Heart Link set for May 8

  • Published
  • By Robins Public Affairs
  • 78th Air Base Wing
The Airman & Family Readiness Center will host Heart Link, a once-a-quarter spouse orientation event May 8.

Heart Link is designed for military spouses married five years or less, but any spouse is welcome to attend. 

The benefit of attending, said Dell Steplight, program manager and community readiness specialist, is to meet other spouses in the same situation. 

Heart Link formed at Robins in 1999. The six-hour event helps spouses who are not familiar with acronyms, military protocol and the military way of life to gain a better understanding of what will be required of them as well as their Airmen.

During the day, briefings are given by various organizations at Robins including finance, legal, marketing and family advocacy. Other agencies set up tables at the expo to provide more information.

Some of the agencies represented during the course of the day are military family life consultants, the Health and Wellness Center, protocol and chaplain, among others.

Steplight stressed the importance of the program for new spouses as it helps them become familiar with the Air Force and form a support system to help during their spouse's temporary duty assignments and deployments, as well as permanent station changes.

"The spouses are the heart of the team," Steplight said. "Without the spouse, it doesn't work for the family."

WHAT TO KNOW:
The deadline to register for this quarter's Heart Link is Thursday. The event will be at the A&FRC, Bldg. 794, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., May 8. To register, call (478) 926-1256 or DSN 468-1256. Child care may be available by calling Shirletta Murray at (478) 926-6741 or DSN 468-6741.