Base community council meeting highlights online help website for Airmen

  • Published
  • By Cynde Maddox
  • 314th Airlift Wingf Stratgic Information Flight
LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. --  The Little Rock Air Force Base Community Council, a private organization of community leaders who strongly support Little Rock Air Force Base, held its fourth quarter membership luncheon Nov. 14.

More than 160 people attended the luncheon held at the Little Rock Air Force Base Conference Center.

The guest speaker, Keith Bruch, Air Force Quality of Life Southeast Regional Liaison and a member of the Department of Defense-State Liaison Office, briefed the council about USA4MilitaryFamilies.org, a new Department of Defense program, created under the direction of Dr. David Chu, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.

The program's focus is to develop a partnership with state and local government officials, nonprofit organizations and business industries to ensure the needs of military members and their families are recognized, and, in partnership, the military and civilian members work together to provide military families the support they need.

Mr. Burch briefed 10 key issues the program has already identified as having a vast impact to the quality of life of today's military families: Care of the Guard, Assistance to Severely Injured Service Members, In-State Tuition, Military Children During School Transitions and Deployments, Spouse Employment, Unemployment Compensation, Payday Lending, Voting, Foreign Language Requirements and Child Care Support for Guard and Reserve Personnel.

He thanked Carmie Henry, Little Rock Air Force Base Community Council president, for the invitation to share the USA4MilitaryFamilies.org information with council membership. He mentioned it is evident the council membership already has a strong partnership with the men and women of Little Rock Air Force Base and how much he looks forward to representing their region.

Mr. Burch encouraged luncheon participants to visit the USA4MilitaryFamilies.org website to learn more about the program.

Brig. Gen. Kip Self, 314th Airlift Wing commander, briefed upcoming base events and echoed Keith's thanks to the council for their never-ending support of Little Rock Air Force Base.

"It's been a very busy year and it's not going to end," said General Self. "The air show is over, but we've had many visitors throughout the year and we will continue to have visitors, so Little Rock (Air Force Base) will stay busy and that's thanks to you -- our community leaders who continue to support us. Thank you!"

The Little Rock Air Force Base Community Council, previously known as the Pulaski County Citizens Council, is the evolution of the committee of citizens from central Arkansas who raised the funds to purchase the land to donate to the U.S. Air Force, which brought Little Rock AFB to central Arkansas.