A&FRC services, programs facilitate communication between deployed members, families

  • Published
  • By Meredith March
  • 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HANSCOM AFB, Mass. -- --  One of the most essential elements of a successful deployment - for the family as well as the servicemember - is communication, said Master Sgt. Donald Gonsalves, Airman and Family Readiness Center Family Readiness coordinator. Many of the A&FRC's services and programs include ways for deployed servicemembers and their families to communicate with each other.

"Communication is paramount," Sgt. Gonsalves said. "Communicating is the thing we most encourage people to do. There are so many mediums out there: writing letters, sending e-mails and instant messaging through the Air Force portal. So many communication tools are available to keep people in contact."

The Airman and Family Readiness Center provides access to those communication tools across a variety of mediums.

Phone card programs
Servicemembers and their families can obtain free global, pre-paid phone cards, sponsored by the Air Force Aid Society and the National Headquarters of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, at the A&FRC.

Morale calls
Families are allowed one 15 minute phone call per week with their servicemember, utilizing the Defense Switch Network. While most families can make DSN calls from home, they can also arrange to make the calls from the A&FRC.

Morale e-mail
The A&FRC has computers available for use from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Families can use them to set up free e-mail accounts and correspond with their servicemember.

"We also have digital cameras that people can check out when they want to take pictures to send to their loved ones as well as webcams in our resource center that people can use to create video e-mails," said Hillary Dewitt A&FRC Work Life consultant.

Video calls
If their servicemember's location also has the capability, a family can make two 20-minute video calls per month. Video calls require appointments, which can be made by calling the A&FRC.

Families can also receive tactical reminders of their servicemembers from the A&FRC.
Service flags
Families and servicemembers can get service flags at the A&FRC. If the individual ordering the flags can provide addresses, the A&FRC will also send flags to family members, Ms. Dewitt said.

Readiness Emergency Sleep Tool (REST) 
Loved ones can have a digital photo transferred onto a pillow case to remind them of and help them feel close to their servicemember while he or she is away.

Table Talk
Families can obtain a tablecloth and permanent marker from the A&FRC.

"Family members can write down things they'd like to talk about with the servicemember if they were there - good or bad things - and issues that have come out while the servicemember has been gone," Ms. Dewitt said.

"When the servicemember returns, the family can take it out and talk about those things over dinner. It's a good conversation piece," she said. "Topics are written right there on the cloth, and important things are not forgotten."

For more information on A&FRC programs call (781) 377-4222.

(Editor's note: This is the fourth in a series of stories on deployment preparation and support services available at Hanscom for deploying servicemembers and their families.)