8th AF top spouse focuses on military families

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Cody H. Ramirez
  • 509th Bom Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo.- --  Mrs. Melissa Carpenter, along-side her husband Maj. Gen. Floyd Carpenter, 8th Air Force commander, visited with Team Whiteman members Monday and Tuesday in support of Year of the Air Force Family.

"One very important thing to me is seeing what we are doing for our Air Force families," Mrs. Carpenter said.

Her visit included touring facilities, which improve quality of life here, such as the elementary school, child development center, youth center and Airmen and Family Readiness Center.

Facility directors were more than ready to share their programs and ideas with Mrs. Carpenter.

"It is good to have someone give you input on what you're doing," Mrs. Julie Jolly, CDC director said. "We're able to show what we're doing here [CDC] to meet our children's needs."

According to Mr. Gerald Torres, youth center director, Mrs. Carpenter's visit gave the youth center the opportunity to show-off some of its school-age, pre-teen and teen programs.

"Her visit allowed her to take any programs she sees working well here and spread them to other bases," Mrs. Glenda Alexander, AFRC director said.

Programs and facilities are always a concern, but with the increase in the length and amount of deployments, a large focus was on the base's Key Spouses Program.

"It is so important, what the Key Spouses do here," Mrs. Carpenter said. "The Air Force is a family and we should work to keep it that way."

Mrs. Rachel Wheeler, wife of Brig. Gen. Robert Wheeler, 509th Bomb Wing commander, agreed, "That is our forever-challenge, to keep our military members happy and find ways to best help them.

"We're your family [Key Spouses] while your spouse is deployed," she said. "We are here to meet any family needs."

Mrs. Carpenter was impressed with her tour of Whiteman.

"I appreciate Whiteman pulling out the 'red carpet' for me," Mrs. Carpenter concluded. "The facilities here are working hard to support the Air Force family."