Grant Covers Car Care for Deployed Spouses

To help ease that burden, the Air & Space Forces Aid Society, the official relief organization of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force, offers the Road Ready grant. Eligible spouses can receive $200 for preventive vehicle maintenance - money that does not need to be repaid.

"Deployments place a strain on the spouses and families left behind - there's just no way around it. And sometimes even routine expenses like car maintenance just add to that burden," said retired Maj. Gen. Ed Thomas, who leads AFAS. "Road Ready provides practical support that can make life a little easier for our families while their service member is away," added retired Command Chief Master Sgt. Kris Spencer, AFAS chief operating officer.

"Gen. Wilsbach, our Air Force Chief of Staff, challenged us to ensure we're helping support our spouses of deployed Airmen and Guardians, especially during [Operation] Epic Fury," Thomas said, adding, "This is just one way we're answering that challenge."

The grant can be used for preventive maintenance including oil changes, alignments, tire rotations, battery replacement and windshield wiper replacement. It is available to spouses of service members of all ranks, with one grant available per deployment.

Eligible spouses must apply while their service member is currently deployed and provide copies of required documentation, including deployment orders, their military ID and the service member's end-of-month Leave and Earnings Statement.

To learn more about the Road Ready grant or to apply, visit afas.org.