Air Force photograph by Ethan WagnerA group of Edwards’ spouses attend Green Dot training at the Airman and Family Readiness Center.
Nearly all employees, military and civilian, at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., have completed Green Dot training and are familiar with the concepts.
But what they may not know is that the training isn’t limited to Edwards’ workforce.
Recently, the Edwards Key Spouses, squadron spouses and group spouses took Green Dot training at the Airman and Family Readiness Center.
Pauline Schaefer, spouse of Brig. Gen. Carl Schaefer, 412th Test Wing commander, introduced the training to the group.
“Why are you guys here today? Because if violence takes two people (or more), it doesn’t do us a whole lot of good if only one-half of the group is hearing it,” she said. “The other people that need to hear it are the spouses. And specifically key spouses, squadron spouses and group spouses. When people come to you in a crisis, you need to have the tools in your tool box; how do I deal with this crisis situation?”
Schaefer then passed leadership of the room to Amy Tromba, one of only a handful of Air Force spouses trained as a Green Dot facilitator, who guided the group through the session. Tromba is a volunteer with the Edwards Key Spouse Program and is married to Col. George Tromba, 412th Mission Support Group commander.
William Brown, Violence Prevention integrator for Edwards, said the base’s integrated approach to violence prevention is intentional.
“As a diverse team, we are united in the mission of primary prevention; stopping interpersonal violence and harassment before it ever happens,” he said. “Having our military spouses and family members as part of our Edwards Air Force Base Violence Prevention Team is an essential force multiplier and supports and enhances our 412th Test Wing priorities of safely, effectively and flexibly executing the mission, developing and caring for Airmen and their families and innovating for tomorrow’s mission.”
Brown heads the Edwards AFB Violence Prevention Team, which consists of 21 military, dependent and civilian personal who are making significant contributions to the Air Force priorities by providing innovative violence prevention training, developing exceptional primary prevention leaders and strengthening prevention alliances within our military and local community.
Air Force photograph by Ethan WagnerPauline Schaefer, spouse of Brig. Gen. Carl Schaefer, 412th Test Wing commander, introduces the Green Dot training to a group of spouses at the Airman and Family Readiness Center Sept. 19, 2017.
The Edwards Key Spouse Program is an official unit/family program designed to enhance readiness and establish a sense of Air Force community.
It is a commander’s program that promotes partnerships with unit leadership, volunteer key spouses appointed by the commander, families, the Airman and Family Readiness Center and other community and helping agencies. The program has been standardized across the Air Force to address the needs of all military families with special emphasis on support to families across the deployment cycle.
Green Dot is a program designed to reduce interpersonal violence. Dr. Dorothy Edwards, author of the Green Dot Violence Prevention Strategy and president of Alteristic, Inc. said, “Our strategies focus on building resilience and equipping Airmen with the tools they need to contribute daily to a culture that supports dignity and respect. This proactive approach has inspired many bases to develop creative ways to spread the message that interpersonal violence is never okay and that everyone is expected to do their part.”
