Adopt an Airman brings 'Hollomagordo' community together

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Heather Stanton
  • 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  The Adopt an Airman program has been brought about to bring together the young Airmen of Holloman and the Alamogordo community. 

The program is about matching families with Airmen fresh out of the First Term Airmen's Course, in order to connect the Airman with someone in the local community, said Ms. Amy Koehne, Airman and Family Readiness Center and program coordinator. 

"Holloman has a great relationship with downtown," said Ms. Lenn Furrow, AFRC director. "Interacting with the Airmen makes them more comfortable and is the culmination of being the Friendliest Place on Earth." 

The first "match" was made in early June. Since then, 18 other Airmen have joined the program, said Ms. Koehne. 

"I thought it would be a good way to meet new people and get out," said Airman 1st Class Coral Crawford, 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief and first "matched" Airman. 

Airman Crawford's family has taken him to the tailgate parties held on Saturday nights in Alamogordo, out to dinner and have even invited him on short trips. 

The idea for this program came from Brig. Gen. David Goldfein, 49th Fighter Wing commander, as an adaptation of a similar program at the Air Force Academy. 

Right now, the program is for single Airmen living in the dorms, said Ms. Koehne. The Airmen are introduced to the program in FTAC and fill out the necessary paperwork there. Families downtown are filtered to the AFRC from the Public Affairs office. 

Once matched, the sponsoring family is asked to contact the Airman within one month, and is only obliged to one get together, said Ms. Furrow. It's then up to the family and Airman to continue a relationship or not and the AFRC doesn't track that. 

"This is a great program," said Airman Jamie Brown, 49th Materiel Maintenance Squadron utilities. "I felt like I didn't know anyone (when I first got here) and it didn't feel like home. But it felt like home after meeting my family." 

The Airmen in the program aren't the only ones hailing praises for the program. The AFRC has received many calls and letters from the sponsoring families about how great the program is, said Ms. Furrow. 

"This makes you feel like part of a family," said Mr. Johnnie Mitchel, AFRC and program coordinator. "You're a part of the Alamogordo family."