Safety nets required for military families

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Audra M. Hornbacher
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  Military members with specific familial circumstances who have been recently assigned to Ellsworth are advised to immediately contact their unit's first sergeant to ensure their Family Care Plans are current.

Family Care Plans are essential for some Airmen, but required for single military parents, dual military parents, or military members married to civilians who have a unique family situation.

Per Air Force Instruction 36-2908, "Family Care Plans", military members who require a plan must have a short-term caregiver in the local area, and a long-term primary caregiver who doesn't have to reside in the local area.

Plans are created to ensure any minor dependents or family members with unique situations will receive the financial support and care they require by a responsible individual outside of the household in the event of their absence.

Capt. Amanda Finnegan, 28th Mission Support Group executive officer, and wife of Capt. Marc Finnegan, 34th Bomb Squadron B-1 pilot, stressed the importance of having a care plan in place.

"It is highly likely for two military members to deploy at the same time," Finnegan said. "You have to have a good mechanism in place for your kids if that happens."

This safety net is designed to keep Airmen mission-ready, so as not to delay deployments or temporary duty assignments, and ensure that their family members are physically and financially cared for.

"We picked reliable caregivers to put on our family care plan," Finnegan said. "Then we went to base legal to get the power-of-attorney paperwork completed so that those people are able to take care of our son, Zachary, while we're gone."

Airmen are also responsible for keeping their plans up-to-date to prevent delays in accomplishing their mission. Also, they are required to contact their first sergeant within 30 days if a change occurs.

"Both first sergeants have been great," said Finnegan. "The first sergeants from my husband's squadron and my unit have been working together. They made sure that we had all of our paperwork put together and filed."

Master Sgt. Stephanie Martinez, 28th Bomb Wing Staff first sergeant, explained the responsibility of first sergeants in establishing a plan.

"I usually brief the Family Care Plan during their in-processing appointment," Martinez said. "We are required to conduct an annual brief to recertify their plan to ensure all of their information is still current."

Airmen required to devise care plans have 60 days to complete their plan once they are briefed of the requirement. An additional 30-day extension may be granted, if necessary.

"Due to the all-time high deployment tempo and TDYs, active-duty members need to be ready to go at a moment's notice," Martinez emphasized.

For more information on establishing a Family Care Plan, Airmen can contact their unit first sergeant.