School Liaison Officer position established at Wright-Patterson AFB

  • Published
  • By Laura McGowan
  • 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Addressing the needs of military school-aged children is top priority for Andrea Attaway-Young, who was recently selected as School Liaison Officer, a newly-created position at Wright Patterson AFB. Her office, located at the Airman & Family Readiness Center, Bldg 2 Room 239, provides great outreach capability, as she will coordinate and provide school-aged children of base military families with information and educational opportunities, helping them to achieve academic success. 

In this capacity, she serves as primary advisor concerning school-related issues to the base and vice commander, by promoting and facilitating communication between local K-12 schools, military families and related base organizations. 

Working in partnership with existing base programs, Ms. Attaway-Young's role is to keep base leadership informed by identifying, communicating, and seeking resolution concerning any obstacles affecting the academic success of children of military families here. One of her primary goals is to strengthen the relationship between local schools, military families, the base installation and the surrounding communities. 

Recent statistics show that military children typically move six to nine times during their K-12 school years - each move creating the opportunity or challenge for military children to make new friends and adjust to different school environments/standards/requirements - many of which vary from state to state. 

Key issues addressed by military families include eligibility, enrollment, placement and graduation. 

Ms. Attaway-Young is planning outreach initiatives for 28 school districts within a 20-mile radius of the base, focusing initial energies on schools where military children attend in greater concentration. As today's educational programming and options have expanded, she also will directly interface with administrators and teachers supporting private and charter schools and create a repository to assist base military families choosing to home school their children. 

Having served as a public affairs specialist at Wright-Patterson over 25 years, Attaway-Young fully understands and appreciates the impact education has on launching and enjoying a successful career. "I will promote the importance of parent involvement to Air Force military members (during registration/transitions/deployments) of school-aged children in their child's education," she said. 

"My job also will encompass supporting on-going base educational and recreational programs and training initiatives, which are designed to enhance the military family lifestyle." 

For more information, please contact Andrea Attaway-Young at 937-656-0942, or e-mail at: Andrea.Attaway-Young@wpafb.af.mil.