DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- Last month, the Air Force changed the name of the Airman & Family Readiness Center to the Military & Family Readiness Center, including the one here in Building 846.
“The name change came about to be more inclusive of all military service members and their families,” said Ms. Laura Coseglia, 512th Airlift Wing Military & Family Readiness Center program director. “It was also due, in part, to account for the closely tied Space Force, whose members are often assigned at Air Force bases.”
In fact, Dover Air Force Base is home to various tenant units such as the Joint Personal Effects Depot and Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations where service members from many Department of Defense branches serve.
“I think it’s important to let every individual in the military know they have a wealth of resources that are contained right in this one center,” said Coseglia. “Although one of our most important resources, we don’t just have deployment support information.”
According to their website, the MFRC mission is to provide individuals, families and leadership with programs that promote self-sufficiency and enhance mission readiness, retention and adaptation to the Air Force way of life.
Resources offered include information and referrals, crisis assistance, leadership consultation, personal financial management, the Key-Spouse Program, family life education, employment assistance, and transition and relocation programs.
“The delivery of our services has not changed,” said Coseglia. “The name change is just to ensure every military member, regardless of branch of service, understands these centers are there to support them and their family members throughout their military career and beyond.”
This is not actually the first time the MFRC has undergone a name change.
“The name used to be Family Support,” said Coseglia. “Then, it changed to Family Readiness but ultimately changed to Airman & Family Readiness because they didn’t want single Airmen to think it was specifically for families.
“This new name change is just the latest effort to ensure all of our military and their families are getting the resources they need to not only adjust to military life, but also be stable, functioning and ready to support the mission.”
Recently, the 436th Airlift Wing MFRC gained a former reserve commander as the active-duty program director.
“I am really excited about bridging the gap between our active-duty and reserve wings to ensure we are providing exceptional service to all of our military members and their families,” said Ms. Michelle Rogers, 436th AW MFRC program director and former 512th Force Support Squadron commander. “After serving in the reserve and now being at the 436th AW, I feel I’m able to offer ideas where the two components can collaborate.”
Dover AFB, which houses the DoD’s largest aerial port, known as the “Super Port,” is known for how close its active-duty and reserve components work together. The MFRC is no different.
“Active duty, reserve, we’re here for the same reason,” said Coseglia. “We’re here to support our military families. There’s no reason for a divide. We collaborate, and we ensure we are sharing resources to provide the best care for our members and their families in an exceptional way.”
“I feel like there’s so many resources out there that our service members don’t realize are available to them,” said Rogers. “I’m looking forward to sharing that information with them and offering them and their families whatever resources they need.”
For more information on the MFRC please visit their
website.