DVIDS – News – A Rebranding and More Opportunities to Volunteer
There is magic in the old and magic in the new; the trick is to successfully combine the two.
The Department of the Air Force announced significant changes to the Key Spouse Program, renaming it the Commander’s Key Support Program, during an annual major command spouse conference March 15.
“One of the biggest takeaways from the rebranding is being able to differentiate this program from the Spouses’ Club,” said Rachel Emmerthal, Commander’s Key Support Program Key Support liaison. “The rebranding will also make this program more inclusive. It will allow anyone to be a supporter, and it does not have to be a spouse.”
The revamped initiative aims to broaden participation opportunities for Airmen, Guardians, federal employees, and family members, regardless of marital status, under the new Key Support Liaison title.
Initially launched in 2009 as an initiative by the Air Force chief of staff to facilitate better communication between leadership and families, the key spouse program has undergone various modifications over the past 15 years. Until now, volunteering was restricted to military spouses exclusively.
“Spouses are still extremely important to this program and are still encouraged to volunteer, liaisons may also include other family members as well as military or civilian members attached to the unit,” said Renee Olivas, Military and Family Readiness Center Community Readiness consultant. “The rebranding provides commanders opportunities to strengthen support as they widen the net of program volunteers.”
The U.S. Air and Space Force Commander’s Key Support Program is an official Unit Family Readiness Program aimed at bolstering readiness and fostering a sense of community. Volunteers can contribute to their units if their duties do not conflict with their primary responsibilities.
“It’s a big talking point now, and people are very excited about the change,” said Emmerthal. “Everyone is happy that the Air Force and Space Force will see the potential of this program and want to see it succeed.”
Virtual training is slated to be available in mid-2024 through MilLife Learning, which will equip participants with updated tools, templates, and local resource connections to ensure their success. The previous volunteers’ insights have helped align military family needs with enhanced programs, tools, and resources.
The Commander’s program emphasizes partnerships with the unit, the Military & Family Readiness Center, and community agencies to better support military families.
Date Taken: | 04.10.2024 |
Date Posted: | 04.10.2024 20:10 |
Story ID: | 468294 |
Location: | VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, CA, US |
Web Views: | 11 |
Downloads: | 0 |
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This work, A Rebranding and More Opportunities to Volunteer, by SrA Tiarra Sibley, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.