Program eases stress of deployment for those left behind Published Oct. 31, 2007 By Bryan Magaña 419th Fighter Wing Public Affairs HILL AIR FORCE BASE, UT -- Katherine Brewer has a routine. Monday mornings, she writes and answers emails. Wednesdays at 1 p.m., she treats her year-old son, Aidan, to the children's museum. Friday nights, she phones her husband, Master Sgt. Thomas Brewer, who is on a four-month deployment to Kirkuk, Iraq, with the 419th Civil Engineer Squadron. Keeping busy is one way Katherine copes with her husband's first deployment. "If I keep my routine and I schedule things, it makes my time go by faster," said Katherine, a former staff sergeant in the 419th Medical Squadron who is now a stay-at-home mom. Katherine oversees the volunteer-run Key Spouses program for the 419th CES. Key Spouses aims to support spouses of deployed Airmen by organizing social functions and identifying and meeting physical and emotional needs--anything from leaky roofs to loneliness. "It's a way to stay connected to other people who are going through the same thing," said Teresa Bills, whose husband, Senior Master Sgt. Emmett Bills of the 419th CES, is also serving in Kirkuk. Katherine met Teresa at a pre-deployment barbeque held for the families of deploying 419th FW Airmen. She has remained in touch through the Key Spouses program. Teresa, who has a 16-year-old stepdaughter, often helps Katherine care for Aidan. "We've grown a lot in one month," said Katherine of their friendship. "I'm a social person, I need the connection." Katherine notes that Key Spouses is an important program for family members of reservists. In the Reserve, Airmen rarely meet up more than once a month, making it more difficult to identify spouses' needs. It also provides opportunities for children to get together. In the past month, Key Spouses has hosted numerous events, including a Halloween party for the younger children. To those whose loved ones are deployed, Katherine suggests surrounding oneself with good people. Key Spouses helps, she said. The social events are just as good for her as they are for her son, she said. It may also be good for her husband in Iraq. Keeping busy and having a positive outlook help the deployed spouses stay focused because they are not worrying about problems at home, Katherine said. "It's not all about you anymore," she said. "They have to stay focused on their job. I believe what he's doing and I honestly support what he does." Teresa said by supporting her husband, she is also supporting the country. "We have to remember what good they're doing over there," Teresa said. "It makes you feel good to know that they are helping, giving them (Iraqis) a better lifestyle." Katherine stays in touch with spouses of Airmen from CES, as well as from the 419th Security Forces Squadron, which is also deployed to Kirkuk. "We combined with Security Forces," she said. Senior Master Sgt. Sheila Brown oversees the Key Spouses program for SFS and collaborates with Katherine to organize events for the spouses. Katherine also meets with spouses whose loved ones are active duty or deployed to locations outside of Iraq, but she focuses on keeping it in the family. "We're all the 419th," she said. Master Sgt. Brewer sends Katherine updated rosters of deployed personnel whose spouses may not yet be involved with the program, and Katherine follows up with phone calls. She said she wants to ensure Key Spouses is as inclusive as possible. Key Spouses can fill in the gaps until their loved ones return home, Katherine said. The CES and SFS are due home in January, when many of the families will celebrate a belated Christmas, as well as a new year. "It's kind of a blessing in disguise, this whole deployment thing," she said. "I didn't want him to go, but it made me realize how much I love him."