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Family liaison officers change lives

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Precious Yett
  • 502nd Air Base Wing OL-B Public Affairs
RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Family liaison officers provide support and professional assistance to the families of active-duty members and wounded warriors when they've lost a loved one.

"The FLO provides several services depending on family needs or the needs of the wounded warrior," Chaney Ferguson, 902nd Force Support Squadron Mortuary Affairs officer, said. "The family would be assisted with just about anything, from driving them from place to place to contacting agencies to help with questions the family may have. The FLO assists so the family isn't burdened with the frustrations of not knowing where to go for help."

FLOs are mostly assigned to active-duty deaths and the Wounded Warrior program. However, the spouse of a deployed active-duty member could be assigned a FLO if a dependent of the active-duty member passes away. A FLO could educate a spouse about what Air Force resources are available, which can also alleviate some of the stress on the deployed active-duty member.

Service members who are assigned to the families of enlisted personnel are usually senior NCOs; a seasoned officer, captain and above, are usually assigned to officers. The deceased member's career field is also taken into account.

"It's important to match skill levels as close as possible," Ferguson said. "A seasoned Airman helps since senior NCOs and higher-ranking officers normally have the feel or knowledge for what agencies would best suit the needs of the family."

The FLO is not the expert or answer to all the family needs. However, the FLO should have the knowledge to know where to go when the family needs help.

"The hardest part of being a FLO is having to see the victims in the condition they are in and seeing the family in pain," Master Sgt. Marcus Sidney, 902nd Security Forces Squadron logistics superintendent said.
Randolph's FLOs are selected by the unit commander and appointed by Col. Scott Peel, 902nd Mission Support Group commander, on behalf of Brig. Gen. Theresa Carter, 502nd Air Base Wing commander.

"A few years ago it used to be mandatory for all units to have at least two FLOs trained annually," Ferguson said. "However, the Air Force felt like this training wasn't very useful since people come and go, plus any training received was normally forgotten and retraining when a FLO was needed was the norm."

Once FLOs are appointed, they receive a 45-minute training, which includes a video, checklist and a briefing.

When assigned as a FLO, according to AFI 34-1101, FLO duties become the service member's primary duty until completed.

"Being a FLO can be stressful, since most still have a job to do, possibly a family at home, the uncertainty of meeting a new person or family for the first time and not knowing what to say to a grieving family," Ferguson said.

The FLO assists the family for as long as needed. Some cases take months while others last several days. The family lets the liaison know when their assistance is no longer needed.

"I suggest FLOs take time out for themselves. You need to be there for the family, but there's always time to take for yourself and do something relaxing. Don't be afraid to talk with your peers, supervisors, chief, commander or chaplain. This is normal, but when all is said and done, being a liaison is a rewarding experience.
Most FLOs will tell you that through this they've not only made a difference, but lifelong friends."

Although being a FLO can be emotionally rough for a service member, the rewards far outweigh the difficulties.

"If you've never been a FLO before you have no idea what you're about to embark upon. I would encourage future FLOs to come to the table with patience and understanding. You have to make sure you provide the right services to the family and you've really got to be careful what you say. Saying the wrong things when a family is grieving could be catastrophic when trying to build a relationship and take care of family. The most rewarding part is being able to meet the needs of the family while they are dealing with the traumatic event. They really appreciate it."