Key Spouses take care of Moody’s families

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Melissa K. Mekpongsatorn
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --   As deployments become more frequent, the Moody Key Spouses program play an increasingly important role in providing support for the spouses left behind.

The key spouses act as a liaison between the commander, the family and resources available on base. They provide information about the resources available and pass on information from the commander to the families.

"Our number one priority as a key spouse is communication," said Kristen Hopkins, one of the key spouses for the 23rd Equipment Maintenance Squadron and wife of Tech. Sgt. Tommy Hopkins, 23rd EMS A-10 phase crew-chief. "We make contact with spouses of deployed members once a month, so they know that they are not alone."

Deployed Airmen's spouses are not the only people key spouses want to make contact and get involved with.

"We want to invite all the spouses together not just the deployed spouses and key spouses," said Hopkins. "We try to do something every other month so that we can all get to know each other, so when someone's spouse deploys we already have a connection.

"I know what it's like for my husband to be gone and not have any support," she added. "And no one should have to go through that."

Having support and knowing available resources and that someone's here to help prior to a deployment can make things easier on the spouse and the deployed member.

"Knowing their families are being taking care of and getting the assistance they need while they're deployed makes it easier for the deployed member to do their job," said Sharon Thompson, 23rd Force Support Squadron, community readiness consultant and contact for the key spouse program.

Key spouses are an important part of the military community and anyone interested in becoming a key spouse should get in touch with their spouse's commander or first sergeant.

"Every key spouse has to be appointed by their commander and go through mandatory training," said Thompson.

Key spouses are the link between the commander and the families who support that unit. To get into contact with a key spouse, families can go through the Airman's first sergeant.