Latest news with #FamilyDays
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Air Force revokes four-day weekends for troops
The Air Force on Monday revoked a policy providing troops extra time off around holidays, saying the widespread leave known as 'Family Days' hurt the department's ability to carry out its missions. The Air Force has in the past granted airmen and guardians those extra days off, usually in conjunction with a holiday that falls on a Thursday, Friday or Monday. This gives troops a regular series of four-day weekends — roughly one a month — to spend as they wish. In a Feb. 11 memo cracking down on civilian employees' use of Family Days and announcing a broader review of the policy, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Manpower and Reserve Affairs Gwendolyn DeFilippi said these days 'recognize our teams' contributions to the mission and our families' enduring support of our efforts.' Meetings and scheduled activities are often minimized during such days, DeFilippi said then. But in an April 7 memo that leaked online, Acting Air Force Secretary Gary Ashworth said the more generous leave policy for troops won't work with the military's new focus on sharpening its effectiveness. 'The Department of the Air Force is focused on restoring lethality and readiness to our force,' Ashworth said in the memo, first posted Tuesday by the unofficial Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page. 'Providing a blanket designation of pass days, often called family days, to align with all eleven federal holidays throughout the year does not support our ability to execute the mission with excellence while maintaining our competitive advantage.' An Air Force official confirmed the memo is genuine. Ashworth advised commanders across the services to review their leave policies to ensure they align with readiness. Leaders are allowed to grant passes to service members at their discretion, Ashworth said, when that time off doesn't harm operational missions and warfighting requirements. Reaction to the memo on the amn/nco/snco Facebook page was mixed. Some commenters said certain key airmen, such as security forces, rarely received extra days off and that the mission needs to come first. Others doubted canceling this time off would measurably improve lethality and readiness and said it would harm morale and retention. 'This is disappointing,' one commenter said. 'Big Air Force will mandate that you show up and do busywork for 8-12 hours a day after Christmas and then wonder why you don't want to reenlist.'
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Davenport House Museum announces Family Day events
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — The Davenport House Museum, an iconic property owned and operated by Historic Savannah Foundation, will host four themed Family Day events in 2025 at the award-winning house museum, located at 324 E. State St. on Columbia Square in Savannah, Ga. Each Family Day at the Davenport House will offer creative activities, hands-on learning opportunities and historical exploration for all ages. All Family Day events are free and open to the public. 'The Davenport House is the birthplace of Savannah's modern-day preservation movement and a rich source of history in the heart of the National Historic Landmark District,' said Danielle Hodes, Executive Director at the Davenport House Museum. 'We warmly invite local residents and visitors of all ages to join us for our community-focused Family Days, as we celebrate Savannah and share our city's unique history with the next generation.' Historic Savannah Foundation CEO/President to step down Attendees are invited to explore 'Life in a Port City' at this year's first Family Day at the Davenport House on Sunday, March 30 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Presented in partnership with Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum and the Tybee Island Marine Science Center, this event will feature immersive activities celebrating Savannah's fascinating maritime history. Children and adults will learn how life in a bustling port city impacted Savannahians for generations, including master carpenter Isaiah Davenport, his family and the enslaved individuals who resided at the Davenport House in the 1820s. In addition, guests can enjoy refreshing treats from Savannah Square Pops in the beautiful garden at the Davenport House as well as face painting by talented local artist Mars Tadeo. The second Family Day at the Davenport House will take place during National Historic Preservation Month on Sunday, May 18 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Guests will explore the fascinating world of historic preservation in a family-friendly atmosphere featuring interactive activities and hands-on learning opportunities. Children can meet award-winning preservation experts and handle real tools and materials used in the field. Attendees of all ages will gain a deeper understanding of the important role preservation plays in maintaining Savannah's charm and historical integrity. Family Days at the Davenport House are also scheduled for Sunday, July 27 and Sunday, September 19 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Themes and additional event details will be announced at a later date. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Air Force reviewing four-day weekends amid civilian leave crackdown
The Department of the Air Force is cracking down on the unauthorized use of 'Family Days' to provide extra days off for its civilian employees — and four-day weekends for airmen and guardians might be next. The Air Force regularly grants troops extra days off, known as Family Days, typically alongside a holiday that falls on a Friday or Monday. This gives troops four days off 'to recognize our teams' contributions to the mission and our families' enduring support of our efforts,' the Air Force said in a Feb. 11 memo. For example, Air Mobility Command this year gave airmen the Fridays off before Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Presidents Day. The command has additional Family Days scheduled around Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day and other major federal holidays that give troops four days off in a row. The Air Force minimizes how many meetings and activities are scheduled on Family Days, Gwendolyn DeFilippi, acting assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and reserve affairs, said in the memo. It allows commanders, directors and supervisors to grant service members the day off, and airmen or guardians who must work on those days can get a comp day at a later time. But federal law does not allow the Air Force to grant additional leave to civilian personnel, DeFilippi said. Leaders can treat Family Days as 'liberal leave' days and may allow civilians to take a regular leave day, a comp day that was previously earned or a previously approved time-off award. 'Unless otherwise exempted, if civilian employees are not on an excused absence, they should be working at their current duty location,' DeFilippi said in the memo. And, DeFilippi said, the Air Force is now taking a closer look at the overall concept of Family Days. 'Over the next several weeks, [the Department of the Air Force] will evaluate Family Days to ensure they align with our ability to support warfighter readiness,' DeFilippi said in the memo. Other services did not immediately respond to Military Times' queries about any possible plans for reviewing four-day weekends. Rumors about similar crackdowns in other branches have swirled in recent weeks in unofficial military-themed social media forums, as President Donald Trump and Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has swept through the federal government, looking for places to slash expenses. Multiple posters in the Reddit subgroup r/AirForce responded negatively when the memo was posted there. Some predicted the announced review will result in four-day weekends being taken away for uniformed troops and said it would further depress the spirit of already stretched-thin service members. 'The beatings will continue until morale improves,' one poster said.
