Airmen helping Airmen: AFAF campaign kicks off

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Brigitte N. Brantley-Sisk
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  A campaign developed in the spirit of Airmen helping Airmen, the Air Force Assistance Fund kicked off Feb. 7 and is scheduled to continue through March 18.

Moody's goal is to raise $82,000, a figure which is based on one percent of the annual pay for nearly 4,300 enlisted members and 460 officers.

"The AFAF is all about helping your colleagues and peers out," said 1st Lt. Jenna Gilbert, installation project officer. "When you're donating to one of the four available charities, you're not just helping anyone- you're helping someone who is a part of our Air Force family."

This year's theme is "Committed to Caring," and the installation project managers are aiming to get in contact with all possible contributors, mainly through face-to-face contact.
One Moody sergeant has used money from the Air Force Aid Society (one of the possible charities) in a time of need.

"I got assistance from the AFAS to buy a plane ticket to the Philippines when my father had a heart attack a few months ago," said Staff Sgt. Ricardo Hill, 23rd Civil Engineer Squadron pavements and construction equipment operator. "This family emergency couldn't have come at a worse time for me, but the AFAS was ready to help me through it and luckily my father ended up being alright."

To contribute, members should contact their respective unit program officers.
- 23rd Wing staff: Staff Sgt. Jennifer Jones
- 23rd Fighter Group: Staff Sgt. Crystal Bone
- 23rd Maintenance Group: Senior Master Sgt. Jack Cameron or Tech. Sgt. Brenton Regan
- 347th Rescue Group: Master Sgt. Richard Hosaka or Tech. Sgt. Scott Rutstein
- 23rd Mission Support Group: 1st Lt. Vanessa Jessie or Senior Master Sgt. Darrel Cook
- 23rd Medical Group: Master Sgt. Erik Karpicke
- 93rd Air Ground Operations Wing: Master Sgt. Jessica Sullens

Moody members can choose to make tax-deductible contributions to any of the following Air Force-related charities through cash, check, money order or paycheck allotment.

- The Air Force Aid Society, the official charitable organization of the Air Force, provides Airmen and their families with worldwide emergency financial assistance, education assistance and other base-level programs. The Airman and Family Readiness Center has full details on programs and eligibility requirements. Information is also available at www.afas.org.

- The Air Force Enlisted Villages in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., near Eglin Air Force Base, provides rent subsidy and other support to indigent widows and widowers of retired enlisted members 55 and older. More information is available at www.afenlistedwidows.org.

- The Air Force Village Indigent Widow's Fund, a life-care community in San Antonio for retired officers, spouses, widows or widowers and family members. The Air Force Village website is www.airforcevillages.com.

- The General and Mrs. Curtis E. Lemay Foundation provides rent and financial assistance to indigent widows and widowers of officers and enlisted members in their own homes and communities. The website is www.lemayfoundation.org.