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Spouse earns annual AFMC award

  • Published
  • By DJ Babbitt
  • 377th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
KIRTLAND AFB, N.M. --  Patricia Sulham, wife of Major Clifford Sulham, has been named the 2012 AFMC Connie Yates Spouse of the Year.

Sulham will compete at the Air Force level for the prestigious Joan Orr Spouse of the Year award. She volunteers as a key spouse for Air Force Research Laboratory.

The Key Spouse program is designed to enhance support and communication among unit leaders and Airmen and their families.

Key Spouses are trained through the Airman and Family Readiness Center.

Participation in the program is on a volunteer basis, although, key spouses are formally selected by the unit commander.

While there are many active spouses at Kirtland who volunteer for the key spouse program, Sulham's involvement is unique. AFRL is made up of two directorates; directed energy the directorate, where Sulham's husband works, and the space vehicles directorate. Until last year, neither directorate had an active key spouse program, and that's where Sulham came in. She not only revamped the key spouse program for both directorates, but was the only key spouse for both directorates for a period of time.

As Sulham diligently coordinated between the two directorates, AFRL's key spouse program was able to support its 184 military, 755 civilians, and 600 spouses.

"I had to really learn to communicate with both directorates and Col. Cooley was very supportive in that."

This is Ms. Sulham's first time being a key spouse and her first AFMC award.

"This is a very high honor! I didn't even know I had won until I received the AFMC letter in the mail" she said.

The commander of AFMC Gen. Donald Hoffman, presented the award to Sulham on Feb. 16 at the Order of the Nucleus.

Sulham was modest about the recognition.

"There are so many other great spouses throughout AFMC and right here at Kirtland who do just as much."

Sulham said "Any time I can give or find a resource for someone, that's what's rewarding."

For more information, contact Ellen Fields at 846-1065.