Key spouse program provides support, community resources Published Oct. 5, 2009 By Jan Kienast Airman and Family Readiness Center PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- The Key Spouse Program is an outreach effort of the Airman & Family Readiness Center and part of the Year of the Air Force Family initiative. The program uses commander- or first sergeant-appointed spouses in units to help address concerns and issues of the Air Force families. These volunteers offer support, information and a personal connection to available resources as well as serve as a link between the unit commander and the families. Peterson took the lead to update and improve program products that were sorely needed for the Key Spouse Program. We owe it to commanders and organizations to give them this program. We don't ask them to come up with training programs for other standardized positions such as superintendents or first sergeants. I want to see key spouses as a standardized position because their addition to the unit completes the team. The Key Spouse Program is a direct link into one of the most important aspects of a unit, what families need, especially with multiple deployments. This gets the needs of the families stated directly to leadership from the Air Force families living the needs. Workshop attendees included subject matter experts from all aspects of readiness support for families, current key spouses, and a commander and first sergeant representing every unit on Peterson and Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station. Key spouses are appointed by the commander or first sergeant, and gives the Air Force families a direct link to leadership. Key spouses are trained extensively to handle the needs of the Air Force families, in a variety of situations. The orientation training for new key spouses provides detailed training demonstrating how to accomplish their responsibilities. The training includes: True Colors personality training, team building exercises, community resources, family needs assessment training, confidentiality training, and a host of additional information. Key spouses will be sent back to the units after training completely prepared to assist Air Force families. Peterson Air Force Base will be hosting a monthly key spouse training session Oct. 21 at the A&FRC. The first training session for commanders and first sergeants will be Nov. 16 with an alternate date of Nov. 30. Any spouse, commander or first sergeant interested in receiving this training may register by calling the A&FRC at 556-6141.