Heart Link spouse orientation program now taking sign-ups Published Sept. 27, 2007 By Mrs. Peggy Walker Airman and Family Readiness Center GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The Airman and Family Readiness Center is now taking sign-ups for the Heart Link program scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Community Activity Center. The Heart Link program was developed by Air Combat Command and later adopted by Air Mobility Command. The program is designed to strengthen our Air Force families' abilities to adapt to the military lifestyle. Spouses are a critical part of the Air Force team and families can directly enhance our mission readiness. The overall objective of the program is to increase retention of members in the Air Force by increasing spouse awareness of the Air Force mission, customs, traditions, protocol, support resources and services available to them. This will enable spouses to make better use of all available resources supporting them and their families. The theme, Heart Link, was chosen to reinforce the feeling that the spouse is the heart of the Air Force. The spouse plays a central role in the mental, emotional and physical health of the sponsor. The spouse is the link to the family, no matter where the sponsor may be deployed. The spouse is often the key to personal preparedness and mission effectiveness and plays a central role in making reenlistment decisions and in the end, impacting retention. The spouse is the family's lifeblood during deployments and separations and is usually the emotional heart or link of the spouse and sponsor team. This program is like no other. It was designed as a fun interactive program. Col. Diane Hull, 319th Air Refueling Wing Commander will welcome our spouses and upon completion of the program, will present all attendees with a Heart Link spouse coin. The program is seven hours long and includes breakfast, lunch, and snacks throughout the day. There will also be prize giveaways. All participants must register to attend. Childcare coordination assistance is available. The day's activities include: · You and the Air Force - where you fit in · Introduction to the Air Force family · Tool kit for preparedness · Communicating within the Air Force (with lunch) · Healthy families · Your vital importance to the Air Force family This program is sponsored by the airman and family readiness center, the base community action information board, integrated delivery system team, leadership spouses, key spouses, chief's group, first sergeant's organization, top 3 and volunteers. Call 747-3241 for registration. The Airman and Family Readiness Center is located at 575 Holzapple Street and is open to all active duty, retired, guard, reservists, Defense Department civilians and their family members. For more information concerning Airman and Family Readiness Center programs, call 747-3241.