New program 'key' to Family Readiness

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jason Schaap
  • 931st Air Refueling Group Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  Air Force Reserve Command is rolling out a new program to help families better cope when their Reservist is deployed.

It's called the Key Family Member Program, or KFMP. Members of the 931st Air Refueling Group can expect to hear a lot about it in the new year. The program focuses on preparation, and with the 931st's deployment cycle window opening in May, the time to prepare is now.

The Key Family Member Program is a partnership between the commander, Family Readiness and volunteers. The keys to KFMP are volunteers. They are empowered by the commander to inform and support the families of Reservists.

Family Readiness provides stability, support and training to the program. Master Sgt. Ed Woolson, the 931st's chief of Family Readiness, said he hopes to start training volunteers in February.

The program operates somewhat like a military recall roster, Sergeant Woolson said. A chain of communication is established with each part responsible for information moving up and down the chain.

"Information won't go through multiple channels," he said. "It will be more direct."

A family member who has a problem, for example, can contact a KFMP volunteer for help. If necessary, the KFMP can contact the KFMP chairperson (the head volunteer). The KFMP chairperson has direct access to the commander.

Information should flow in the other direction as well, from the chairperson to the volunteers to the families. The program eliminates the potential for issues to stall while travelling the many links in the chain between family, a deployed Reservist and his or her unit.

KFMP is modeled after Key Spouse, an active-duty Air Force program designed to help families with deployments. But KFMP was built, Sergeant Woolson said, to meet the unique needs of Reserve families.

The program started in 2002 at the 94th Airlift Wing, Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, N.Y. Following its success, AFRC leaders decided to implement the program across the command.

KFMP is a "proven" program, Sergeant Woolson said, "it really unites units and families."

For More Information
Contact the 931st Mission Support Flight at (316) 759-3788.