RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- Training, exercises, and plans are known to occur throughout a service member’s career over time; these readiness tools prepare service members with the knowledge and equipment to carry out the mission day-to-day.
The 86th Airlift Wing Retiree Activities Office continues this precedent with the ‘What A Surviving Spouse Needs To Know’ workshop slated for July 14, on Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
“The surviving spouse workshop came about as an idea during a meeting at the Retiree Activities Office,” said retired Chief Master Sgt. Jim Barrante, 86th Airlift Wing Retiree Activities Office senior consultant. “We noticed a lot of people don’t know what to do in the event their spouse dies.”
The workshop, held once per quarter, educates retirees, their spouses, next of kin, or agent of power of attorney what to expect following the loss of life while overseas.
During the workshop representatives from casualty assistance, mortuary affairs, the base legal office, and Department of Veteran Affairs among other organizations brief attendees on a variety of different topics aimed at preparing for the passing of a spouse.
“In my opinion, it’s more difficult on the spouse rather than the retiree especially over here in Europe,” said Barrante. “Majority of spouses don’t know what a DD Form 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or what an honorable discharge is.”
Barrante continued saying, after presentations by the different organization representatives, counselors perform one-on-one counseling’s. During the counseling session attendees go through a casualty assistance checklist, which is a ‘show and tell’ of important documents one would need in the event a spouse passes away.
Following the event attendees are encouraged to complete the dossier and return to the Retiree Activities Office for review to ensure they are best prepared in the event of a death.
The quarterly workshop is slated to be held again Nov. 17. For additional information the 86th Airlift Wing Retiree Activities Office can be reached in building 2120 also at 06374-47-5486.