Military OnceSource available to help with variety of life issues

Published Jan. 17, 2012
By Staff Sgt. Kimberly Moore
81st Training Wing Public Affairs

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- You may have noticed posters, flyers or even magnets placed around base advertising "Military One-Source" and wondered, "What is that?"

This seems to be a common question and maybe that's because there's not a short definition. Military OneSource is a venue to provide help with a broad range of concerns including money management, spouse employment and education, parenting and child care, relocation, deployment, reunion, and the particular concerns of families with special-needs members. Services are available 24 hours a day by telephone and online.

Military OneSource is available to all active-duty members of any service along with National Guard and Reserve members, regardless of activation status. Dependents of eligible members may also use the resource, along with retired or separating service members up to six months following their separation.

"The intent (when developing this program) was not to replace but to augment the airman and family readiness center," said Jackie Pope, airman and family readiness center section chief at Keesler. Often, members will be on shift work or assigned to areas not near an installation, so Military OneSource allows those members access to assistance.

"Military OneSource offers such a variety of resources," Pope explained.

The consultants hold master's level degrees and can assist with managing stress, communication skills and family issues, just to name a few.

According to Military One Source's website, "highly trained, dedicated and caring consultants answer the phones providing information, referrals and support."

Pope encouraged, "Just go to the website and look around -- you'll be surprised how much is out there."

On the site, you'll see tabs at the top of the page categorizing the available information into the a variety of groups -- military life and deployment, family and recreation, heath and relationships, career and education, financial and legal, crisis and disasters and community.

So when you find yourself contemplating something and don't know exactly where to find the answer, try www.militaryonesource.com -- what you need might be right there.

For immediate help by phone, call 1-800-342-9647.