Ensure safety, care of family members Published March 19, 2007 By Capt. Tara Jones 2nd Airlift Squadron POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- The truth is, we are all going to grow old one day. There is no hiding from it; the days, weeks and months pass, and we get another grey hair and realize the years, too, are passing. Who is going to take care of you and your family when you get older? The Air Force just might. Yes, the Air Force may think about your future retirement years more than you do. You may be asking yourself, how can this be? Well, your family may one day receive care from one of three foundations that you can support through the Air Force Assistance Fund campaign. The General and Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay Foundation, the Air Force Enlisted Village Fund or the Air Force Villages Fund may be your saving grace one day. The General and Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay Foundation The General and Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay Foundation cares for spouses of retired Air Force personnel of all ranks left to survive with little or no financial resources. As we all know, spouses are often the bedrock of support for Air Force officers and enlisted alike. The spouses are there supporting the family when the servicemember is deployed, as well as when they are home. It is a 24/7/365 job and often not recognized as much as it should be. This fund supports widows and widowers enabling them to continue to live in their own home and community by giving them funds to provide adequate food, rent, health care and even dental work. The LeMay Foundation wants those left behind when the service member passes away to be able to live out their years safely and with dignity. The Air Force Enlisted Village Fund The Air Force Enlisted Village Fund supports the Air Force Enlisted Village located near Eglin AFB in northwest Florida. Through apartment-style assisted living residences on three campuses of Bob Hope Village, Teresa Village and Hawthorn House, the Enlisted Village is "committed to repaying deserving widows' sacrifices by making their senior years as comfortable, safe and healthy as possible." This fund also helps active duty by giving temporary housing to spouses of enlisted members who die on active duty, adult dependents and emergency housing during natural disasters. The Air Force Villages Fund You may be wondering, what about the widows of career retired Air Force officers? Well, the third fund, the Air Force Villages fund, provides dignified and cost effective living options for this population. Air Force Villages has grown into two premier retirement communities for retired and honorably separated officers and their family members from all federal uniformed services. This fund also supports active duty. The health care center is available to all military members and their families. Families and dependent parents mourning the death of an Air Force officer killed on active duty are offered living accommodations at the Village for up to a year. As you can see, through each of these funds, the General and Mrs. Curtis E. LeMay Foundation, the Air Force Enlisted Village Fund, and the Air Force Villages Fund, the Air Force is truly dedicated to the statement "We take care of our own." Please take just a moment out of your day to donate your "fair share" to the AFAF to make sure these programs remain strong and our loved ones are taken care of in case we are not there to take care of them. Let your families know that these resources are out there for their benefit.