Employee Assistance Program offers civilian employees services, support
The Employee Assistance Program is a free benefit for Air and Space Force civilian employees that offers a wide range of services to support and meet the various needs of employees and their families’ lives. The program, also known as EAP, is available for employees and their households to include spouses, children, parents and domestic partners. Learn more by visiting the link.
Medals presented to Airmen, Guardians for recruiting efforts
The Stellar Talent Acquisitions Recruiting Referral program recognizes Airmen and Guardians as they inspire the next generation to serve in the Department of the Air Force. Introduced in May 2023, individuals can earn up to two Air and Space Achievement Medals and one Air and Space Commendation Medal by referring personnel to enlist.
Under the guidelines outlined in Department of the Air Force Manual 36-2806, Airmen and Guardians in grades of E-1 to E-8 and O-1 to O-5 are eligible to receive an ASAM for the first and third applicants for referring three enlisted accessions applicants who depart for basic military training, provided the applicants enter service in either the Air Force or Space Force.
For further information about the STARR program, contact Master Sgt. Jason Beaucage at jason.beaucage@us.af.mil.
FSS positions open through Pathways Summer Hire Program
The 66th Force Support Squadron is now accepting applications for summer positions here to gain work experience with the federal government. The positions, available through the Pathways Summer Hire Program, provide students with up to 40 hours per week in appropriated funded assignments in grades GS-1 to GS-5.
Access to Fitness Center expanded
Col. Taona Enriquez, installation commander, has announced the expanded use of 24/7 access at the Fitness and Sports Center. In a signed policy letter by her, access now includes Federally Funded Research and Development Center contractors at Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory and MITRE.
66 FSS now using child care subletting app
The 66th Force Support Squadron is now using a mobile app to centralize and streamline the subletting of short-term slots at the Child Development Center. The app, called Kinderspot, will help Hanscom AFB families sublet child care spots and earn a credit against their account.
Free support available for parents, caregivers
Helping agency officials here want parents and caregivers to know they have access to a Massachusetts Parental Stress Line that offers free support and guidance to overcome non-urgent parenting issues. According to officials, the Parental Stress Line serves as a confidential, 24/7 helpline tailored to navigate the journey of raising children. The toll-free number is 1-800-632-8188.
MDS updates COVID guidance
66th Medical Squadron officials have announced updated guidance for those who test positive for COVID. The new update per CDC guidelines is that if patients test positive for COVID, they are no longer required to stay at home for five days and quarantine. The new guidance is they should remain at home until their symptoms are improving and they have not had a fever for 24 hours.
Clinic officials do recommend individuals wear a mask upon returning to work for at least 10 days from symptom onset.
Vehicle excise tax exemption for service members
All Massachusetts residents who own and register a motor vehicle in the Commonwealth must pay a motor vehicle excise tax annually for using the roadways. However, some drivers qualify for an exemption. There is no obligation for non-resident military service members to register a car in Massachusetts if it was purchased, titled, and registered in their home state. In addition, there is an exemption to the excise tax for service members who do register their vehicles.
Looking for the latest Hanscom news?
The Hanscom AFB Round-Up provides a comprehensive weekly update of the top news articles, social media posts, and significant information relevant to the 66th Air Base Group, acquisition directorates, and other Hanscom-based units.
If you’d like to subscribe to the Team Hanscom Round-Up, send an e-mail to 66.ABG.PA.CMB@us.af.mil.
Interested in submitting a news article?
Public Affairs is always looking for news and information directly related to the Hanscom Air Force Base mission and the men and women assigned here. Typical stories include significant events, program milestones or unique experiences.
Because the Public Affairs Office needs to follow specific style guidelines and formats, and the fact that explaining Hanscom’s complex acquisition mission to a lay audience can be challenging, it’s usually better to work with PA directly on articles.
For further information, contact Public Affairs at 781-225-1685 or by email at Hanscom.Hansconian@us.af.mil.
2022 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report
This report is an annual summary of the drinking water quality provided by Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass. Under the Consumer Confidence Reporting Rule of the Environmental Protection Agency's Safe Drinking Water Act, or SDWA, community water systems are required to report this water quality information to the consuming public annually.
Presented in this report is information on the source of drinking water, where it comes from, its chemical composition, how its quality compares to state and federal standards and the health risks associated with any contaminants present. For those interested in an opportunity for public participation in decisions that may affect the quality of the water, contact the personnel listed in the document linked below on page one, section one. Meetings take place on a non-routine basis or as needed.
Read the full 2022 drinking water report at this link.
EFMP program support offered
The Exceptional Family Member Program provides non-clinical resources and referrals for exceptional family members. An exceptional family member must have an active duty service member in the household and a DEERS enrolled dependent/spouse who meet one or more of the following criteria’s: medical, mental health, assistive needs and or educational.
The EFMP family support coordinator assists EFMP families prepare for a change of station move, answer questions about respite care, provide assistance with schools or help families look for local resources. The coordinator is also available to assist military members of all branches of service including the National Guard, Reserve and federal civilians with all of their non-medical EFMP needs.
To contact the Hanscom EFMP, email 66.FSS.FSFR.CMB@us.af.mil.
Info on Service Members’ Civil Relief Act Information
As traditional permanent change of station season approaches or service members prepare to deploy, challenges often surface when trying to secure housing or storing personal property. In response to these challenges unique to military service, Congress enacted the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act, or SCRA, to relieve some of those burdens.
Service members may decide to use storage facilities to store personal property. Accordingly, among its many protections, SCRA prevents storage companies from selling a service member’s property while deployed without a court order, even if the member is in default. In addition, SCRA caps pre-service debt at a 6 percent interest rate, protects service members from default legal judgments when they cannot appear in court due to military service, and provides the ability to terminate certain residential leases early
For further information on SCRA protections, contact the Legal Office at 781-225-1410 or by email at 66ABG.JA.Workflow@us.af.mil.
School Liaison Program
The Hanscom school liaison is available to coordinate and assist military and Defense Department civilian parents with school-age children with educational opportunities and information necessary to succeed in an academic environment. For further information on the school liaison program or for information on any of the local schools, visit https://www.hanscomfss.com/school-liaison-office.
Pre-separation counseling
Weekly sessions take place on most Wednesdays from 8:30 to 11 a.m. for separating and retiring service members to complete the mandatory DD Form 2648, Preseparation Counseling Checklist. The checklist provides critical information about benefits, resources and services for the transition from military to civilian life. By law, this counseling must be provided at least 90 days prior to date of separation or retirement. For further information, call the A&FRC at 781-225-2765.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
For those experiencing problems in the workplace, help is available. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) offers informal and non-threatening methods of resolving disputes in a confidential, safe and mutually satisfying manner.
The objective of the ADR program is to provide early intervention support and resolve conflicts prior to escalation and disruption in the workplace environment. ADR techniques include mediation, facilitation and conflict management coaching. Mediation is the most frequent technique used for resolution of equal opportunity cases, union grievances, or other workplace disputes. The use of ADR often result in improved communications and workplace relationships, promoting healthier workplace environments through the guidance of a trained neutral.
For more information or to obtain service contact the EO office at 781-225-6397.
Check out Hanscom University
Hanscom University is a one-stop shop for all Professional Development courses on Hanscom. It offers all Professional Development rolled into one package.
- HU courses are open to all military and civilian personnel on Hanscom, including our GSU personnel
- Visit the Course Catalog on the SharePoint to see a listing of all courses offered
- For those who wish to continually pursue their professional development with HU, see the Awards Program details on the site
- See the calendar on the homepage and follow the instructions to start registering
https://usaf.dps.mil/sites/21911/HU/SitePages/Home.aspx
**Is teaching and developing others something that you are good at or would like to do? The HU team is always looking for additional facilitators to help instruct and guide our people. For more information on getting started, contact the HU Team at 66fss.fsdp.hanscomuniversity@us.af.mil
Professional Development Opportunity
The Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) is inviting anyone who has an interest in ensuring Hanscom is welcoming, inclusive, and accessible to Individuals with Disabilities to be a part of the Individual with Disabilities(IwD) Committee. We are looking for folks who would be interested in contributing in the following areas:
- Outreach/recruitment
- Accessibility and Accommodations
- Education
- Training/development
- Employee Retention.
If you have interest in professional development for any of these areas or an interest in the community of people with disabilities, we invite your participation. The time commitment will vary depending on the duties you would be focusing on, and the amount of people on the committee.
If you are interested in being a part of the committee, or have any questions, please reach out to the IwD Committee at IwDHanscom@gmail.com.