Heart Link, Immersion Tour provides insight for military spouses Published Aug. 6, 2010 By Wayne Crenshaw 78 ABW/PA ROBINS AFB, Ga. -- Spouses new to military life are encouraged to sign up for the upcoming quarterly Heart Link class and Spouse Immersion Tour set for Aug. 13. Organized by the Airman & Family Readiness Center, the expanded day-long event introduces military spouses to the Air Force and to the many helping agencies on the base. The introduction and briefing begins at 8:30 a.m. at the A&FRC, Bldg. 794. After a table talk with various support agencies from around the installation, spouses will experience some flight kitchen cuisine and then will go on a community tour. The tour will include visits to the C-5 and F-15 areas on the flight line and showcase Team Robins contributions to airpower. Next, spouses will be taken off base for a tour of Warner Robins, beginning with a stop at City Hall where Warner Robin's Mayor Chuck Shaheen and Col. Carl Buhler, 78th Air Base Wing commander, will speak to the group and provide their perspectives on the importance of community and base support to military families. From there, the spouses will be taken to various other points of interest and the tour ends back at the A&FRC at about 4:20 p.m. Tony Pope, A&FRC community readiness technician, said Heart Link is one of the center's most popular classes. "Everyone we've ever had has always given it rave reviews," he said. Although Heart Link has been done for years, the tour is a recent addition to provide Team Robin's spouses a more close-up view of base operations and the community. Pope said all new military spouses, including those of the new Marine unit at Robins, are encouraged to attend and can sign up by Monday by calling the Airman & Family Readiness Center at 926-1256. Chief Master Sgt. Margarita Overton, acting installation command chief, said an all day event may create daycare challenges, but encourages supervisors to give the military member time off so that his or her spouse can participate in this event, or call the Family Child Care office at 926-6741 to find out whether they qualify for any of the Air Force Aid Society sponsored programs. Overton attributed the success of the class and tour to the collaborative efforts of members from the A&FRC, 402nd Maintenance Wing, 78th ABW, and community partners such as the Museum of Aviation, Marsha Buzzell of the Warner Robins Convention & Visitors Bureau, and Mary Therese Tebbe of the 21st Century Partnership. "It's our way of saying welcome to our Air Force family, and we appreciate you," Overton said.