Press Release: Adopt-An-Air Commando program announced

The communities of Clovis and Portales, NM are partnering with Cannon Air Force Base to announce the start of a new program, Adopt- an- Air Commando. 

The official start of the program will be announced on Friday, February 12th at the Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce Monthly Breakfast hosted by the Clovis News Journal at the Underground Embassy at 7am.

 Setting a solid foundation for the military populace, the “Adopt- an- Air Commado” program is supported by base leadership to help the local communities and military families build a strong sense of community. 

The program will focus on meeting two needs for Cannon Airmen and their families, (1) establishing a healthy identity within the community and (2) fostering a stronger bond within the surrounding area. 

The overall goal is to reenergize the partnerships of the surrounding communities and the Airmen of Cannon.

Focusing on community and family resiliency, the program objectives strive to increase morale, strengthen local community connections and provide support to military families and single Airmen assigned to Cannon AFB.  

Implementation of the program will be driven by the Chambers of Commerce for the cities of Clovis and Portales and the Airman and Family Readiness Center (A&FRC).  The Chambers will act as the clearing house for private members of the community to apply to participate in the program. 

The A&FRC will work closely with Wing Leadership to adjust this new program to meet changing needs and security issues of the base.  Airmen and families will be briefed on the program when they attend Right Start, FTAC, and other orientation programs.

 "Sponsors" from Clovis/Portales and the surrounding area will be recruited by Chambers.  The Clovis and Portales Chambers of Commerce will provide the information to their communities and potential sponsors’ information will be submitted to the Chambers. 

Sponsors will be required to fill out information about themselves. This information will then be provided to the Airman and Family Readiness Center to match with base personnel desiring to participate in this program.

Sponsors will be provided options when applying for the program; they will be able to state their preference of the role they would like to take (i.e. sponsor a family or a single member and decide if they want to participate as a grandparent, parent, or friend). 

They will also complete a form describing their interests for the matching process.  Airmen and families will also complete an information packet with their preferences and interests.  Once the “sponsor” is matched with a base individual/family, then their information will be provided to Security Police to be cleared by running them through the “Friends of Cannon’s” clearance system. 

Once the sponsor is cleared, then contact information will be provided to the sponsor for them to contact the matched Airman/family.
 
The program will also include an annual gathering of all adoptive and adoptee families that will take place during the month of October at Cannon Air Force Base.
 
Cannon AFB Contact:
 
Cynthia Friday-Allison, Chief

Airman & Family Readiness Center

Phone: 575-784-4864

cynthia.friday@cannon.af.mil

For additional information please contact the Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce at 575-763-3435 or visit our offices located at 105 E. Grand Ave., Clovis, NM 88101.

Lauren Tillman

Event Coordinator

Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce

105 East Grand Avenue

Clovis, NM  88101

(575) 763-3435

(575) 763-7266 fax

events@clovisnm.org

www.clovisnm.org

Also:

Sharon King, Executive Director

Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce

100 S. Avenue A

Portales, NM  88130

(575) 356-8541