Airman helping Airmen through AFAF Published Feb. 21, 2012 By Anne Gathua 17th Training Wing Public Affairs GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- -- The Air Force Assistance Fund campaign kicks off here Mar. 5 with this year's goal set at more than $66,000. The annual campaign will run through April 13. The AFAF is one of two annual official Air Force fundraisers; the other being the Combined Federal Campaign. Unlike charities helped by the CFC, the AFAF charities let Airmen help Airmen. Money donated to AFAF helps fellow Airmen through four different organizations exclusively for military members - active duty, retired, guard, reserve and family members. These organizations- Air Force Aid Society, Air Force Enlisted Village, Air Force Village, the and Gen. and Mrs. LeMay Foundation - do not receive any federal funds. The AFAF is a great opportunity too. "Our campaign is focused on giving to give back," said 2nd Lt. Frederick Freeman, 17th Comptroller Squadron and this year's campaign manager. "All donations made to the AFAF are in support of our fellow Airmen." Here is a short summary of each of the four charities: Air Force Aid Society The official charity of the U.S. Air Force. It is a non-profit organization that helps Airmen and their families during times of financial hardship. They also offer help for financing higher education. Air Force Enlisted Village A non-profit organization that helps provide safe, secure housing for indigent surviving spouses of retired Air Force members. They also offer temporary housing and services for family members of enlisted personnel who perish while on active duty. They have two locations in Florida, the Bob Hope Village in Shalimar and the Teresa Village in Fort Walton Beach. Air Force Village A non-profit retirement community for retired military officers from all branches of service. It is located in San Antonio and the village consists of two complexes near Lackland Air Force Base. Each complex is a self-contained retirement community which offers its residents housing, recreation and health care. Gen. and Mrs. LeMay Foundation The Gen. and Mrs. LeMay Foundation helps widows of all Air Force retirees with financial grants for as long as they are needed. These grants can be for one-time expenses or ongoing. The offices are located in the Air Force Village West, just outside of March Air Reserve Base in California. Airmen can donate to AFAF by contacting their unit representative, or the installation project officers. Donations can be set up as an automatic draft, or can be made by cash or check. For more information contact your unit representative, Freeman at (325) 654-5044 or Master Sgt. Nathan Sinning at (325) 654-4805. Squadron UPOs: 17th Civil Engineer Squadron 2nd Lt. Nathan Demers Tech. Sgt. Desmond Williams 17th Comptroller Squadron Airman 1st Class Whitney Heath Airman 1st Class Jermiah Camacho 17th Communications Squadron Senior Airman Tiffany Reynolds Airman 1st Class Christa Berry 17th Contracting Squadron Staff Sgt. Nicholas Johnson Senior Airman Curtis McMichael 17th Force Support Squadron Senior Airman Morgan Williams Senior Airman Heimy Pasley 17th Logistics Readiness Squadron Airman 1st Class Brianna Wilkerson Jo Ann Rachele 17th Medical Group Tech. Sgt. Colleen Hughes 17th Medical Operations Squadron Tech. Sgt. Nichole Melilus 17th Medical Support Squadron Staff Sgt. Shane Soto 17th Security Forces Squadron Tech. Sgt. Reuben Fleischman Staff Sgt. Christopher Bauer 17th Training Support Squadron Jean Hinton Airman 1st Class Daniel Bailey 17th Training Wing Staff 2nd Lt. Leanne Caballer Tech. Sgt. James Fountain 311th Training Squadron Tech. Sgt. Samuel Cruz 312th Training Squadron Tech. Sgt. Jason Ellwinger 314th Training Squadron Tech. Sgt. Elizabeth Sabeh Tech. Sgt. Sonora Vasquez 315th Training Squadron 2nd Lt. Richard Slater Staff Sgt. Donald Schulz 316th Training Squadron Staff Sgt. Russel Bellamy Staff Sgt. Quatrell Nevels 517th Training Goup Tech. Sgt. Desdein Morton
