LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The Commander’s Key Support Program at Los Angeles Air Force Base (formerly the Key Spouse Program) has recently been expanded. The peer-to-peer support system featuring a volunteer team of military-connected individuals who understand the rewards and challenges of military life is now available to serve all civilian and military families on base.
Through the program, Key Support Liaisons welcome new families; check in on families of deployed service members; connect families to community resources and referral services; provide peer-to-peer support for navigating military life; and serve as a conduit of accurate information for families, explained Miesje Scott-Evans, Work Life Consultant with Military & Family Readiness at the Los Angeles Air Force Base (LAAFB).
“It’s a way to make families as resilient as they can be,” Scott-Evans said. “Family readiness equals mission readiness. If something is wrong at home, if your spouse or kids are not okay at home, it’s going to reflect on your work and the mission. Even for individuals who are single; they may not have a spouse or dependents – but they may need support concerning parents, siblings, and loved ones.”
Originally, the program was designed to support the families of deployed, active-duty service members, Scott-Evans said. However, the ratio of government civilians at LAAFB is higher than active-duty service members, so the program has evolved and changed its name to be more inclusive, Scott-Evans said.
“Deployment was always the main focus, but now it’s expanded into community outreach; making sure families are included in units or squadron activities and the sharing of information,” Scott-Evans said. “Our goal is to make sure all of the families – not just the active-duty families – feel included and are aware of vital information that is shared from leadership.”
“This program is designed to make military life a bit more welcoming and easier, especially for our new Airmen and Guardians,” said Ila Dermanoski, spouse of Col. Andrew “Andy” Dermanoski, commander, Space Base Delta 3 (SBD 3) and LAAFB.
Rebecca Pastrovich, who also serves as an LAAFB Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Victim Advocate, said she joined the program years ago as a military spouse with small children because she wanted to develop friendships with other military spouses.
“In the beginning, you’ve moved away from family and you can feel lonely and isolated,” Pastrovich said. “For example, when we were overseas and my husband (USSF Maj. Joseph Pastrovich) deployed, I was pregnant with my daughter and had a one-year-old, and tended not to venture out too much. This program allows you to find out where those on- or off-base resources are that you can rely on.”
People can always look things up on the internet, but Pastrovich said she really valued the first-hand recommendations she learned from others in the program.
“We started a little exercise program,” Pastrovich recalled. “We all had our kids, we couldn’t just go out and exercise or go to a fitness club, so we created our own.”
As her children grew and Pastrovich wanted to go back to work, it was a military spouse in the program who referred her to another program that helped her with her resume so she could get a job on base.
Courtney Travaglini, data entry and office assistant for Military and Family Readiness Center at LA AFB, said she originally joined the program when her husband was enlisted, in order to help other military families.
“For many of us, we’re not near family – we create our own families,” Travaglini said. “Sometimes it’s people you met a month ago, sometimes it’s people that you have been stationed with for four or five years, and you just keep following each other for duty stations. The important thing about this program is, no matter where you go, you’re able to get resources, to be connected to others and make life-long friends through that program.”
Expanding the Key Support Program to civilians is a great addition, Travaglini said.
“Sometimes it’s hard for civilians to understand where military service members are coming from, but they’re going TDY (temporary duty location) just as often as the military members, and their families needs support, just as I need support.”
The program is designed to enhance communication flow from leadership to unit family members, as well as increase readiness, connectedness and resiliency. The program is a Commander’s initiative that promotes partnerships with unit leadership, families, volunteer Key Support Liaisons, Centers and other installation community agencies.
“We are all human first, and I think sometimes because of the nature of the military and the culture of the military, we forget we need community, someone to help us,” Scott-Evans said. “Families often feel disconnected when they have an active-duty family member – they’re not the ones putting on the uniform, they’re not deploying – they’re at home, maybe taking care of the kids, and sometimes feeling disconnected from the civilian world because of what they have going on in their household.”
“This program is a way to remind them that they are not alone, that they have help, they have resources, and that knowledge is power,” Scott-Evans said. “The more relevant information that is shared, the more people are able to contribute in positive ways to supporting our military community.”
Currently, the program has 18 Key Support Liaisons and Mentors, and additional volunteers are encouraged, Scott-Evans said. Spouses or partners can sign up as a volunteer and take advantage of the connection and networking opportunities to build a better community for LAAFB.
New Liaisons are appointed by the Commander then participate in six hours of training, in addition to completing annual Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Training and Suicide Prevention training, Scott-Evans said.
Liaisons may also take supplemental classes on different topics to better serve the families in their area. These classes have included resilience, self-care, and even artificial intelligence. There also are monthly team meetings to discuss emerging issues and collect feedback for leadership.
Interested in becoming a Key Support Liaison? Contact Scott-Evans at miesje.scott-evans2@spaceforce.mil.