AFAS provides support to a young Airman in need
Master Sergeant Giles M. Dame joined the Air Force so that he could serve his country. Now, over 20 years later, he continues to serve as a First Sergeant, taking care of Airmen. Taking care of Airmen is something that MSgt Dame has in common with the Air Force Aid Society (AFAS).
Through emergency assistance, education support and community programs, AFAS is there for Airmen and Guardians. Whether it’s no-interest loans to help meet immediate needs, scholarships, or spouse employment education, AFAS takes care of Air Force and Space Force families.
MSgt Dame knows this firsthand. In his first year of enlistment as an Airman First Class, MSgt Dame’s wife was planning to travel across the country from their home in California to meet him at their new duty station in South Carolina.
Unfortunately, their car had other plans. “The transmission on our only vehicle broke down,” MSgt Dame recalls. “We needed around $3,000 to replace it,” he says.
Learning about the Society from his First Sergeant, MSgt Dame turned to AFAS to help with this unexpected emergency. AFAS provided the young Airman with a no-interest Falcon loan, “which made it possible for my wife to travel across the country,” he says.
The assistance removed the biggest stressor in the Dames’ lives, allowing MSgt Dame to focus on his job at his new base.
“Because of their donations,” MSgt Dame says of the Society’s generous donors, “my wife and I were able to start our lives in the Air Force in a way that made us feel completely supported and appreciated.”
The support that MSgt Dame received is something that he now offers to other young Airmen, much like himself 20 years earlier. He also encourages Airmen to go to AFAS whenever they are faced with a financial emergency and reminds them that AFAS is there to help in times of need.
Incorporated in 1942, the Air Force Aid Society continues to meet the unique needs of Airmen and Guardians. AFAS works to support and enhance the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force missions by providing emergency financial assistance, educational support, and community programs to Air Force and Space Force families. In 2022, AFAS provided over $12.5 million in assistance to more than 17,000 Air Force and Space Force families. Visit www.afas.org to learn more, apply for assistance, or to donate.