Through Sickness and Health . . . and Southwest Asia Deployments

Married service members assigned to Air Forces Central’s area of responsibility are now allowed “limited visitation and cohabitation,” under a newly updated order signed by AFCENT boss Lt. Gen. David Goldfein. The updated AFCENT general order number 1B allows “married personnel co-located in the AOR” to “visit their spouse’s quarters if the spouse resides in a single-resident room.” Under the new guidance, married service members may also be assigned to approved married quarters, though airmen are still required to follow local billeting rules when assigned to areas outside of AFCENT’s control. “The idea is to try to get that family unit together more often over a time when the operations tempo is high,” said Lt. Col. Douglas Crabtree, AFCENT deputy judge advocate forward. The installation commander must still authorize overnight visits for married couples. “However, commanders now have more freedom to grant permission as best they can,” said Crabtree. If handled properly, Goldfein said, these changes will enhance morale and not affect good order and discipline. (AFCENT report by SSgt. Kirsten Wicker)