Military and Family Support Center

The Federal Voting Assistance Program ensures that service members, their eligible family members and overseas citizens have the tools and resources to register to vote and request an absentee ballot, regardless of their state of residence. The Voting Assistance Guide is a reference guide for everything you need to know about absentee voting in all 50 states, the U.S. territories and the District of Columbia. Select your state to find your local election office’s contact information.

Voting forms are also available online.

Military and Family Support Centers provide information, education and support programs to help balance the demands of military life. Offerings include:

• Deployment support to assist you and your family during all phases of the deployment cycle. Learn more about deployment support.
• Relocation assistance to help you prepare for an upcoming move and get settled into your new location. Learn more about the military Relocation Assistance Program.
• Confidential non-medical clinical counseling provides support for a wide range of issues from marital conflicts and stress management to coping with grief and deployment adjustments Learn more about confidential non-medical counseling.
• Personal and family life education assists with developing knowledge and skills to help you navigate your mobile military life.
• Personal financial readiness assists you and your family in building and maintaining your financial readiness.
• Employment assistance supports career exploration, education, training and licensing, career connections and employment readiness for military spouses, transitioning service members, and other family members. Learn more about the Spouse Education and Career Opportunities program, or SECO.
• Information and referral can assist you in identifying and clarifying needs and locating and connecting to services and programs available both on and off your installation.
• Morale, Welfare and Recreation, or MWR services provide lots of ways for you to connect with friends and others for entertainment, rest and relaxation — all at reduced or no cost. Learn more about MWR programs and services.
• The Transition Assistance Program provides the information, skills and knowledge necessary for a successful transition from military to civilian life. Learn more about transition assistance programs and resources.

Military and Family Support Centers may provide other programs such as the following:

Exceptional Family Member Program

Family Advocacy Program

New Parent Support Program

Federal Voting Assistance Program

Services may vary by location and installation. Use the Search tool to find contact information for your installation Military and Family Support Center. Just enter your installation name, Zip code or state.

In the event you are unable to contact your Installation Voting Assistance Office, 24-hour voting assistance is available from the Air Force Total Force Service Center at DSN 665-0102, commercial 210-565-0102 or toll free 800-525-0102.

Bundles for Babies is a 2½-hour program administered by the Military and Family Readiness Center and is held quarterly. This program offers budgeting advice, car seat safety and tips on raising a healthy baby. Expectant mothers and those with children up to 4 months of age are encouraged to attend. A $100 Gift (ZELLE deposit) compliments of the Air Force Aid Society is given for each eligible child.

Stop by the Columbus Air Force Base Military and Family Readiness Center in Building 1114 or call 662-434-2790 or DSN 312-742-2790 to sign up for these and many other fun-filled programs.

The Federal Post Card Application, SF-76, can be used to register to vote while simultaneously requesting an absentee ballot. It can also be used to submit a change of address to your local election officials.

You can now go online to the Federal Voting Assistance Program website and use the FPCA Wizard that will help you register, request your absentee ballot and/or change your address while providing you with all of your state-specific information and requirements to vote.

The Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot SF-186 can be used as a backup in case you have already registered to vote or sent in an Federal Post Card Application SF-76, to both register and request your absentee ballot, but you have not yet received your absentee ballot from your home state.

Like the FPCA, you can go online to fill in the FWAB at the Federal Voting Assistance Program website and use the FWAB Wizard that will help you to vote in federal elections, even filling in your candidate choices based on your state of residence.

Both the FPCA and FWAB Wizards will provide you with a filled-in form. All you have to do is print, sign and date it, and return it to your election officials via the directions provided. Some states allow you to fax, and/or email your signed form if you scan it to your computer and send it as a PDF.

Heart Link is an orientation conducted quarterly to welcome spouses to the Air Force and the local area. Spouses have the opportunity to connect with other spouses while learning about Air Force programs, base services and the local community. This program is geared toward spouses who are new to the Air Force and the local area, typically five years or fewer.

For dates and times call the Military and Family Readiness Center at 662-434-2790 or DSN 312-742-2790.

If you are separating or retiring, you’ll need to advise your local election official that you will no longer be considered a military voter. The National Mail Voter Registration Form (or your state voter registration form) can then be used to notify your local election officials of your address change. Go to the Federal Voting Assistance Program for more information.

The Installation Voting Assistance Office is located in the Military and Family Readiness Center Building 1114 and can help you fill in and mail your voting materials should you require assistance. Contact your Voting Assistance Officers at DSN 742-2701/2790 or commercial 662-434-2701/2790 or email vote.columbus@us.af.mil.

Your Installation Voting Assistance Office is here to help you exercise the very right you protect - your right to vote. We can help you register to vote, request an absentee ballot and notify your local election officials back home of a change of address. The information below is provided for you as you get ready to transition and are thinking of what you must do before and after you make that change in assignment, deploy, separate or retire.

Resources:

Unit Voting Assistance Office

Unit voting assistance offices are available within units which have 25 or more permanent party active duty military members assigned. They offer absentee voting information and assistance to military members, their family members and civilian personnel.

Installation Voting Assistance Office

The Installation Voting Assistance Office is located in the Military and Family Readiness Center, Building 1114, and can help you fill in and mail your voting materials. Contact your installation voting assistance officers at DSN 742-2701/2790 or 662-434-2701/2790, or by email at vote.columbus@us.af.mil. Find more information here.

Hours of operation: Open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed on weekends and holidays

Air Force Total Force Service Center

In the event you are unable to contact your Installation Voting Assistance Office, 24-hour voting assistance is available from the Air Force TFSC at DSN 665-0102, 210-565-0102 or 800-525-0102.

Federal Voting Assistance Program

You may access many voting-related questions and answers on the FVAP website.