Spouses learn about future assignments at Plane Panel

  • Published
  • By Sarina Houston
  • 3rd Flying Training Squadron key spouse
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  For student pilots nearing the end of pilot training, choosing which airplanes and corresponding locations to put on their dream sheets can be intimidating.

The process is even more intimidating for spouses and family members. They're often left in the dark about what it really means for their husband to be tasked with flying a B-2 Spirit or a C-130 Hercules, or what it might mean for their family when they're asked to move to Japan.

To answer these questions for spouses, each quarter the 71st Student Squadron hosts a "Plane Panel" for student spouses, where they can ask other spouses about aircraft and locations.

When considering an aircraft, spouse's questions often differ from a pilot's. While a student pilot is mostly interested in the mission itself, spouses often want to know about deployments, location and jobs.

How often will the pilot be gone? What are the locations? What is it like for families? Are the schools good? How far away from parents/extended family will they have to move? How is the job market? These are just a few of the commonly asked questions from spouses of student pilots.

The 71st STUS spouse group leader, Elisa Maher, organizes the panel every three months.

"This is a time for our student-pilot spouses to ask questions about assignments, bases and aircraft of our senior spouses," Maher said. "Many of our student spouses have said this is such an amazing resource for them. This is so valuable to the students and their spouses."

The senior spouses set up at stations around the room based on the aircraft that they are familiar with, and they can be approached by student spouses individually in a casual atmosphere. Senior spouses can offer insight into what family life might be like at a certain location or within a specific pilot community.

The next Plane Panel will be held at 7 p.m., Jan. 23, in the 71st STUS, Building 690. All student spouses are welcome to attend.

Sarina is the Key Spouse for the 3rd Flying Training Squadron and is married to Capt. Jacob Houston in the 71st Flying Training Wing Safety Office at Vance AFB.