75th Communications Squadron; Staff Sgt. Brian J. Bell, 649th Munitions Squadron; Senior Airman Lisa A. Wright, Ogden ALC Command Section The 75th Communications Squadron's Network Management Element received the Gen. Edwin W. Rawlings Award. The award recognizes a team of two to 25 people who have worked together to complete a project that enhanced Air Force communications and information operations. It is named for a former comptroller of the Air Force and commander Vil-lanuev- a, Brent B. Litchfield, Master W. Boisvert, Tech. Sgt, Charles Sgt. Richard P. Overton, Senior Airman Robert D. Lee, Senior Airman Eric H. ns Urioste, Airman 1st Class Heliodoro M. Espitia, Airman Michael D. Jeppesen, Robert D. Whetstone, Richard C. Whit-locMarina A. Dickerson, Tech. Sgt. k, Mary K. Edwards, Staff Sgt Mark A. Cutler, Senior Airman Shane A. Bledsoe, Airman 1st Class Erica M. Thiele, Airman 1st Class Michael D. Neal, Larry B. Mangum, James R Francom, Scott Hughes, Tech. Sgt. Timothy R Corbeil, Senior Airman David R. Metcalfe, Senior Airman Rodney D. Carlson, Airman 1st Class Robert A. DeLong and Airman 1st Class Jimmy Blanco The 75th Communications Squadron Vil-lanue- received the Gen. Harold W. Grant Award. It recognizes one communica- tions and information organization 300 or fewer people for excellent support of the Air Force mission. It is named for the director of telecommunications at Air Force headquarters from 1958 to 1961 and the first commander of the Air Force Communications Service when it became a major command in 1961. Bush nominating Roche for Air Force secretary President George W. Bush has announced his intention to nominate James G. Roche to serve as the next secretary of the Air Force. WASHINGTON (AFPN) Roche is currently corporate vice pres- ident and president of the Electric Sen- sors and Systems Sector of the Northrop Grumman Corporation. He has served with Northrop Grumman Corporation since 1984 in a variety of posts. Before joining the private sector, Roche served as democratic staff director for the U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services from 1983 to 1984, and served at the State Department as prin cipal deputy director of the policy plan- . . ning staff. He was a senior professional staff member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence from 1979 to 1981, and served as assistant director of the office of net assessment in the office of the secretary of defense from 1975 to 1979. Roche is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, received an undergraduate degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology, a master's degree from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School and a doctorate from Harvard Gradate School of 23-ye- Business. ar alone." The AFMC family includes military members and Defense Department civilian employees along with their families, and, to the extent possible, contractors, according to Arreola. The "helping yourself by helping others" thinking is a central theme in the YOFAM office's charter, according to Arreola. Keeping families informed and helping them be happy where they are, in the long run, helps with recruiting and retention - a challenge for the Air Force in recent years. "The happier families are, the more content and productive the military members are and the more likely they will keep the Air Force as their career choice," Arreola said. "So, the YOFAM office has a double impact it helps people, which is our number one priority; but we, in turn, help the command and the Air Force overall." Arreola said he and his staff are here to communicate with the YOFAM points of contact at each base, senior leadership and the rest of the command regarding family and other quality of life issues. "Since YOFAM began in January, people have had a lot of questions and suggestions, so we're here to broker Some of the initiatives from the AFMC YOFAM program are: Basic computer classes for famat each base (at the youth members ily center, library or community center) ; Implementing and conducting qualof ity life focus groups with the command's Outstanding Airmen and their families during the annual celebration; and with company grade officers and their families; a Family Life Retreat to help enrich the quality of relationships between family members; Developing a squadron commanders' spouse's course to be held in conjunction with the command's squadron commander's course at AFMC headng quarters. The course has been developed and spouses were invited to the first course in 2001. Sponsoring marriage enrichment weekends through the chapel. AFMC leaders funded $50,000 for this program Conducting teen forums to identify their quality of life concerns. Services members will facilitate these forums at base, MAJCOM and Air Force v: : levels during FY2001. Facilitating approval for a new Air Force award for civilians - The Air Force Civilian Achievement Award, comparable to the Air Force military Achievement Medal. This will be used to recognize outstanding achievement in support of the unit's mission or goals. Arreola said if s been forwarded to Air Force for action. Other initiatives currently in the ? . to Loaning excess computers works also include: deployed military members' families. Current laws and regulations prohibit this, but it's been sent to the Air Force Community Action Information Board and requested they consider changing Air Force policy. Developing a spouse orientation course for spouses new to the military. The course is currently being developed and Arreola anticipates it to be completed by September. ' Establishing employee assistance programs for civilians at those bases that do not currently have one. .. Improving the workplace envi- and research those and push them ronment and helping organizations along to the extent we can," he said. with morale and other workplace prob"Our office can help curtail some of lems i the bureaucracy." YOFAM sure Making quality of Many of the staff s initial questions life issues are incorporated in the ranged from "Why can't Defense Depart- command strategic plan and partof ment civilians use the base theater?" the vision of where the command is and "Can military members work on heading a compressed work schedule?" Establishing the YOFAM initiative, "We'll do the research and find out and this coordination office has been the answer," he said. "If it's at particularly beneficial to Bonnie Parker, all, we'll try to make it happen, even an information referral technician at if it means changing outdated regs." the Hill AFB, Utah Family Support Here's a few examples of the YOFAM Center. She runs several programs, initiatives some AFMC bases already but her Family Helping Families have in place; program has benefited most. Life "This program has base spouses helpof Creating YOFAMQuality Web sites, distributing YOFAM brochures ing the spouses of deployed members and calendars; with everything emotional support, Case lot sales at commissaries for a trip to the store, child care anyadditional savings; ' thing," Parker said. "This program Information fairs designed for fam- came about because of the YOFAM ilies to get information about what initiative. Now, with this new office, their spouse or parent does at work; we'll have a place to take, our questions YOFAM "Bingo" games for increased and suggestions and they can help us awareness and use of base quality of get things moving and more funding life services; for even more programs." y For more information about YOFAM, Parking spaces and tributes to call your base point of contact. ; do-ab- le POOR |