Elmendorf leaders face join spouse challenge

  • Published
  • By Airman Jack Sanders
  • 3rd Wing Public Affairs
ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Today the Air Force has more than 325,000 members, and nearly 18,000 of them are married to another military member. While Air Force mission requirements are the highest priority, many of these members gain assignments together through the Air Force Join Spouse Program. 

At Elmendorf one of those join spouse couples is Col. Tom Bergeson, 3rd Wing commander, and his wife Lt. Col. Pam Bergeson, 477th Fighter Group inspector general.

The Bergesons, who've served in military uniform for 23 years, first met at the Air Force Academy in 1982.

After finishing pilot training, Col. Bergeson was assigned to Kadena Air Base, Japan, a world away from his fiancée's duty station at Randolph AFB, Texas.

For most join spouse couples, the main concern is ensuring they're stationed together. The Air Force members must fill valid manning requirements and perform duties that require the skills in which they are trained, but every effort is made to try to keep families together.

"Before I left for Japan we went down to Randolph and walked over to AFPC (Air Force Personnel Center)," said Col. Bergeson. "We didn't know any of the rules for assignments, we just knew we wanted to try and get stationed together. So, we literally just walked around to all the different assignment managers in AFPC and asked, 'Hey do you have a job for my future wife at Kadena?' No kidding, that's what we did," he said.

The couple's persistence paid off: both Bergesons had an assignment to Kadena.

As the Bergesons progressed in their careers they found it increasingly difficult to get stationed together. So after being on active duty for 12 years, Lt. Col. Bergeson joined the Reserve.

"The Reserves have given me a great opportunity to serve part time and balance both my Air Force and family priorities," said Lt. Col. Bergeson. "Now that I'm a Reservist my assignments don't have to be to the exact same place where he is because I can commute."

Military couples face the join spouse challenge every time they change duty stations. When it works, it's great, but when it doesn't, couples faces a difficult decision. One must decide what they value most, said Col. Bergeson. It is important for military couples to know that there are options to continue a military career in the Guard and Reserve.

"There are quite a few 3rd Wing - 477th Fighter Group couples," said Lt. Col. Bergeson, "We're very fortunate to have such a great Reserve associate unit here at Elmendorf."

"For me, it's great. My wife fully understands the Air Force and our way of life because she's part of that as well. So, when I get home late from meetings or flying or if I have to go TDY - she's got it," he said. "I love my wife and she's a great officer too. I may out rank her in the Air Force uniform, but when I walk through the door at home that is not the case."