Military & Family Readiness Center

The Air Force Aid Society supports the mission of the Air Force by relieving the financial distress of service members and their families with educational assistance and through proactive programs. Below are the various programs Air Force Aid Society offers:

Financial Assistance:

• Interest-free loans/grants are available for:
• Basic Living Expenses
• Emergency Travel
• Essential Car Repair
• Natural Disasters
• Dependent Funerals
• Pay or Allotment Problems
• Medical/Dental expenses not covered by TRICARE
• Falcon Loans

Education Programs:

• The General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant Program provides up to $4000 in grants for full-time college education for Air Force family members. 
• The “Bee” Arnold Grant Program provides up to $2,500 in grants for spouses to pursue entry-level job training through short-term programs/certification (3-12 week) or part-time undergraduate degree at an accredited college. Applications can be submitted to www.afas.org

Air Force Aid Society’s Community Enhancement Programs:  Bundles for Babies:

•  This Air Force Aid Society sponsored program offers an educational class for Active Duty Air Force members and their spouses.  This class is facilitated by the Family Advocacy Nurse Specialists (FANS) and is geared towards new parents.  The AFAS provides each participant with $100 to be used to purchase items for the expectant mother or their new baby.

To Apply for Air Force Aid Assistance please visit: AFAS.org or call 703.972.2650

Child Care for PCS Program for Family Care Providers: Active duty members on a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move and members on retirement orders who need hourly care.  Care will be provided at the local CDC or the child and youth centers based on space availability. A copy of PCS orders is required to receive a certificate. Members can obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the M&FRC.

Give Parents a Break: The Air Force Aid Society (AFAS) recognizes that Air Force families are subject to unique stresses due to the nature of military life – deployments, remote tours of duty, extended working hours, etc. This program is offered twice monthly (first and third Saturday) for the purpose of allowing families a few hours break from the stresses of parenting. Families may use this time to suit their personal needs. Families are given certificates to use the program for a specific time.  Contact the local CDC for dates and times.

Respite Care: This program is offered to active duty Air Force families with a family member(s) enrolled in the EFMP program. The goal of the program is to provide a “break” for a few hours a week/month to families who have the responsibility of 24 hours-a-day care for an ill/disabled family member. AFAS assistance for respite is based on need — the need for respite time.

Remembering, Honoring, Connecting… Always a part of the Air and Space Force Family.
Air Force Families Forever (AFFF) is a long-term survivor program established to provide support to family members of deceased Regular Air Force, U.S. Space Force, and Reserve Component Airmen who died in an Active Duty, Inactive Duty for Training (IDT), or Annual Training (AT) status and whose relationship was established prior to the Airman or Guardian’s death. Next of Kin (NOK): widow or widower (remarried or not), each parent (mother, father, stepmother, stepfather, mother through adoption, father through adoption, foster parents who stood in loco parentis), each child (natural, step-children, adopted), and each sibling (brother, sister, half-brother, half-sister, step-sibling) of an Airman or Guardian.

The Air Force Casualty Services Program’s primary goals are to provide prompt, accurate reporting, dignified and humane notification, and efficient, thorough, and compassionate assistance to the next of kin for as long as needed. The Casualty Assistance Representative (CAR) works closely with commanders at all levels to ensure the success of the program. The CAR works closely with survivors of retired Air Force members to ensure potential benefits are applied in a timely manner. The CAR provides limited casualty service to members of sister services, certain foreign nationals, and civilians.

Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP): Military pay stops when a member dies. The SBP is a government program, which makes it possible for retiring members to ensure that after their death, their eligible survivors receive a portion of their military retired pay in the form of monthly annuities and VA benefits. The SBP was structured so that a surviving spouse cannot outlive the annuity, and it has Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) incorporated so the annuity increases with inflation. An active duty member who has eligible dependents is automatically covered by SBP at the maximum level at no cost to the member while he/she remains on active duty. Prior to retiring, each member must decide whether to continue SBP coverage into retirement. The retired pay of those members who elect to participate is reduced by monthly premiums. The SBP is a unique plan: Government-subsidized premiums deducted from a participating member’s retired pay before taxes. SBP is the sole means for a member to continue a portion of their military retired pay to their eligible survivors. If a member chooses (with the concurrence of their spouse) not to participate in the SBP, an annuity cannot be paid.

Casualty/SBP Questions: Do you have a casualty or SBP question you wish someone could answer for you? Your M&FRC at Sheppard AFB can help. One-on-one casualty/SBP counseling is available to all military members at Sheppard AFB. Do not have time to come, just email us your casualty or SBP questions. We will research and respond to your questions within three business days. Most questions answered within 24 hours.

Our employment services are available to anyone with base access who is looking at exploring and achieving their career goals. M&FRC provides employment skills training, inlcuding resume writing, interview skills, and market insights for successful job searches, including local, state, federal, or relocating due to PCS, retirement, or seperation. Check out our monthyl workshops at www.tockify.com

Phone Number: (940) 676-5100

• EFMP – Family Support Goal
  • To establish, implement, and sustain comprehensive support for Airmen, Guardians, and their families with special needs, ensuring they receive the resources and assistance necessary to thrive.
  • To foster an inclusive approach that enhances the quality of life for special needs family members by coordinating assignment accommodations, providing family support, and ensuring access to medical, educational, legal, and community resources.
  • Support

• The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) is a Department of Defense initiative available across all military branches. It is a mandatory program for active-duty Airmen and Guardians who have family members with special needs.
• EFMP operates through three main components, supported by a broad network of additional services. The components include:
  • EFMP-Medical (EFMP-M): Manages enrollment, screening, and assignment coordination through the Family Member Travel Screening (FMTS) process.
  • EFMP-Assignments (EFMP-A): Ensures that medical and educational needs are considered when the necessary services are unavailable at an Airman’s or Guardian’s current or future duty station.
  • EFMP-Family Support (EFMP-FS): Connects families with on- and off-base support services tailored to their specific needs through comprehensive needs assessments.
• Other EFMP-FS Services:
  • In addition to the core EFMP components, a variety of support services are available, including:
    • Special Education Services (ages 3-21)
    • Educational and Developmental Intervention Services (EIDS) (ages 0-3)
    • Special Education Legal Services
    • Health Care Benefits Liaison
    • Respite Care Liaison
  • These services work together to provide holistic support, ensuring that families have the resources they need to succeed both personally and professionally.

Assists service members and their families in managing the challenges of deployments and separations before, during, and after they occur. Personal and Family Readiness offers the following programs:
Pre-deployment Briefing: Mandatory briefing for the military member (spouses encouraged to attend) covering, Red Cross, services for families during deployment, AFAS services, and overview of handouts.
Reunion Workshop: Mandatory briefing for the military member (spouses encouraged to attend). This class covers the stress of reunion on the family; communication challenges that can occur, and the truth about expectations for those returning from deployment. Post-deployment workshop features briefings by: M&FRC, Mental Health, Chaplain, Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, Family Advocacy and the Military Family Life Counselor (MFLC).
Hearts Apart Program: Open to immediate family members who have a loved one currently deployed, on a remote tour or TDY. Allows deployed family members to network and interact with fellow families.

• Childcare: Families of deployed members are authorized 16 hours of free childcare monthly. Please contact the FCC Office for more information (940) 676-7657.

Provides information, education, and one-on-one financial counseling to assist members and families maintain financial readiness. Services are designed to address money management issues throughout a service member’s military life cycle. Financial readiness educational opportunities ranges from setting up a simple budget to understanding long-term investment options.

• Important Resources
  • Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA)- https://scra.dmdc.osd.mil/scra/#/home
  • Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)- https://www.tsp.gov/
  • DFAS myPay – https://mypay.dfas.mil/#/
  • MilTax- https://www.militaryonesource.mil/financial-legal/taxes/miltax-military-tax-services/

Enriches and improves the quality of individual and family life at Sheppard by providing the knowledge and skills needed for everyday living, relating to others, coping with life events, easing adaptation to the military lifestyle. Personal & Work Life offers the following program:
Heart Link Spouse Orientation: An orientation program designed for those who are newly married or just interested in learning more about the Air Force Life. The overall goal of the program is to ensure that spouses are aware of their importance to the Air Force, and feel as though they are a part of the Air Force team. Information is given about community resources, TRICARE, deployments, and more. This program is offered quarterly. For more information and to learn the class dates, contact the Military & Family Readiness Center.

Relocation Assistance:
The Relocation Assistance mission is to eliminate the stress associated with frequent moves by providing moving assistance planning, inbound and outbound relocation services and on-going relocation workshops.

Right Start:
This Newcomer’s Orientation program is the Wing Commander’s program to welcome newcomers to Sheppard. Right Start is held once each month. Right Start is mandatory for military members and DoD civilians.  Spouses are cordially invited to attend. Military members will be scheduled for Right Start by the MPF or CCS.

Sponsorship Training:
The M&FRC Relocation Program is here to support Sponsors and Command Support Staff who are charged with managing and monitoring the unit level Sponsorship Program. The first step to becoming a successful Sponsor is taking the e-sponsorship application training (eSAT).  This is a Department of Defense training, is mandated for all new Sponsors and Sponsors who have not taken the eSAT training within the year prior to a new Sponsorship assignment. Training certificates must be submitted to your unit Command Support Staff for unit Sponsorship Program record keeping. In addition to offering the Sponsorship training, this site provides Sponsors with information on the MilitaryInstallations and Plan My Move websites.  It also provides a sample welcome letter, a Sponsorship duty checklist, and a Newcomer and Family needs assessment, which should be tailored to fit the needs of the inbound member and their Family.

PCS Brief/Remote Tour Briefing:
Relocating from Sheppard AFB?  Whether this is your first PCS or your fifth, the relocation manager can help guide you through the steps to a smooth move.

Smooth Move:
Assists service members and their families with preparing for PCS assignments overseas or stateside. Plan My Move is a helpful tool for services members and their families to prepare for PCS assignments, providing a personlized checklist to keep track. Plan My Move: https://planmymove.militaryonesource.mil/

Pre-Arrival Briefing:
Connect with Sheppard AFB prior to your arrival. The M&FRC offers bi-monthly informal ZOOM briefings to provide base and community information. There will also be time for Q&A

DoD Transition Assistance Program (TAP) provides information and training to ensure Service members transitioning from active duty are prepared for their next step in life, whether pursuing additional education, a vocational trade, finding a job in the public or private sector, or starting a business. DoD TAP should not be confused with TAPS, an acronym for the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors

Available to all Service members who have at least 180 continuous days or more on active duty, including the National Guard and Reserve. We prefer members start planning and reaching out to us for assistance when you are about 24 months from transition. The steps of TAP are:

1. TAP starts Individualized Initial Counseling no later than 365 days prior to transition for those who are separating, retiring, or being released from active duty. During this counseling, members are advised about the TAP process and how it can help them.
2. Pre-separation counseling, just like IC, must start no later than 365 days prior to transition. Pre-separation counseling covers workshops, benefits, entitlements, and resources for eligible transitioning Service members. Caregivers and spouses are especially encouraged to attend pre-separation counseling with their Service member.
3. The Primary 3-day TAP Workshop which includes the DoD Transition Day, VA Benefits and Services brief, and the DOL One-day brief on preparation for employment.
4. The optional or mandatory two-days of instruction based on the member’s post-transition goals, which includes the DOL Employment Track, DOL Vocational Track, DoD Education Track, or the SBA Entrepreneurship Track. Transitioning Service members must elect at least one track but may attend more than one based on their ITP and post-transition goals.
5. Capstone, which must happen no later than 90 days before transition from active duty, is the culminating event followed by the Service member’s commander/commander designee, who verifies achievement of Career Readiness Standards and a viable ITP. Capstone remains the culminating event for TAP.

Please give us a call so we can help you start to plan.