100th AMXS hosts spouse visit

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kyla Gifford
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  The 100th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron hosted a spouses visit March 21, 2014, on RAF Mildenhall, England.

"This event is a great way to get families more involved with what their spouse does here, how they support the mission, and how the spouses support the mission as well," said key spouse Alison Justice, wife of Staff Sgt. Bradly Justice, 100th AMXS crew chief.

Justice has been a key spouse for three years, and said she was looking forward to learning something new from the visit.

The day showed spouses what a day in the life of a maintainer looks like. It started with a tour of a KC-135 Stratotanker, where the spouses were able to explore the aircraft and have their questions answered. Following this, the spouses toured an isochronal inspection, where they observed Airmen maintaining an aircraft.

"The purpose of this event was so the squadron's leadership could show who they are and talk to the spouses in person, so the unit doesn't seem like a faceless entity that sends their loved ones away to another country for months at a time," said Senior Airman Alex Fletcher, 100th AMXS KC-135 Stratotanker engine mechanic from Bradenton, Fla.
 
Fletcher is the president of the squadron's Airmen's Council, and helped organize the spouse visit.

To wrap up the day, the council held a ceremony for the spouses. The council presented spouses with appreciation certificates, recognizing them for their hard work and dedication in supporting the unit mission.
 
"The spouses learned a little bit about how we work as a unit and got to meet our leadership," said Fletcher. "They may now understand and be more comfortable with their spouse having to work odd hours, and they now know that they can come speak with our leadership if they have any questions, complaints or concerns."

Without the support from spouses and dependents, the 100th AMXS mission could not succeed.