AFAF campaign returns to Warren this month

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Lisa Meiman
  • 90th Space Wing Public Affairs
F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo. --  The Air Force Assistance Fund campaign returns to Warren the last week of February to give active-duty Airmen and others the chance to support Air Force organizations.

"It's just one way the Air Force family takes care of its family members," said Capt. David Trout, 90th Missile Maintenance Squadron section commander and this year's AFAF point of contact.

The campaign continues through the last week of March.

In 2005, Warren contributed $56,000 to AFAF; in 2006, Warren donated $51,000.

Last year Warren contributed 110 percent of the goal, said Maj. Michael Hobson, 90th Medical Operations Squadron.

During the five-week period, squadron representatives will contact all active-duty service members, the target audience, to ask for donations.

Service members can donate through payroll deductions every paycheck or giving a one-time cash payment. The recommended amount to donate is one-tenth of 1 percent of base pay.

For instance, if an Airman receives $7,000 base pay per year, the recommended donation is $7.

The Airman can either pay the entire amount in cash or pay 30 cents per paycheck.

"When you help other people, it comes back to you," Captain Trout said.

There are plans to have a pancake breakfast, bowling fund-raisers and donut and cake sales among other events to raise money.

"There's nothing wrong with just chucking in cash at fund raising events," Captain Trout said.

Since civilian employees, contractors and off-base businesses and organizations cannot receive the benefits of the supported organizations, they cannot be solicited. Military retirees also cannot be solicited.

Unsolicited donations from these groups are, however, authorized. Civilian employees can only donate cash.

The money collected from the AFAF campaign goes to support four different Air Force organizations. These organizations are the Air Force Village Indigent Widows' Fund, the Air Force Aid Society, the Air Force Enlisted Men's Widows and Dependents Home Foundation Indigent Widows' Fund and the Gen. and Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay Foundation.

One of the organizations, the Air Force Aid Society, gives grants or loans to Airmen who need sudden financial assistance such as when there is a family emergency at home.

"The Air Force Aid Society is the best one because a lot of those things come back to us, back to the Airmen," said Major Hobson. "Even though I've never used the funds I've had a lot of Airmen overseas who had a death in the family and AFAS helped bring them home," he said.