Airman and Family Readiness Flight: new name, new mission, new location

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Luis Loza Gutierrez
  • Public Affairs
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  The Airman and Family Readiness Flights (A&FRF) are going through several changes throughout the Air Force, with even more changes taking place here. 

"The reason for all the changes is simple, our organization is continually looking for ways to better serve our customers," Maureen Hartford, A&FRF community readiness
consultant said. 

The first and most noticeable of all the changes is the name. 

"Previously known as Family Support Centers, the organizations now are called the Airman and Family Readiness Flights. The new name reflects a change in focus and scope that has been evolving since Desert Shield/Storm in the early '90's," Ms. Hartford added. 

Other Air Force-wide changes that are expected to be made in the future are the transferring of Common Access Card and ID card services to the A&FRF. 

Changes specific to the A&FRF here will include a change in location. The A&FRF staff is currently dispersed in three separate buildings. Personnel from Buildings 300 and 246 are moving to Bldg. 145, former location of the 17th Comptroller Squadron. The target date for the moves is midto-late November. Announcements regarding the official dates will be made as they become available. 

"The new location for the A&FRF is right by the troop walk, which will allow our organization to have more visibility on base," Ms. Hartford said. 

"The location's larger size will allow us to be more centralized, which will keep our customers from having to go to different locations in order to use our services or activities." Staff from the Student Satellite Center, an annex of the A&FRF, will remain in Bldg. 3201 in order to continue to meet the needs of the student population on base. 

According to Larry Graves, community readiness consultant team leader, the new location will allow the flight to better serve its customers by creating more areas to perform the various services of the flight. The new location will house two training rooms, four counseling rooms and two resource rooms; one resource room will include a minimum of four computers designed to help customers with taking advantage of services like creating a resume, or doing on-line job searches. 

Although the A&FRF is undergoing several changes, much will remain the same as far as the flight's services go. 

The A&FRF's telephone number will continue to be (325) 654-3893 and traditional services such as relocation and Transition Assistance Programs, personal financial management, Air Force Aid, spouse employment, and family life education will still be offered. 

"We hope that with the new changes, more people will begin to understand that the scope of responsibility for the A&FRF has widened and that we are here for all Department of Defense military and civilian personnel and their families, which includes Guard, Reserve, other eligible uniformed members, military retirees and their eligible family members," Ms. Hartford concluded. (A newsletter article by the Airman and Family Readiness Flight contributed to this article.)