Spouses create a network of friends

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Rey Ramon
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  Where can you find free food, free child care for the evening, make new friends, and create a network with squadron leadership and agencies?

You can find all this and more at the Deployed Spouses Dinner held once a month, courtesy of the Airman and Family Readiness Center. The spouses of deployed servicemembers gathered at the Fire Department Headquarters June 19 for an evening of food, fellowship, and fun. More than 90 spouses and 58 children attended the dinner hosted by the 18th Civil Engineer Group along with members of the Top 3 organization who assisted with the set-up. The children's activities included bouncing castles and a varietal display from snakes to mechanical robots from the explosive ordnance disposal unit.

"Even though it's once a month, it's a good break from my daily life taking care of everything by myself while my husband is gone," said Staff Sgt. Theresa Ray, 718th Civil Engineer Squadron construction inspector.

Sergeant Ray adds that she finds it comfortable to attend the dinners because there are spouses in the same boat she is in. "They can sympathize with me being a temporary single mom," she said.

Amongst the crowd, not only will you meet individuals like Sergeant Ray, but spouses that are willing to give a helping hand when you need it.

"I come here to the Deployed Spouses Dinner because it puts me in touch with other spouses, not just from my husband's unit but from other units," said Joanna Urban, 18th Security Forces Squadron key spouse. "We try to empower them to get things done while their spouse is deployed."

Mrs. Urban is a volunteer from the AFRC to help spouses with whatever they need, even to be liaisons between the spouses and the leadership.

According to AFRC officials, Air Force leadership highly encourages this involvement on all levels to strengthen family resiliency--particularly during deployments.

"Sometimes when families get here, within months their husbands are deployed," Mrs. Urban said. "At least this is one opportunity to get out and meet other spouses."