Heartlink welcomes new spouses

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Charles Dickens
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Military spouses aren't required to attend formal training before becoming a member of the Air Force family and often are not fully prepared for the new cultures and other daunting tasks involved with military life

For that reason, the Airman and Family Readiness Center at Columbus Air Force Base has recently begun hosting a program to help spouses learn more about the Air Force or Columbus AFB and get a better understanding of the service. This program combines three previous spouse-welcoming programs into one that is hosted every six weeks on the Wednesday following Newcomer's Orientation.

"Heartlink is a welcoming activity for both spouses that are new to the Air Force and spouses that are new to the base," said Laura Clagg, Airman and Family Readiness Director. "They get a head start by getting help understanding the language that we speak every day, introducing them to all of the different base services, the functions of the base and what they can tap into as a spouse."

The Heartlink program, sponsored by the Air Force Aid Society, also helps spouses to understand common traditions, customs and courtesies, the different ceremonies held and many other Air Force activities.

"Let's face it, your first base is always the hardest because everything is new," said Clagg. "You will get to know what the local community is like and what we offer here in Columbus."