It’s an exciting decision to start a family in the Air Force, but it can also come with unique challenges. Starting a new family in general can be difficult, but you’ll have additional challenges to navigate as a member of the Air Force. With the right preparations, you can better navigate what it’s like to have a family as an active-duty Airman.

In our guide, we’ll talk about how you can start planning for your new family and cover some frequently asked questions so you can prepare, leaving you more time to bond with your newborn and loved ones.

How to Start Planning for Your Family in the Air Force

As your family dynamic changes, you will need to take steps to make sure your family has access to the appropriate resources and benefits necessary to navigate life in the Air Force. We’ve listed out the steps you should follow so you can worry less about how to start planning for your family in the Air Force.

1. Start by Reporting Changes to DEERS

The first thing you should do when there are any new additions to your family is to add them to the Defense Eligibility Enrollment Reporting System (DEERS). If you get married or have children, you will need to add them to DEERs as soon as possible, and the same goes if you have any changes to your immediate family.

For example, anytime you have a child while you’re in the Air Force, you will need to give DEERS information about the primary and secondary caregivers for your child. You will need to inform DEERS who will be responsible for caring for your children if something was to happen to you and your spouse. After you go through the process of adding your dependents to DEERS, the Air Force will allocate the right benefits to your family.

2. Create a Budget and Start Saving

Starting a family is fulfilling, but it can also be costly. You want to make sure you’re financially prepared to start a family, which involves creating a budget and starting a savings account if you haven’t already. While you will get a small increase to your BAH, it won’t matter much if you live on base, and certainly isn’t enough to cover all of the new expenses you’ll have when it comes to raising a child.

While you won’t gain a lot of financial benefits through the Air Force after having a child, you will be able to claim your children on your taxes, which leads to increased savings throughout the year.

If you’ve got a child on the way, you will want to start planning for your new and increasing expenses, such as baby supplies, groceries, daycare, clothes, and college savings. Knowing you have these expenses will help you create your budget, so you’re prepared once your child is born. If you’re having trouble creating a budget or figuring out how much you need to save each paycheck, you can talk to a financial advisor.

As a member of the Air Force, you will have access to some resources that can help cut some of your costs compared to civilian parents. For example, you will have access to on-base daycare. However, it’s important to remember that some of these resources have long waiting lists, so you’ll want to start securing your spot as soon as possible rather than waiting until you need it. Part of your financial planning should include looking for ways to cut costs, when possible, by taking advantage of the on-base resources that are available to you, enabling you to save more money for your family’s future.

3. Research Parental Leave Programs

There are some cases where Airmen will be able to take time off work before and after their child is born. However, one of the differences between civilian employment and being in the Air Force is that you won’t get six to twelve months of maternity or paternity leave like you might in a civilian career.

Instead, you’ll be able to use the Military Parental Leave Program (MPLP) if you meet the eligibility requirements. The DoD also created a policy that offers 12 weeks of leave for parents who have given birth or those who are adopting or fostering children. Mothers in the Air Force who have given birth can also receive authorized convalescent leave. Generally, this leave lasts around six months, but more time can be approved through the Commander with medical recommendations.

One of the main benefits of parental leave is that it gives you valuable bonding time with the new addition to your family. The first few weeks are some of the most critical moments for parent and child bonding, so it’s important to take advantage of this time off while you have it, especially since Airmen are often sent away for long periods of time on missions and deployments.

4. Think About Where You’ll Live

Part of planning for your family includes figuring out where you’re going to live, which will be based on the size of your family. If you live on base, the size of your home will be based on how big your family is, meaning a two-person family will have a home that’s just big enough for two.

Once you have a child, you may be eligible to upgrade your housing to something that’s better able to accommodate a bigger family. If you’re anticipating a child, you’ll want to apply for the on-base housing waitlist as it can take time to get into a new home. Applying early will make it more likely that you’ll be able to move into a new home by the time your child comes into the world.

Alternatively, living off base will require you to put in more work. If you need to move out of your current home or apartment, you will have to go through the process of shopping around for a new place to live. However, you won’t be subjected to the same waitlists as you might on base. Instead, you’re free to choose where you want to live and can find something that’s available quickly. Keep in mind that you’ll need enough space to accommodate a growing family, including space for your child as they grow up and need space of their own.

5. Communicate About Potential Deployments

One big difference between a civilian and an Air Force family is that you’ll have to deal with deployment. You can deploy with short notice, so it’s important to talk to your family about the possibility of deployments so you can come up with a game plan as soon as possible.

If you have a young child at home, you should talk with the other parent who will be responsible for your child’s care while you’re deployed. Make sure you make plans for all the important things, including home maintenance, childcare, bill payments, and more. Having a plan in advance can take some of the stress out of deployment, especially since you can receive orders for your deployment just days before you have to ship out.

As your child gets older, you can sit them down and talk to them about the possibility of being deployed throughout your career and what that means. Talk to them about what it will be like when you’re gone, and try to ease any of their concerns. Letting your child know about your deployments and what to expect can help them adjust and will remedy some of the confusion that might occur when you do receive your orders.

6. Carefully Consider Other Benefits

There are plenty of advantages of being a family in the Air Force, but there are a few that stand out more than others, such as:

●Healthcare: Being in the Air Force, your family has full access to medical benefits through TRICARE. You can choose between two tiers of TRICARE for your family, which are Select and Prime. Select is free for the dependents of active-duty Airmen, but you will need to pay a certain amount of the premium if you want to go with Prime.

●Military Power of Attorney: When deployed or otherwise unavailable for a long period, Airmen can choose to use the Military Power of Attorney, which allows them to name an individual who can sign legal documents on their behalf. The Military Power of Attorney is similar to its civilian counterpart, but it’s generally broader.

●Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR): The Air Force offers the MWR program, which offers affordable activities to Air Force families. For example, you can participate in activities like sporting events, hotel stays, concerts, events, movies, and more through this program.

Commonly Asked Questions From Air Force Families

If you’ve never had a child before, especially as an active-duty Airman, it makes sense that you would have questions. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions from new families to help you better prepare for your new bundle of joy.

1. What Benefits Do Air Force Children Get?

Children of Airmen will receive TRICARE once their parents enroll them, but it’s also possible for Air Force children to receive DIC payments and death gratuity. If Airmen don’t use their G.I. Bill, they have the option of transferring it to their child if they’ve served at least 10 years.

2. What Are the Resources for New Air Force Families?

Starting a new family is exciting but doesn’t come without difficulties. The New Parent Support Program was designed with this in mind to help Air Force families overcome the challenges they might face at every stage, including pregnancy, childhood development, and more. New parents can receive education to help them learn about being a parent and navigating these challenges, with educational programs focusing on things like prenatal care, child sleep environments, breastfeeding, and more. This program also helps parents deal with the stress of being a parent, especially as it’s related to the military lifestyle.

3. Where Will Air Force Children Go to School?

School is a big part of a child’s life and an obvious concern for many parents, especially those raising their children in the Air Force life. Being in a military family can create some confusion for new parents regarding their children’s schooling, but the good news is that Air Force children will usually have the same options as their civilian peers. Some bases even have on-base schooling available where your child can go to school with other Air Force children.

4. What Happens if the Air Force Member Is Discharged or Passes Away?

When an Airman is discharged from the Air Force, they’ll lose their benefits which means their dependents will lose those same benefits. It’s important to prepare for this loss in benefits to ensure your children will still be covered. While most benefits will be lost, Airmen still have access to the G.I. Bill and their VA benefits unless they receive an other than honorable or dishonorable discharge.

In the unfortunate event that an Airman passes away and leaves their family behind, the situation with their benefits becomes more complicated. The benefits their family can keep will depend on their cause of death, marital status, and other important factors.

Despite these complexities, there are a few benefits that surviving spouses and children can expect to keep. Some of these benefits include TRICARE, DIC, death gratuity, death pension, and housing for a limited time.

Find Support From AUSI for Your Air Force Career

While you’re busy planning for your new family, you want to trust that everything in your career is handled, which includes keeping your uniform in optimal condition. Here at American Uniform Sales, you can find AFI-compliant uniforms, rank and insignia, and footwear to ensure you’re meeting strict Air Force regulations at all times. Take the stress out of finding your next uniform by shopping from our high-quality selection of products. Get started by browsing our site, or contact us with any questions or concerns.