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McGuire Phoenix Spouse recognized - December 2008

  • Published
McGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. --  Military families are unlike many other families. Frequent relocations - uprooting children from school and spouses from jobs - and the ever-present reality of overseas deployments, can cause stress for those families. Single servicemembers and their families, back home, also have to deal with the stress that accompanies the military lifestyle.

The Phoenix Spouse program, offered through the McGuire Airman and Family Readiness Center, provides military families with someone who can assist them in dealing with that stress before, during and after a deployment.

Each month, the Airman and Family Readiness Center will recognize a McGuire Phoenix Spouse for all of their hard work, dedication and commitment. We thank you all for what you do as Team McGuire members and Phoenix Spouses.

Full name: Monica McFarlin

Unit assigned: 817th Global Mobility Squadron/Global Mobility Readiness Squadron

How long have you been a Phoenix Spouse? Since July 25, 2007

What activities have you taken part in as a Phoenix Spouse? I've mainly been forwarding information about base events, services and programs to the spouses in my squadron. Lately, we have had lots of babies in the 817th GMS, so I've been busy organizing "Meals on Wheels" for the new parents. The unit families are really great about helping each other out, so I definitely don't do anything alone. Our unit has also hosted a Family Readiness Day, which allows many families the opportunity to meet with legal to prepare necessary documents and ask questions unique to their own family situations. Our unit is small, so it is easier to get to know each other. We try to hang out once a month to catch up with each other, but that doesn't always happen. Basically, I just try to help whomever and where ever I can. Being that this is really my first time involved as a military spouse in my husband's unit, I don't really know what is "normal" for this type of role and what isn't, so I stick to these two principles: treating others the way I want to be treated and "to whom much is given, much is expected." (Luke 12:48)

What do you find most rewarding about being a Phoenix Spouse? I enjoy the friendships I have formed the most. I am friends with people who I may not have had the chance to meet if I wasn't a Phoenix Spouse. And, of course, there is much personal satisfaction knowing that you have helped to ease someone's burden.

What do you think about this program? I like this program, and I enjoy being part of it. I am a big advocate on establishing support networks, especially in a military community. This is the first time I have ever been involved with a unit spouse group, so I didn't really know what to expect. I fell into the Phoenix Spouse program accidentally. I walked into the Airman & Family Readiness Center one day looking for information for our spouse group, and they told me it would be a good idea to sit in on the Phoenix Spouse training because it was loaded with information. So I did and everything has snowballed since! I originally didn't expect to be so involved, it just kind of happened, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Now I am looking for someone to help me with the program, so to all of you 817th GMS spouses out there who want to get more involved, call me!