Events set to show appreciation for military spouses

  • Published
  • By Karen Abeyasekere
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  The 100th Force Support Squadron Airman and Family Readiness Center is hosting a "High Tea" and other events May 20 to show appreciation for Team Mildenhall's military spouses in honor of the sacrifices they make every day for the military.

National Military Spouse Appreciation Day first started in 1984, when then-President Ronald Reagan recognized the profound importance of spousal commitment to the readiness and wellbeing of military members and signed Proclamation 5184. In 1999, congress officially made Military Spouse Appreciation Day part of National Military Appreciation Month, and the date was then standardized and officially declared to be the Friday before Mother's Day each year.

This year, the day was postponed on RAF Mildenhall because of many events already happening around that time. Now, on May 20, military spouses will have the opportunity to participate in Zumba, free bowling, movie specials and a class for stress management and overall well being. The class teaches about self care and recognizing when you're overwhelmed.

"Spouses give up quite a bit - careers, living close to their family, living where they want to - and a lot of them do it with a happy heart and a smile on their face to support their families and to support the military," said Tara Weeks, 100th FSS A&FRC community readiness specialist from Liberty Hill, Texas.

"I think it's really important to take some time and remember the sacrifices everybody's making. Very often we appreciate the military members, so this is just the time to stop and appreciate what spouses do," she said.

While developing the appreciation day's itinerary, Weeks said she and others at the A&FRC wanted to do something that would appeal to all spouses and encompass the comprehensive Airman, built around resiliency programs of spiritual, physical, mental and social pillars.

"We have Zumba for the physical, a 'learn to let it go' class for the mental and spiritual pillars, and lastly, the high tea is the social pillar, forming and facilitating community within the spouses," said Weeks.

"We want to reach out to all spouses, because not everybody likes the same thing," the community readiness specialist said. "We want to thank them in the way that they want to be thanked."

The schedule for Military Spouse Appreciation Day is as follows:
  • 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. - A "Learn to Let it Go" class will be held in the A&FRC.
  • 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. - Spouses' high tea will be in the RAF Mildenhall Chapel. Sign-up is required as only 50 spaces are available.
  • 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. - Zumba will be held in the Northside Fitness Center.
  • All day - Free spouse bowling at the RAF Mildenhall Bowling Center when attending with family.
  • The Exchange and Reel Time specials are also available. Call the Exchange at 01638-581233.
For more information or to sign up, call the A&FRC at DSN 238-3406 or commercial at 01638-543406.