Military & Family Readiness Center

An orientation program designed for those who are newly married or just interested in learning more about Vandenberg and the Air Force and Space Force Life. The overall goal of the program is to ensure that spouses are aware of their importance and feel as though they are a part of Team Vandenberg. 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.

An official “Unit Family Readiness Program” that supports Airmen, Guardians, and their families. The Key Support Liaison Program is designed to enhance mission readiness and resilience in order to establish a sense of community. The program promotes partnerships with unit leadership, families, Military and Family Readiness Center (M&FRC) and other on and off base helping agencies. The motivation of the program is to effectively take care of Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Key Support Liaisons are appointed in writing and receive formal training and continuing education to keep their skills sharp. The Key Support Liaison is a point of contact for both the duty member and their family.

Working with local on and off base agencies, this program provides formalized assistance with referrals to appropriate agencies with specialized consultations for military families seeking to provide foster care or adoption to children in need. This is a confidential peer-to-peer support where families can speak to someone who has experienced adoption or foster care first-hand. Moreover, we utilize locally developed and researched resources (county, state, city & installation) to assist military families seeking to engage the Foster Care or Adoption life experience.

This 90-minute workshop provides individuals simple tools for renewing themselves in stressful and changing times. The course objectives help clients understand how increasing coherence and managing stressful emotions can improve health, well-being, and relationships.

If you love to travel, it’s a good idea to have a current passport. The M&FRC hosts an annual passport acceptance event for people with base access. The Los Angeles Passport Agency sends agents to Vandenberg to accept passport applications.

This class offers a foolproof way to follow your heart without losing your mind. Jerks have no gender, the only difference is the package they come in. All of us act like jerks now and then, but the most identifying feature of true jerks is their persistent resistance to ever changing their core jerk qualities. In this course you will learn how to utilize both your head and heart. Learn to “pace” your relationship and utilize the five bonding dynamics to analyze your partner, judge character and compatibility, build relationship skills, and avoid emotional baggage.

This skills-based, evidence-informed program helps couples form, improve, and sustain healthy relationships. Elevate blends practical skills with an understanding of the physiology of human interaction to enhance knowledge and skills essential to healthy relationships. This program uses seven modules to help couples Elevate their relationships. The connections that couples develop with their family, peers, and community offer a source of meaning, purpose, and support that influence the health and vitality of their couple relationship.

A heart-focused breathing meditation that can help you quickly change from feeling stressed to feeling calm. Science-based HeartMath uses breathing techniques to bring about coherence – the alignment of your physical, mental, and emotional systems to work in sync.

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.

Assists with coordination of family support services on and off the installation to EFMs who have physical, developmental, emotional, social or intellectual impairments/disabilities.

The EFMP-FS often coordinates family camps and/or activities introducing families to new interventions and opportunities to learn. Activities normally provide an environment filled with entertainment for the entire family.

Navigates key local, state and federal resources available to EFMs. Develops and maintains a comprehensive resource directory with descriptive information about the agencies and organizations. Resources may include various Parent Training and Information (PTI) centers, no-fee community case management agencies, intervention services, U.S. Department of Education information, Specialized Training of Military Parents (STOMP), etc.

Enhances support and outreach to spouses of deployed members with special needs family members. Will often collaborate efforts with the M&FRC Readiness NCO to host combined family centered activities for deployed and EFMP families.

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.

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.

Do you have a casualty or SBP question you wish someone could answer for you? Your M&FRC at Vandenberg SFB can help. One-on-one casualty/SBP counseling is available to all military members at Vandenberg SFB. 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 805.606.0039 or visit us in Building 10122.

The Installation Voting Office is available to assist with:

• Voter Registration
• Registration Updates after Separation/Retirement
• Absentee Ballot Requests
• Info on State, Territory, or National voting deadlines
  • Including information on special and primary elections

If you need assistance, the Military & Family Readiness Center is here to help you fill in and mail your voting materials. You can also access many voting-related questions and answers on the FVAP website at www.fvap.gov.