Moody removes barriers for spouses after PCS

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, GA, UNITED STATES

09.26.2019

Story by Senior Airman Erick Requadt 

23rd Wing

The Airmen & Family Readiness Center (A&FRC) recently began offering the spouse relicensure reimbursement program at Moody Air Force Base, Ga.

The program, an Air Force-wide initiative, provides financial relief of up to $500 to Airmen whose spouses must obtain state occupational relicensures or recertifications during a permanent change of station (PCS) or assignment (PCA) across state lines.

“Anytime [a spouse] moves to a new state or region where their previous license isn’t honored, they have to go through the process of getting it all over again,” said 2nd Lt. Josiah Fallot, 23d Comptroller Squadron commander of financial management flight. “That's going to be a time commitment for the spouse, but it's also an economic commitment. This [program] takes the edge off getting recertified every time they move just to keep their qualifications current and correct for their locality.”

To apply, spouses can contact A&FRC to verify their eligibility. Applicants will then go to Moody’s finance office, where they will need to provide a copy of applicable PCS orders, a copy of their original state occupational license and the paid receipts for items required to obtain relicensing in the new duty location authenticated on or after Dec. 12, 2017.

“When [spouses] come here sometimes they’ve spent… $300, $400, $500 [for certifications],” said Camellia Jefferson, A&FRC liaison for spouse relicensure reimbursement program. “They’ll come to me and ask, ‘Is there a fund, grants or scholarships to pay for certifications?’ [The Air Force] came out with this [program] saying [they] would pay up to $500 for the spouse if [they] just received a certification.

“It is my hope that [the program] will allow spouses the opportunity to continue to be employed in their portable career field and can take them wherever they go relocating from one base to another rather than starting all over again,” Jefferson added. “This program will hopefully increase the number of spouses seeking employment opportunities in their career field of choice.”

Both Jefferson and Fallot hope that this program will be able to continue the aid the Air Force gives as they care for spouses as they move from base to base.

“Prior to when I joined the Air Force, my wife was the active-duty member and I had my teaching certification for Michigan,” Fallot said. “If we were still in that boat with me as her dependent moving from state to state together, and I wanted to continue teaching, I would have to go through this process. It's nice to feel that your career is actually a consideration of the Air Force when you're moving from place to place and you're not just along for the ride with the service member, that the Air Force is recognizing the difficulties that come from PCSing.”

For more information, contact A&FRC at 229-257-3333 or email Jefferson at [e-mail].

• Date Taken: 09.26.2019
• Date Posted: 09.26.2019 13:31
• Story ID: 343873
• Location: MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, GA, US