Military & Family Readiness Center (2024)

Promotes community wellness and assists with the readiness and resiliency of the force across the life cycle. Our programs provide education and enrichment services that focus on helping families build and maintain healthy relationships, strengthen interpersonal competencies and problem-solving skills, and master respective roles, tasks, and responsibilities throughout the family life cycle. We focus on promoting, enriching and improving work/home balance, resulting in increased quality of life and resiliency.

Couples Communication (Prevention & Relationship Enhancement Program)

PREP attempts to help couples reduce or limit risk factors and raise protective factors. The program includes topics: communication danger signs of future problems, gender difference, using structure to promote safety, the Speaker Listener technique, problem solving, ground rules for handling conflict, strategies for dealing with issues and events, clarifying core beliefs and expectations, forgiveness, commitment, and how to preserve and enhance fun, friendship and sensuality. This program is co-facilitated with Family Advocacy.

Five Love Languages/Four Lenses/True Colors

The Five Love Languages and Four Lenses/True Colors workshop can be utilized to enhance relationships by teaching couples to understand their partner’s personality/communication style as well as their preferred way of expressing/receiving love. These workshops are also offered for singles. Limited child care and dinner for attendees may be provided.

Heart Link

The Spouse Orientation Program “Heart Link” is designed to strengthen military families and enhance mission readiness. The overall objective is to increase retention of members in the Air Force by increasing spouse awareness of the Air Force mission, customs, traditions, protocol, and support resources and services available to them. Spouses will be presented with a Heart Link coin during graduation. Limited, free child care is available. Call the Military & Family Readiness Center for details.

Key Spouse

The Key Spouse Program is an official unit/family program designed to enhance readiness and establish a sense of Air Force community. It is a commander’s program that promotes partnerships with unit leadership, volunteer Key Spouses appointed by the commander, families, the Military & Family Readiness Center and other community and helping agencies. The program has been standardized across Air Force to address the needs of all military families with special emphasis on support to families across the deployment cycle. A Key Spouse is a spouse’s point of contact within their sponsor’s unit that can answer questions, provide support, and share information that comes from unit leadership. If you are interested in becoming a Key Spouse, please contact your sponsor’s commander or first sergeant to express interest. If you would like to be contacted by your unit Key Spouse, but are unsure who it is, please call 919.722.1123 and the M&FRC will assist you in making initial contact with your Key Spouse.

Successful Relationships

Too many relationships result in a broken heart, pain or in divorce and many of the risk factors that surround some of these cases are negative communication styles, trouble handling problems as a team, unrealistic beliefs about the relationship, different attitudes/expectations and low commitment to the marriage. The Successful Relationships class will cover Psychogeometrics (one’s personality), Prevention & Relationship Enhancement, Generational Cycle of Violence, Communications and Equality, plus Tips for a Successful Relationship. This four-hour class is held at the Family Life Center and is co-facilitated with Family Advocacy.

Offers information, education, and counseling to enhance your abilities to manage money and invest in your future. Personal Financial Management services include:

Credit Reports & Understanding Credit

25% of credit reports have serious errors. These errors will impact your ability to take out a loan or significantly increase the interest rate you pay, restrict employment opportunities, affect your security clearance, determine how much security deposit is required for utilities, rent, etc. The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of the three major consumer reporting companies, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months. You can access your free reports through the following website at Annual Credit Report

Financial Planning

Money does matter! Living paycheck to paycheck leaves little breathing room. Budget your money and you’ll see where you can cut back and begin building emergency funds. Call to schedule a one-on-one appointment to meet with a financial counselor.

Where are you financially?

Analyzing your spending habits will allow you to see where your money is going, enable you to institute changes, and prevent you from making a financial commitment before you are ready. No matter what your results are, financial counseling is FREE at the Military & Family Readiness Center and can assist you in finding solutions that will benefit you, your family, and your career.

Debt Management

Would you like to see exactly how much interest you are paying to your creditors? Have you got a plan to get out of debt? The University of Utah developed PowerPay. Take a minute to establish an account.

Keys to Investing Success: Building Your Financial Foundation

This workshop is designed to give Airmen a general overview of personal financial management. Topics covered include spending plans, financial goal setting, emergency savings, debt management, investing, and much more.

Improving your credit score

This workshop is designed to help Airmen understand the importance of maintaining a good credit score, how to access their credit score, what makes up a credit score, and how to improve their credit score.

Investing in your future: Thrift Savings Plan

This workshop is designed to help Airmen understand the importance of saving for retirement. The workshop will cover an overview of the Thrift Savings Plan, how to enroll, and investment options.

Home Buying Seminar

This workshop is designed for Airmen looking to purchase a home.

The Military & Family Readiness Center assists spouses, individuals who are transitioning out of the military, and other authorized personnel with obtaining employment. We provide employment skills training to prepare you for the job search – resume writing, interview skills, local job market information, and so much more! We can also help you learn about the local area, state, and federal job markets.

Check out our Facebook page: Job Opportunities – Seymour Johnson AFB Community

Check out our Jobs Board with local, regional, and national opportunities: Job Board

Explore opportunities and apply for jobs in the Federal Government: USAJobs

Wayne Community College has partnered with College Central Network, an interactive web-based tool designed to connect employers and job candidates locally and across the state. This program allows employers to directly post positions and contact jobseekers. Job seekers can search for jobs, upload employment documents, and access career information.

Services Offered:

One-on-one career counseling

Individual assistance is available for career coaching, resume review, learning about the local area job market, etc.

Employment Skills Classes

Civilian Resume/Job Search Class – Learn how to develop an effective resume, conduct a job search and get important tips on the interview process.

Federal Resume Writing – Learning the ins and outs on how to write the USAJOBs Federal resume as well as understanding how to read and interpret the job announcement.

LinkedIn Class – Learn how to develop a professional networking profile to aid in your job search.

Interview Skills – Learn valuable tips on preparing for your next interview, then register to experience the real thing with real local area job opportunities and real hiring authorities.

Career Readiness Certificate (CRC) Testing

North Carolina’s CRC is a portable credential that promotes skills and career development for individuals and confirms to the employer whether a potential employee has the necessary literacy, numeracy, and problem-solving skills to be “job-ready.”

AFAS Spouse Employment Training Program

The Air Force Aid Society sponsors a competitive grant to prepare our military spouses to join the workforce in a meaningful and talent-worthy manner. Provides professional training and development in a licensure/certification-regulated profession. The grant covers all tuition/fees/books/most materials.

Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP)

MSEP provides military spouses with access to employment opportunities available through a broad range of industries and trades with opportunities in finance, healthcare, retail, staff, technology, and specialty areas to name just a few.

MyCAA Scholarship (Military Spouse Career Advancement Account)

MyCAA provides up to $4,000 of financial assistance to eligible military spouses who are pursuing a license, certification, or Associate’s degree in a portable career field and occupation.

Military OneSource Spouse Education and Career Opportunities (SECO)

SECO can help you search for information on portable careers, get you started on your education, finalize that perfect resume, or assist you with your career planning.

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.

Reintegration Briefing

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. The post-deployment workshop features briefings by: A&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.

Assists our military families with their relocation needs–both in and out of SJAFB

Newcomers orientation/information fairs

Wing-wide program, held monthly to welcome military members and their families to the base; briefers include representatives from the base and community to provide information on SJAFB and the local area. Newcomers Orientation is mandatory for all active duty newcomers; family members and new DOD employees are welcome to attend. For scheduling, active duty see MPS during in-processing and DOD employees see CPO.

Sponsorhip

Sponsors must be trained upon appointment to sponsorship duties. This training expires one year from the date of the training.

Online eSponsorship Application & Training

MILITARY INSTALLATIONS

Provides information on over 250 military installations and communities worldwide

Travel Planner/Street Atlas USA/Auto Map

Web-based program with timelines, maps, and other items you can personalize based on your relocation plans and needs

ABCs of PCSing

Assists military members and their families who are leaving SJAFB; points you in the right direction, i.e. who you need to see and when … especially helpful if this is your first PCS

EFMP Family Support (EFMP FS) is the community enhancement component of the EFMP program. EFMP FS provides a variety of services tailored to the EFMP community at Seymour Johnson to include the following areas of support:

• Information and referral services to on and off installation, family needs assessments, family service plans, and non-medical case management, educational and recreational events.
• Workshops and activities aimed at promoting resilience, building community awareness, and increasing knowledge of special needs topics.
• Providing respite care referrals educational and consultation services to all community members regardless of EFMP enrollment status to include DOD civilians, Air Force Reserves, and all branches of the military and contractors.

For more information or to speak with the EFMP FS Coordinator, contact at 919.722.7337. For additional EFMP related information and resources visit Military One Source or EFMP Family Vector.

Follow our Facebook page: Seymour Johnson EFMP Page

The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) is a Congressionally-mandated program that provides transition assistance, information, training, counseling, and services to eligible transitioning Service members to be career-ready upon separation, retirement, or release from active duty, thus enabling Service members to pursue additional education, seek or return to employment in the public or private sector, start their own business, pursue vocational training, or other forms of self-employment. TAP services should start 18-24 months prior to separation. All eligible Service members must participate in TAP utilizing transition assistance to meet Career Readiness Standards (CRS) specific to their post-transition career goals.

Mandatory TAP components:

Step 1. Individualized Initial Counseling

Must be accomplished no less than 365 days before separation. Includes a personal self-assessment/Individual Transition Plan (ITP) to identify the pathway (tier) that determines the Service members’ level of transition assistance needed and post-transition goals.

Step 2. Pre-separation Counseling

Must be accomplished no less than 365 days before separation. Provides counseling on various benefits, programs, services, tools, and other important resource entitlements.

Step 3. 3-Day TAP Workshop:

• Day 1. Department of Defense (DoD) – Delivers an understanding of resilience necessary during the transition, identifies and translates current military position descriptions into civilian equivalent, and provides financial literacy training at transition.
• Day 2. VA Benefits and Services – Provides knowledge of VA benefits Service members have earned, how to apply for them, and how to leverage them for the best possible outcome.
• Day 3. Department of Labor (DoL) – Provides an introduction to the essential tools and resources needed to evaluate career options, gain information for civilian employment, and understand the fundamentals of the employment process.

Step 4. Capstone

Culminating activity to verify Service member attainment of required CRS.

Step 5. Optional (unless required based on tier designation) Two-Track Days:

• DoL Employment Track – Provides in-depth knowledge of the topics covered during the DoL One-Day.
• DoD Education Track – Provides guidance on identifying educational goals, education funding, choosing an education institution, preparing for the application process, and expectations upon attendance.
• DoL Career & Credential Exploration – Provides guidance and assistance in completing self and occupational assessments which result in a variety of tailored career recommendations.
• Small Business Administration (SBA) Entrepreneurship Track – Provides information on business ownership self-employment in the private or non-profit sectors.

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 Seymour Johnson AFB can help. One-on-one casualty/SBP counseling is available to all military members at Seymour Johnson 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 are answered within 24 hours. For more information about these programs, call 919.722.7192 or visit us in Building 3010.

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

AFAS is now offering the option to do Zelle Disbursem*nts. Zelle is a mobile payment application allowing electronic transfer of funds between two parties.

Education Programs

The General Henry H. Arnold Education Grant Program provides up to $2000 in grants for college education for Air Force family members. Applications can be submitted online: www.afas.org.

As of 6 May 2021, Guard and Reserve members are now eligible to apply for AFAS assistance regardless of duty.

Air Force Aid Society’s Community Enhancement Programs:

Bundles for Babies

This Air Force Aid Society (AFAS) 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 a $50 gift card to be used at the Base Exchange to purchase items for the expectant mother or for their new baby.

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 A&FRC, Building 3801, or call 919.722.1123

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.

Dorm Relocation Assistance

Assist eligible Airmen/Guardians who are being involuntarily required to move from the dorm and have a financial need to be able to get into own rental property. Assistance may be used to off-set the costs associated with utility startup, moving supplies, partial rent, security deposit or other unforeseen costs associated with the move.

Pet (Dog/Cat) PCS Transportation Assistance

Assist eligible Airmen/Guardians who receive a PCS order and have a financial need to transport cat/dog pet(s) TO or FROM an OCONUS installation.

Special Needs Assistance

Assist eligible Airmen/Guardians who are faced with increased financial requirements due to costs associated with having dependents with special needs.
* Members may also request assistance for a cranial helmet. Assists for cranial helmets are processed separately from the special needs grant and require a prescription from a medical doctor, a denial letter from Tricare, and an invoice from the provider. Grant funds for a cranial helmet are in addition to the $3K special needs grant

The 4th Force Support Squadron is looking for sharp individuals to join the team in various Developmental Special Duty opportunities.

See link for more details on job descriptions, qualifications, application process, deadline and current/future openings.

Future Openings

Accepting applications in September 2024.