Sponsorship training is online or in person Published April 12, 2013 By Donovan Jackson Air University Public Affairs MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Al -- Relocating to a different installation every couple of years is an inevitable part of military service. To help ensure that a smooth transition occurs, service members and their families rely on the assistance of a well-trained sponsor. Sponsors serve as a link between an installation and its incoming service members. They help aid new base members by offering assistance when handling situations such as housing, vehicle registration and transportation needs. "Successful incorporation of an assigned sponsor' s expertise is very important," said Lela Brown, section chief at the Airman and Family Readiness Center. "When the sponsor is properly trained, the incoming service member will be able to better focus on the mission as they integrate into the unit and the transition will be more successful as they will not have to focus on some of the minor details of the move." Along with traditional sponsorship training methods, sponsors can use an online source called e-Sponsorship Application and Training, or e-SAT, which can be accessed via the website www. militaryinstallations.dod.mil. The online training program offers sponsors a multitude of resources for information including training methods, links to relocation resources and an email function designed to facilitate communication between sponsor and incoming service members. "My sponsoring techniques are strongly based off of my training as well as my own experiences with once being a new member of an installation," said Airman 1st Class Kadeem Baker, 42nd Force Support Squadron. "I pay close attention to the needs of an incoming Airman, and I make it my duty to be available to them at all times while I am their sponsor." Baker said sponsorship is a rewarding job and he is looking for- ward to sponsoring his third Airman soon. According to Airman 1st Class Brian Hollingsworth, a customer support technician for the 42nd FSS, not knowing anyone when arriving at a new installation is not a good feeling. "Nothing is worse than arriving at a new base and not knowing anyone or knowing where to go or what to do," he said. "When I began my assignment at Maxwell, my sponsor really made me feel welcomed, and I felt that he made my adjustment to the base a priority of him. I'm sure that his training and prior experience played a role in his efforts." For more information on how to request a sponsor or to become a sponsor, visit www.military-homefront.dod.mil/moving.