Photo By Brandon Kalloo Sanes | Master Sgt. Dwayne Hatchet, 709th Support Group first sergeant; Chelsie Bottoms; and Master Sgt. Auguste Archer, STARCOM first segreant; prepare handwritten messages for care packages during a deployment support initiative at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, May 26, 2026. The packages were assembled for STARCOM and Space Launch Delta 45 families with loved ones currently deployed. (Courtesy photo by Kelly Pino) see less
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STARCOM spouses, volunteers support deployed service member families
PATRICK SPACE FORCE BASE, Fla. — Spouses of Space Training and Readiness Command Guardians partnered with the Space Coast First Sergeant Council, Space Launch Delta 45 and community supporters to assemble care packages for families of deployed service members across STARCOM and SLD 45 throughout May.
The initiative, organized in conjunction with STARCOM’s leadership summit at Patrick Space Force Base, provided approximately 100 gift packages to families navigating deployment cycles. The summit brought delta and field command teams, including senior enlisted leaders and their spouses, together to align strategically and participate in family support programs. Half of the boxes were hand-delivered to local families at Patrick SFB, while the remaining packages were shipped to families across the country.
Lt. Col. Maria Quinn, deputy division chief of training and education for STARCOM, said organizers hoped the initiative would remind families they remain connected to the broader military community throughout deployments. She kickstarted the effort, which was supported by Kristy Smith and Lydia Todd, spouses of STARCOM senior leaders, alongside other volunteers.
“We wanted to include a service element as part of the leadership summit, and this was a wonderful opportunity to include STARCOM families,” Smith said. “Lt. Col. Maria Quinn had wonderful ideas and connections and pulled it all together. We were thankful for the many generous local and national donations.”
The care packages were assembled around a “Space Dinner and a Movie Night” theme and included space-themed dinner materials, children’s activities, branded educational items, first aid kits and other family-oriented gifts intended to encourage connection and support during deployments.
The initiative was made possible through community donations and partnerships, while the Space Coast First Sergeant Council, a nonprofit organization made up of first sergeants from Patrick SFB and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, helped coordinate logistical and financial support for the effort. Organizers worked directly with unit leadership and first sergeants to identify STARCOM and SLD 45 families currently supporting deployed service members and coordinate deliveries.
“We want to deliver a tangible reminder that, ‘You are seen, you belong, and you are part of something bigger,’” Quinn said. “We want these families to know their community stands right beside them.”
Todd said staying connected with military families during deployments helps reinforce their role in supporting the mission and strengthens resilience across the force.
“Sometimes the smallest acts of kindness can bring comfort and hope,” Todd said. “Deployments can bring separation, uncertainty and day-to-day challenges at home. I want every family receiving a package to know they are not alone on this journey.”
For one family, whose name is being withheld to protect personal privacy during a deployment, the gesture served as a reminder that support remains close, even when loved ones are far from home.
"Our family is incredibly grateful for the thoughtful gift basket and the kindness shown by the squadron during our deployment journey. Your generosity reminded us that even while separated by distance, we remain connected to a caring and supportive military family."
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