Heartlink welcomes spouses to military community Published Sept. 25, 2015 By Senior Airman Kyle Gese 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- The Air Force Heartlink program has been welcoming military spouses to the community for nearly 14 years. Heartlink is designed for new spouses as an orientation to the base and teaches them about the different programs they can get involved with, but the Sheppard Airman & Family Readiness Center staff open the program to all spouses. "Heartlink was created as a spouse orientation for spouses with five years or less affiliation with the Air Force," said Robbie Monaghan, community readiness consultant. "However, we've never limited it to that. Any spouse can come whether it be an AiT spouse or the General's wife. Any spouse is welcome to come to Heartlink." "I've only been here two weeks," said Beth Gorence, a military spouse. "I still don't know where a lot of stuff is, so it was good to see where a lot of the stuff is located around base." Gorence is a spouse of Airman 1st Class Max Gorence who is attending training at Sheppard. Both lived in N.Y. and graduated high school together nearly five years ago. After her husband joined the Air Force this past May, they made the transition to a military lifestyle and moved to Sheppard. "It was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be," she said. "I stopped by the readiness center a few weeks ago to feel the place out and people were very willing to help me ... It has given me a little peace of mind" Karen Ross, spouse of Capt. Jason Ross, mental health flight commander, shared her experience with transitioning to this lifestyle. "It was extremely difficult at first," said Ross. "I try to give them the information I wish I would have had earlier on in my husband's career to help them transition better ... it breaks my heart hearing about another spouse being depressed." Even though Heartlink is an orientation that may seem to be about things only newer spouses may not know, Ross shared that she has been at Sheppard for three years and knew only a fraction of what she learned from Heartlink. Heartlink aims to help inform and adjust spouses to the military ways of life while having fun and making friends. To learn more or sign up on Leadership Pathways for the next Heartlink class, or visit the Airman &Family Readiness Center.