Making every assignment worthwhile with FANS

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. George Fowler
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Spouses of military members are commonly burdened with frequent moves, separation from their loved ones and a generally atypical lifestyle.

In an effort to bring the spouses of service members together within the community of Columbus AFB, a new organization, FANS, was established.

FANS was the vision of Leslie Watkins, wife of Colonel Roger Watkins, 14th Flying Training Wing commander, and Debbie Brackett, wife of Chief Master Sgt. Rich Brackett, 14th Flying Training Wing Command Chief Master Sergeant.

The acronym FANS stands for Air Force, surrounding Area, Neighbors and Self and the goal of the club is to become familiar with these four areas of the community.

FANS takes a different approach from other military clubs and organizations. There are many organizations for military member spouses. Spouses of Stripes is one such club for spouses of enlisted members. Officers Spouses Club is another such organization for spouses of officers. FANS is not so much a club as it is a networking tool for military spouses of all ranks to get to know each other and the surrounding area of Columbus.

"When we first came to the base this summer we were able to go on several immersion tours and experienced things most spouses never get to," said Mrs. Watkins. "We felt so fortunate and decided we wanted all military spouses to have the opportunity to experience what we did."

There have already been several successful events coordinated through FANS. The most recent event was a working dog demonstration at the 14th Security Forces Squadron which more than 30 spouses and children attended. FANS plans to put on at least one event every month. The next event is scheduled for Dec. 17 and is coordinated through Operation Home Front Mississippi and the Medical Group Spouses Group. There will be a guest speaker at Fire Department sharing her experience of living with AIDS.

"I have heard spouses saying this is a bad assignment," noted Mrs. Brackett. "The assignment is really what you make of it. The people you meet and spend time with can make any assignment great."

There are no membership fees or time requirements so why not contact FANS? Information is dispersed via e-mail on a weekly basis and to be placed on a distribution list, please contact Leslie Watkins at lesliebw3@msn.com or Debbie Brackett at dpbrackett1@hotmail.com for more information or to get involved.