Spouses get an evening off duty

Families of deployed service members enjoy food, games, and prizes at the Deployed Spouses Dinner, June 27. The dinner, supported by the JBER Company Grade Officers’ Council, the First Sergeants’ Council and other service member volunteers, provided parents with a respite from having to cook for their families and a chance to connect with other spouses, while their loved ones are serving abroad. (U.S. Air Force photos/Staff Sgt. William Banton)

Spouses get an evening off duty

Published July 3, 2013
By Air Force Staff Sgt. William Banton
JBER Public Affairs

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- For a few hours during the evening of June 27, a group of volunteers came together to provide the families of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson's deployed Airmen and Soldiers a respite from the hardships of having loved ones protecting their freedoms
overseas.

The Deployed Spouses Dinner, sponsored by the JBER Company Grade Officers' Council with support from the First Sergeants' Council and other service member volunteers, provided deployed service members' families a chance to enjoy a free meal and to connect with other families going through the same thing.

The volunteers attempted to provide the temporarily single parents with a night of rest by watching, and entertaining, the children with games, prizes, face painting, animal balloons and a tour of an ambulance from the 673d Medical Group.

The event also offered base leadership the chance to say thanks while providing access to information on resources available to spouses while their partners are away.