“Heart Link” a spouse orientation program Published May 1, 2008 By Mrs. Peggy Walker 319th Airman and Family Readiness Center GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Sign-ups are being accepted for the Heart Link Seminar scheduled for Wednesday, May 7, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Airman and Family Readiness Center. The time and date were especially set to ensure military spouses would be able to enjoy a day to relax and enjoy the company of other spouses while their children are either in school or at the child development center enjoying free day care courtesy of the Air Force Aid Society. Breakfast and lunch will also be provided to make this a great, much needed, mid-week break before the kids get out of school for the summer. This program was designed to be a fun and interactive with games and incentive gifts. Col. Diane Hull, 319th Air Refueling Wing Commander, will welcome spouses and, upon completion of the program, will present all attendees with the "Heart Link Spouse Coin", specially designed for Heart Link. The program is seven hours long and includes breakfast, lunch, and snacks throughout the day. There will also be prize giveaways. The Heart Link program was developed by Air Combat Command and later adopted by Air Mobility Command. The program was originally designed to strengthen young military families and assist in adapting to the military lifestyle. However, it has grown to include any spouse who wants to know more about their military community, no matter how long they have been associated with the Air Force. Spouses are a critical part of the Air Force team and families can directly enhance 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 the community 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 and 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, playing 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 sponsored by the Airman and Family Readiness Center, base community action information board, integrated delivery system team, leadership spouses, key spouses, chief's group, first sergeant's organization, top 3, and volunteers. The Airman and Family Readiness Center is located at 575 Holzapple Street and is open to all active duty, retired, Guard and Reservists, Department of Defense civilians and their family members. For more information concerning Airman and Family Readiness Center programs, call 747-3241. Free childcare is available at the child development center; however, you must register no later than May 2. Registration is needed and can be made by calling 747-3241.