240th Quartermaster
Battalion
Deployment Handbook
Surviving A Deployment
Updated: 3 DEC
03
What Is A Family Readiness Group (FRG)?
How Can I Benefit From It?
What is a Family Readiness Group?
The official definition
of a family readiness group is, "An
organization of family
members, volunteers, and soldiers belonging to a unit that together provide an
avenue of mutual support, assistance, and a network of communication among the
family members, the chain of command, and community resources."
Why
Have a Family Readiness Group?
Commanders of
deploying units discovered that while their units were highly trained to
fight, little if anything was done to train and prepare families to better cope
with the
stresses and unique problems that often arise during extended and oftentimes
unexpected deployment of their spouses. Some type of organization was needed
within units to address this serious shortcoming in peacetime so families would
be better able to take care of themselves in a time of crisis. Therefore, the concept of the Family Readiness Group was
born.
How Does the FRG Work?
Family Readiness
Groups are managed differently in every unit. How they are managed depends upon
many things: the personality of the leaders, the number of families’ involved,
available resources, etc. The core of the FRG is the unit, for this is where
the rubber meets the road. All FRGs throughout the Army share the same
purpose—to support Army families.
No Rank in the FRG
There is no rank in
the FRG. The active role of our enlisted and officer wives in the
support group has been the key to our success. The FRG is not a club. All soldiers and family members are
members of the FRG.
Your Place in the FRG
The role you play in your FRG is your choice. You are
welcome to participate as much as you would like to, or are able to. There are
many projects to become involved in, each of them important in their purpose,
such as communications, newsletters, hospitality, social functions, and
fundraising to support the FRG.
Your Invitation
Your FRG extends a
sincere invitation for you to join in and participate. You can never
have too much information, too much support, or too many friends. The FRG is
your
opportunity for all this and more. It is an incredible feeling to be able to
make a contribution to another person, to touch their lives in such a positive
way, and to have the added benefit of helping your own family at the same time.
Family Readiness Groups:
•
empower families to become more knowledgeable and self-reliant;
• promote more
efficient use of community resources;
• reduce soldier and
family member stress;
•
increase the soldier's ability to devote his
full attention to the mission by offering
reassurance that the family members
have close, reliable, and friendly support;
• care for each
other;
• provide a helping
hand when needed;
• provide answers to
questions;
• give moral support;
• establish a sense
of family within the unit;
• access information
and resources to help you solve problems;
•
provide an effective way of gaining information, support, and control during
deployment and other times;
•
help family members develop a more positive attitude toward themselves, the
unit,
the deployment, and the Army;
• increase morale;
•
foster increased levels of cohesion and confidence for family members and
deployed soldiers; and
• utilize other
family programs designed to improve the quality of life.
How to Use the FRG Telephone Roster (Chain of Concern)
You will be notified
through the Family Readiness Group telephone roster (chain of
concern) of important information pertaining to the unit and the FRG. The FRG
chain of concern is your
primary link with the Army in the event of a deployment, and it is a
means to communicate very important information. Reasons for the chain of
concern can range anywhere from planning unit social functions, passing on
general information, passing on information on deployment, homecoming, or emergency information. It is one of the most
efficient ways of getting the correct information to you in a timely
manner. Sending information home
through the soldier seldom works effectively.
Participation is not mandatory. The chain of concern, however, functions to keep you
in-the-loop and armed with the most up-to-date information concerning the unit.
More
importantly, it is a means of emergency notification. All spouses, therefore,
are strongly encouraged to participate by completing a FRG questionnaire.
Ensure that the FRG leader has your current mailing address and telephone
number. If you want to keep your phone number confidential or unlisted, just
let the FRG leader know of your decision, in writing, on your questionnaire.
This way your number will not be printed on the roster; it will only be given
to the FRG leader and your unit POC (Point of Contact).
If you plan to leave
the area during a deployment, please contact the unit FRG leader
with a telephone number where you can be reached in the event of an emergency. Please
do not put us in a situation where we have to search for you or where we are
unable to contact you in an emergency situation. Time is precious during the
emergency notification process.
In the event of a
deployment, as soon as the information becomes
available, the rear
detachment commander (RDC) will contact the battalion's FRG Advisor, and they
will
initiate the FRG communications network to get the information to you.
In many of our Family Readiness Groups, the FRG leader will contact the
unit POCs, and they will personally call each of the families in their chain of
concern. If your telephone number or
mailing address changes, contact your key caller to let them know!
If
you have not received a copy of the current FRG phone roster, have your spouse
pick one up from the unit commander's office to keep near your telephone.
Remember, this roster is strictly
confidential. It should not be used for solicitations or mailing lists of
any kind. It is only to be used for FRG purposes. Public access to the
telephone numbers on this list could pose a safety risk to FRG members during a
deployment, so be careful to thoroughly
destroy outdated copies of the roster whenever you receive an updated copy,
and keep your current copy secure and
near your telephone.
Call the FRG to Stay Informed
If you are a spouse
and have not been contacted by Family Readiness, then be proactive in letting
them know you are interested in being informed. Often, service members make the
decision for their spouse not to be contacted by the FRG. Make your own
informed decision, and learn what the FRG can offer you.
Remember,
each FRG is different. If you have been involved with a FRG in the past and it
left a negative impact on you, try the FRG again when you move to a new duty
station. If you don't like the way the
FRG is going, then you can make a difference by voicing your opinion and
becoming an active participant and volunteer.
240th Quartermaster Battalion
Family Readiness Team
240th Quartermaster
Battalion Bldg.#8536 Phone
Battalion
Command 765-3189
240th QM BN Family
Readiness Team [email protected]
www.geocities.com/frg240th
HHC QM CO
Company
Command 734-6947
58th QM CO
Company
Command 734-6868
109th QM CO
Company
Command 734-6440
267th QM CO
Company
Command 734-6074
“Deployed soldiers
say family readiness groups work”
by Joe Burlas
BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Army News Service,
April 11, 2002) -- While thousands of Reserve and active-duty soldiers are
deployed in the Central Command area of operations as part Operation Enduring
Freedom, their families are being well cared for and kept informed.
That observation was made by more than
a dozen soldiers in Uzbekistan and Afghanistan when Army Chief of Staff Gen.
Eric K. Shinseki visited the area April 6.
The only concern a group of 17 enlisted
troops breakfasting with the Shinseki at an undisclosed location in Uzbekistan
voiced was that their families wanted to know when they would return home. At the
same time, they said both they and their families were proud of what they were
doing as part of Enduring Freedom far from home. The soldiers also said their
unit family readiness groups were a great help to their spouses.
Shinseki acknowledged that not knowing
when they could expect to return home was a valid concern and promised to get
an answer back to them soon.
Family support groups first started
appearing in the early 1990's when thousands of National Guard and Army Reserve
soldiers were called to active duty to support the Gulf War. Many
reserve-component units were initially overwhelmed by phone calls from family
members seeking services the Army offered but spouses didn't know where to
access them. Once established, unit FSGs acted as a focal point to pass that
information on and information between the deployed soldiers and families.
Senior Army leadership has recently
started to call these unit groups family readiness groups. Shinseki explained
the rationale behind the name change at a Spouse Orientation and Leadership
Development meeting held in Washington, D.C., in February. The term
"readiness" stresses the need for units to be proactive in preparing
soldiers and their families for the possibility of deployment, rather than reactionary
when a deployment occurs, Shinseki said.
For Sgt. 1st Class Samuel Denegall, a
supply support activity noncommissioned-officer-in-charge with the 5-30th
Supply and Support Battalion at Bagram Airfield, a well-functioning unit FRG
back at home means his unit gets video-taped messages from loved ones at least
once a month. It also means his wife has a reliable network of others in
similar circumstances to fall back on if she needs help at home, he said.
"My wife and daughter are very
proud of what I am doing over here," Denegall said. "They know I am
doing fine because I get to talk with them on the phone several times a week.
My wife also knows I am doing fine because she attends family (readiness) group
luncheons and meetings where they discuss how we are doing."
Knowing that his unit FRG is there for
his family, Denegall said, allows him to enjoy what he thinks as his greatest
achievement in a 21-year Army career -- training new troops who have never
worked in a supply support activity to support warfighters conducting real
combat missions.
Cpl. Jamaison Pilgreen, a Firefinder
radar specialist with the 2-15th Field Artillery Battalion at Bagram said his
wife gets calls from his unit's FRG but hasn't attended any of its functions
yet.
"She's pretty independent -- she
works and lived by herself for five years before we got married," Pilgreen
said. "Still, it's nice to know the family (readiness) group is there if
she needs it."
240th
QM BN Resource Room
The 240th QM BN has a Family Resource Room
located at 240th QM BN, Bldg. 8536.
The purpose of the Resource Room is to have a specific location where
resources are kept and families can gather during times of deployment.
We offer many resources for you! We have Internet access for email, web cams for video and voice
conferencing with your deployed spouse, video and digital cameras to take
pictures and email or send a “We miss you” video.
All company FRG Leaders has access to the Battalion
Resource Room. All that is required is contacting
your FRG Leader to schedule a date and time in advance and to notify them of
your purpose so the room can be arranged and set up in advance of your arrival.
For resource information, we have information on all
programs on Fort Lee. We can provide
you with information about your Company or Battalion. If you’re seeking resources that can help solve a situation, we
can help guide you to the source. We
have books and toys for the children to play with while you are using the
Resource Room.
We hope you take advantage of this wonderful opportunity
that has been provided for you and we look forward to seeing you there!
To reach all Family Readiness Group
Leaders
and the 240th Family
Readiness Team
Web Site information can be found at
www.geocities.com/frg240th
Our email address is [email protected]
Deployment
Considerations
Personal and Family Readiness
Being a military
family can afford pride in serving one's country and provide many rich
and new experiences. Military families may experience special challenges
related to their unique lifestyle.
Pressures
and frustrations often result from:
• lengthy separations or deployments,
• single parenting during a spouse's absence,
• separation from friends and families,
• a strained family budget,
• constant adjustment to varying duty schedules, and
• career changes at retirement.
Nearly every military
family has difficulty coping with problems from time to time.
Pressures may become so great that they affect many areas of life. The military
provides a number of helping agencies to assist families in coping with the
stresses unique to their lifestyle. Asking
for help is not a sign of weakness. It shows that you care about your family
and are willing to take action to solve any problems.
What Is Deployment?
Deployment
is the movement of a unit or individual from home base to an area for
training or an actual mission. This can include:
• short-term training;
• extended temporary duty (TDY) of four to six months;
• unaccompanied tours (12 months); and
• stability or support operations to various areas of the
world, such as Kuwait, Bosnia, or war zones.
Rear Detachment
The rear detachment
staff consists of unit military members who stay on post during
deployment. They are responsible for the remaining personnel and equipment, and
for
providing assistance to families of deployed soldiers, including:
• coordinating with on and off-post agencies to meet
families' needs,
• working with the unit's FRG to plan family briefings and
share information,
• communicating with the deployed unit,
• facilitating mail to deployed soldiers, and
• distributing leave and earnings statements (LESs).
During
a deployment, keep your FRG leader informed of any address or telephone number
changes if you go out of town.
Prepare for Deployment Now
·
Resolve family
problems before the separation
·
Work out any
differences you may have with each other
·
Express your feelings
and encourage others to do the same ("I love you," "I'll miss
you," "I'm frightened")
·
Recognize that anger
is okay, but do not take your anger
out on your spouse or your children
·
Plan a family
activity or a special family time without distractions
·
Work through the
Soldier and Spouse’s Checklists to cut down on potential household management
problems
·
Set personal goals to
meet during the deployment
·
Attend the unit’s
deployment briefing
Get Organized!
Here are a
few ideas on how to start to get organized.
·
Complete your Soldier
and Spouse's Checklists
·
Complete a calendar
with important dates written in it, such as birth dates, holidays,
anniversaries, vehicle safety inspection renewal dates, vehicle tag renewal
dates, date for filing taxes, payment due dates and amounts, etc. (Each of you
keep a copy.)
·
Discuss how you plan
to keep in contact during the deployment. (You may
consider pre-addressing envelopes and purchasing stamps ahead of time.)
·
Flowers or gifts can
be ordered in advance to arrive on special dates, or make
arrangements with a friend to deliver gifts on special occasions or holidays.
·
Make certain that
important documents and information are in order and accessible.
·
If you have a
full-time job and children, make arrangements for childcare during
your work hours, or if you are military, during duty hours, field duty, and
periods
of mobilization. Does the person caring for your child have a Power of Attorney
to
assure necessary medical care?
·
Your family will best
deal with the stress of deployment by remaining in your
home, maintaining familiar routines, and not moving to another location to stay
with relatives. This is always more costly, disrupts the children's schooling
and
their emotional stability, and takes the family away from their military
support and
problem-solving network. Staying in your current home is almost always a better
way to survive deployments.
Preparing the Children
Communication is
necessary to help children cope with their parent's
absence during
deployment.
·
Spend time talking with
your child about the deployment. At your child's level,
explain why dad/mom is going, where, with
whom, and for how long.
·
Sit down with the whole family and talk about feelings.
Let each member of the
family express how they feel about the separation.
·
Discuss the rules of
the house. Make them "house rules"
rather than mom or
dad's rules.
·
Encourage the older
children to talk with the younger ones about previous
deployments—how long it seemed, what they did, how they felt while dad/mom
was away and when he/she returned.
·
Encourage dad/mom to spend time individually with each child:
play a game, go
for a walk, or go out for an ice cream cone—just the two of you.
·
Take pictures of each
child with dad/mom, and display the pictures
at your child's
eye level.
·
Have dad/mom read stories and talk to the children on a tape
player.
Dual Military and Single Parent
Deployments
Dual military and single
parent families on active duty must carefully plan for their children.
·
Always have your
approved Family Care Plan ready.
·
Give the person
caring for your child a Power of Attorney for medical care.
·
Make financial
arrangements for all the extra child-related expenses.
·
Make sure the rear
detachment commander has up-to-date information such as your current address,
phone number, and Family Care Plan.
·
Keep in touch with
teachers. Work together to evaluate and avoid or redirect
behaviors resulting from dad/mom's absence.
Even though it does not require approval by the unit, it
is a good idea for the parent staying behind to have a plan in writing in the
event of an emergency. List who will care for your children should you become
ill or be involved in an accident, and how to reach that person. Post this in a
place that your FRG leader or rear detachment commander can easily find it—near
your telephone or on your refrigerator, for example.
Safety
Precautions
Follow
these tips whether your spouse is home or not. To suddenly change the way you
conduct your home and yourself may advertise your spouse's absence.
Use Good Judgment
·
Do not tell people
that your spouse is gone.
·
Do not discuss your
spouse's absence in public, even with friends,
because someone with ill intent may overhear you.
·
If someone calls on
the telephone and asks for your spouse, never
tell the caller that your spouse is not home. Tell the caller that your spouse
is sleeping or can't come to the telephone,
and offer to take a message.
·
If someone calls and
claims to be an official military spokesperson requesting social security verification
or the social security numbers of the family members, ask them to mail you a
form and you'll fill it out and return it to the proper agency. Don't give social security numbers to
persons over the phone unless you are requesting a service or information that
requires it.
Security
·
Keep emergency phone
numbers and your address by all the phones in your home.
·
Always lock your
doors and windows; draw your shades at night, and leave a few lights on.
·
Leave lights on
outside, and inside, whenever possible.
·
Install
motion-detector lights or dawn-to-dusk lighting outside.
·
Never open your door
even a crack for anyone uninvited or unexpected. Use a peephole. If they claim it is an emergency, make the
phone call for them.
·
Do not allow
salespeople, repair people, delivery people, or any stranger into your
home when you are alone. If you are expecting one, have another person with
you,
and call the company when the employee arrives.
·
Discontinue paper
delivery if you will be away. Ask the post office to hold your
mail until you return.
·
Instruct children,
family, and babysitters not to give out information about who is
home, who is out, or for how long.
·
Do not leave your
keys hidden outside your home. They are too easily found.
·
Most burglars and
intruders enter homes through either open
doors or windows or doors and windows that are easily jimmied.
·
Keep your doors
locked at home when you are not there and when you are home.
·
Keep your car doors
locked when it is unoccupied and when you are in it.
·
If you notice
strangers loitering in your neighborhood, notify the police; include a time,
place, and description.
·
If you suspect your
home has been broken into, do not go
in. Call the police from a neighbor's home.
Safety: Additional Situations
Notification of
illness, injury or death
It is a fact of life that the military can be a dangerous
profession. If there is an incident in
which a soldier is injured, there are specific procedures in informing the
spouse.
People who intend to cause you harm will use this
opportunity, while your spouse is not home, to use your emotions and fears to
hurt you and your family. Please know
the procedures that the Army follows in notification of any injury, death, or
missing in action.
DO NOT LISTEN TO RUMORS.
If you hear a rumor that either your spouse or another soldier has been
injured, wounded, killed, or missing in action immediately call the Rear
Detachment Commander!
Notification of minor
injuries on a deployment will probably be made through the Family Readiness
Group or from a direct call from the soldier.
If your spouse is
seriously injured or wounded, you will be notified by the chain of command in
your spouse’s unit. Do not be fooled by
phone calls from people claiming to be medical personnel informing you that
your spouse has been admitted to a certain hospital. Unfortunately, this is a common trick used to lure you away from
home in order to rob you.
It is important to
know that a death notification will come from the command of your spouse’s
unit. This notification will be in
person. A soldier in uniform of equal
or higher rank usually accompanied by a chaplain will come to your home. Notification
will not come in any other source. Again,
unfortunately this is a common trick used to get into your house. If you are ever in doubt, please do not open
your door! A simple phone call to the
MP’s or local city police department to check out the situation is a safe
solution.
Sending Mail Overseas:
We highly encourage you to use the unit’s
return address on all mail going overseas, even if it’s an APO address. The unit’s will be aware that spouse’s are
using the unit’s return address in case the mail does come back to the
unit.
Please encourage
other family members to do the same.
Handling
Separation
Stages of Separation
There is
no denying that the military lifestyle, especially unexpected deployments, can
disrupt the family unit. Feelings associated with separation commonly come in stages.
As soldiers prepare to deploy and leave, military families may experience:
·
denial, shock,
disbelief, and numbness;
·
anger, frustration
with preparation demands, guilty feelings about the spouse's
departure, and resentment of the military, spouse, and job;
·
guilt for not saying or doing more before
deployment, or the children may feel they
caused the departure;
·
depression, intense
sadness, fatigue, loss of appetite, and withdrawal from routine;
·
acceptance, realizing and accepting the situation, resolving
to continue on positively, confidence in handling day-to-day living, awareness
of increased self-esteem and personal abilities.
Knowing
these feelings are normal can help families cope. These stages occur in a
universal order; however, a number of causes can trigger setbacks to previous
stages.
Individual situations and types of deployment can influence the intensity and
duration of each stage.
How to Manage Separation
·
Take good care of
you, eat right, get enough rest, and plan some daily exercise
·
Treat yourself to a
special outing, but stay within your budget
·
Try to set aside time
to do something you enjoy everyday
·
Avoid trying to do
everything yourself
·
Take advantage of
military community support
·
Participate in
programs such as Army Family Team Building (AFTB), Mobilization
and Deployment, and Family Readiness Training
·
Contact family,
friends, neighbors, and spouses of other deployed soldiers whenever you need
practical or emotional support
·
Get involved in an
activity, a hobby, a project, church, or volunteering. Volunteers
may receive free childcare while doing their volunteer work
·
Talk about your
feelings, doubts, and fears with a trusted friend, neighbor, co-
worker, etc.
·
Seek professional
help if you feel overwhelmed by your emotions or if you suspect
that someone in the family is having emotional problems
·
Know at least three
of your neighbors. You may need their help during an
emergency. They can also be a wonderful source of day-to-day support.
·
Prioritize what is
critical; then pace yourself according to your own understanding
of the way and the time you function at your best. Be realistic and kind to
yourself.
·
Find another military
spouse in similar circumstances; time passes much faster with a friend.
·
Do not try to please
everyone. Learn to say "no."
·
Always have something
to look forward to.
What
are the children going through?
Children and Separations
Children experience
the same psychological patterns as their parents due to their own
feelings of loss and their awareness of the overall emotional situation. They
often test
parents to find out if they bend more when the spouse is gone, particularly at
the time of departure and again upon return. Some spouses overcompensate for
their mate's absence by becoming permissive or overprotective with their
children.
Keep discipline consistent. Some decisions are harder to
make alone, but children need stability. Look at it this way: if one of the two
most important people in your life were constantly coming and going—here two
weeks, gone four to eight months, home two days—wouldn't your security be
shaken? Imagine what it does to children. Insecurity, loss of status, and
change in routine all add up to two complex emotions: hurt and anger, which are
usually directed at the returning parent.
Children
express their feelings in different ways:
·
Their outward
behavior is not always a good
reflection of what is going on emotionally.
·
Some children cover
up their true feelings while others are more open.
Preparing the Children
Use the
suggested activities to prepare for the deployment.
·
Talk to your
children:
·
about where, when,
and for how long, at their level—in words they understand;
·
about feelings—yours
and theirs;
·
about how things will
change and what will stay the same.
·
Spend some special time
as a family and alone with each child.
·
Leave something with
your children:
·
take pictures with
the child, and
·
make audio or
videotapes.
·
Inform your
children's teachers, daycare providers, and youth leaders.
·
Children's reactions
to a parent's absence are just as complicated as adults' but are more
distressing because of their limited ability to understand what they are
experiencing.
·
Accept all of children's reactions and emotions as
valid.
·
Help children
identify their feelings.
·
Encourage them to express and control feelings in acceptable
ways
·
Children's behavior
can run the gamut from withdrawal to acting out to regressing to younger
behavior.
·
They may be angry or
sad.
·
They may test the
limits of rules and discipline or be reluctant to stray from the
remaining parent or caregiver's side.
·
Keep discipline
routine and rules as consistent as possible
·
Don't confuse
consistency with rigidity. Remember, some changes, like taking
more time to talk, hug, cuddle, and reassure, may be necessary and useful.
Whether
or not your children seem to be having difficulty with the separation:
·
Keep talking about
feelings—yours and theirs.
·
Keep busy.
·
Help your children
stay in contact with the absent parent.
·
Each child needs his/her own separate, special, individual letters and
other contact from the deployed parent
·
Play the audio and
videotapes.
·
Keep in touch with
teachers and other youth leaders to identify and help with
changed behavior or problems.
·
Encourage new
activities and opportunities for growth and development.
·
Start a new family
adventure, routine, or outing like a weekly hike, monthly trip
to the museum, building a birdfeeder, and
watching the birds.
·
Try something new
like scouting, bowling, arts and crafts classes, youth sports,
tours, etc.
·
Have each child
choose one of dad/mom's usual chores as a
special contribution to the family.
·
Contact Children and
Youth Services (CYS) about youth support groups, where
children talk with and support each other.
Staying In touch During a
Deployment
The need for two-way
communication continues though you are separated by distance. We
highly encourage everyone who is sending mail that will travel out of the
country, (this includes all APO addresses) to use the company’s address as the
return address. This is a high
security measure that has been enacted since the Persian Gulf War. We appreciate your attention to this measure
and hope you will encourage everyone whom is sending mail to the deployed
soldier to follow these procedures also.
Letter Writing:
The following is a
guide that may make it easier to communicate through letter writing.
·
Answer all
questions. Write with your spouse’s
letter and picture in front of you, as though you are directly speaking with
him/her. Let your spouse know how much
you appreciate the letters, tapes, pictures, etc.
·
Remember that the
need to express affection does not diminish with the miles. “I love you” means just as much when it is
written during a deployment as it does when spoken in person.
·
Share your feelings
as openly as you can without indulging in self-pity. Let your spouse know that you would like him/her to share his/her
feelings. Try to communicate the
feelings of love and appreciation that you feel. Let your spouse know how and why you love them.
·
Above all, express yourself clearly so he/she won’t
have to think, “I wonder what he/she meant by that?” On the other hand, don’t try to read between
the lines or interpret a puzzling remark.
If you don’t understand, ask questions in your next letter.
·
Some husbands and wives number their letters to eliminate
confusion.
·
Have dad/mom send
separate letters to each child in the family.
It will help maintain and strengthen their relationships. Children love to receive their own mail.
·
Try to send
photographs.
·
Let children make tape
recordings.
·
Play calendar tag, which involves sending a small fold-over
calendar back and forth in letters so the deployed parent and child can take
turns marking off days.
Tape Recording
If letter writing is difficult for you, consider
purchasing a pair of tape recorders so you and your spouse can send “talking”
letters. Younger children can also say,
“Hello, Dad/Mom” in their own words.
Telephone Calls
Telephone calls are a quick way to communicate, but
remember, long distance and overseas
calls can be very expensive.
Purchase phone cards for long distance calls both ways. Remember the difference in time zones as
well.
Video/Web Cams
The Battalion Family Resource Room can accommodate your
requests for video messages. The Family
Readiness Team and Family Readiness Group leaders have access to the Resource
Room and we can schedule times for you and your family to come in to video and
voice conference with your soldier via the Internet!
Contact your Company
FRG Leader for more information or to book a specific time and date.
Email
E-mail is probably
the most popular method of quick communication. It's very
inexpensive and versatile; however, it can enable bad news to travel at the
speed of light.
Be careful of using this method of communication for an
emotionally laden message. It's better to compose it, park it for a few hours,
review it for clarity and kindness, and then send it. It still can't replace
the letter for personal and romantic communication. And remember e-mail is not secure—it can be read by anyone who uses the
computer.
During some deployments,
the unit will be given access to video teleconferencing. There will also be
some opportunities to exchange videos of the FRG and videos of spouses at work.
Battalion Resource Room
The purpose of the Battalion Resource Room is to offer a
place for family members to:
·
communicate with the
deployed spouse via email, web cams, or video taping
·
meet in a neutral
non-threatening environment for assistance or resources
·
offer Internet access
for email
·
attend FRG meetings
(small scale)
·
other options as
requested or necessary
Mail Release
Any
family member holding an identification (ID) card can pick up mail addressed to
deployed soldiers at the unit mailroom when:
·
the soldier completes
the Mail Release form and
·
the soldier or family
member delivers the release form to the unit mailroom
Agencies that are here for you
and your family
The American Red Cross
Location: 4310 Lee
Ave.
Office hours are
8:00-4:00 Monday-Friday.
Phone: 734-6371 or
734-6097
Web site: www.redcross.org
The American Red Cross provides services in emergency
communications, health and welfare reports, and financial assistance for
transportation in emergency leave situations.
The toll free number to call in regards to an emergency situation is
1-877-272-7337.
The Army Community Service and Its Programs
Address: 1231 Mahone
Ave., Bldg. 9023
Phone: 734-6388
Hours of Operation:
Monday-Friday 0800-1700
Army Emergency Relief: (AER)
AER offers emergency
financial assistance to all Army personnel, active or retired and their family
members in the following categories:
- Food
- Rent
- Required Travel
- Utilities
- Essential car repairs
- Medical bills
- Funeral expenses
- Essential needs in the event that
pay is lost or not received
Direct Line: 734-7954
Army Family Team Building: (AFTB)
AFTB is a training
program designed to enhance overall readiness by preparing all Army personnel,
including family members, to function at the highest possible level with
minimal outside support.
Direct Line: 734-7083
Employment Readiness Program: (ERP)
ERP is designed to
maximize opportunities for initial and continued employment in both public and
private sectors for family members and assist family members and retirees in
overcoming obstacles to career stability caused by relocation.
Direct Line: 734-6393
Exceptional Family Member Program: (EFMP)
EFMP provides
medical, educational, advocacy and supportive services to those family members
who have either a medical, psychological or educational related special
need. Enrollment in this program is
mandatory and is governed by public law and Department of Defense mandates.
Direct Line: 734-7952
Family Advocacy Program: (FAP)
FAP is designed to
break the cycle of abuse by identifying as early as possible and providing
preventive/educational programs for soldiers and family members.
Direct Line: 734-7585
Financial Readiness Program: (FRP)
FRP offers classes on
checkbook management, money management, and budgeting. FRP provides information on several other
financially related topics of interest to military families.
Direct Line: 734-7964
New Parent Support Program Plus: (NPSP+)
NPSP+ provides
intensive home visitation, mentoring, educational and support services to
families, prenatal to three years of age, as a means of preventing family
violence and enhancing parenting skills and family cohesiveness.
Direct Line: 734-6460
Victim
Advocate Services: (VA)
VA provides domestic violence victims with information and
referral services. Assists victims in
safety planning, helps victims through the legal process, and maintains linkage
to other community resources. VA trains
both military and civilians on domestic violence issues.
Direct
Line: 734-6460
PROBLEM SOLVING STRATEGIES
Appendix A
Soldiers’ and Spouses’ Checklist
Appendix B
ID Cards
Financial Issues (My Pay)
Medical Attention
Legal Issues
Childcare Issues
Appendix C
Useful Internet Sites
Soldier & Spouse’s Checklist
Banking/Financial
Do you and your spouse have a
joint checking account?
Do you have SURE PAY deposit? If
not do you have an acceptable Power of Attorney so you can receive the deposit
checks in his absence?
Will your bank accept your Power
of Attorney? (Not all banks do!)
Do you know how deposits are
made?
Do you know how to balance your
checkbook?
Do you know how to write
checks? Do you know how to order more
checks?
Do you know what bank service
charges are?
Will you have money immediately available to you on a continuing
basis during your spouse's deployment?
If you are receiving an allotment, will it provide sufficient
money to maintain your entire household?
Do
you know the account numbers, names and addresses of your banks? Do you know the types of accounts you have?
Do you know the location of checking and savings books?
Do you have a safe
deposit box? Do you know where the key is kept? Do you know where the box is located?
Are all of your credit
cards accounted for? Are the numbers logged and in a safe place? Do you know
how to notify the credit card company in case of loss or theft?
Do you have Leave and Earnings statements from the last
three months?
Do you know whom to contact if your allotment check does not arrive?
Do
you have a copy of any installation contracts or loan papers?
Do
you have a copy of your lease agreement?
Will your lease run out while your spouse is deployed?
Do you know what
bills must be paid and when they are due?
Important Documents & Records:
Frequently, official documents are required in the military
to accomplish business or to take advantage of a benefit. For this reason, military families should
have an organized file in a safe place containing copies of official records
and certificates. Some official papers
are not easily replaceable and should be kept in a fireproof box and, if
possible, secured.
Some examples of important documents are:
·
Marriage, birth, baptismal and death certificates
·
Shot records
·
Citizenship papers
·
Adoption papers
·
Passports, Visas
·
Life, Health and Auto Insurance Policies
·
Wills & Power of Attorney
·
Credit card agreements and account numbers
·
Copies of installment contracts and loan papers
·
Leave and earnings statements (LES)
·
Saving bonds, stocks, CD’s, etc.
·
Real estate documents, documents of rent or ownership of
land, lease, mortgage, deed or promissory note
·
Court Orders relating to divorce, child support and custody
·
Social Security Numbers for all family members
·
Titles to automobiles
·
An extra set of keys to house, cars, mailbox, etc.
·
Bank account information
·
Military records and orders
·
Income tax records for previous years
* Check all family member Military ID cards for expiration
dates.
Do you have and are
each family members identification cards (ID) cards up-to-date? When will each
ID card expire? Do you know how to
replace the ID card in the event it is worn, damaged, lost or stolen?
Do you have
immunization records for each member of the family? Are your family members’
immunizations up-to-date?
Do you have an
up-to-date will and know where it is kept? Does your spouse have an up-to-date
will and so you know where it is kept?
Do you have and know
the location of your power of attorney? Each family member's certified birth
certificate? Your marriage certificate? Any adoption
papers, guardianship papers, divorce decrees, or court orders awarding custody
of children or child support? Citizenship records if any family member
born outside the United States.
Important Documents & Records:
Statements
from licensed doctors or medical officers for dependent children over 21 years
of age whom are mentally or physically disabled.
Death certificates of
deceased members of the immediate family.
Do you have a recent photograph (full-face, light
background, about two inches by two inches, showing the person’s entire head
for each family member 10 years old or older)?
Do you have and know
the social security numbers for each family member?
Leave and Earnings
statements from the last three months.
Do you have copies of
Federal and State tax records for the past six years?
Where are the
insurance policies kept? (Car, life, home owner, personal property, etc.)
Do you know where the
deeds and other title documents relating to real estate are?
Certificates of title
and registration, warranties, and tax receipts for automobiles, boats,
recreational vehicles, and other personal property.
Business agreements
including partnership documents, agency contracts, sales contracts, royalties,
residual agreements, and employment contracts.
Documents designating
the sponsor or spouse as an executor or a trustee.
Documents relating to
bankruptcy proceedings.
Military and other
employment records.
Housing
If you are on the
housing list, has the housing office been given telephone numbers where you can
be reached during your spouse’s absence?
Do I know the
location and use of the electrical breaker box?
Main water control
valves?
Each toilet’s water
control valve?
Each sink’s water
control valve?
Washing machine’s
valve?
Dishwasher valve?
Gas control valve?
Name and telephone
number of an electrician? A plumber? The landlord?
Housing
Do I have an extra
set of keys to the house?
Do the doors and
windows have good locks?
Do all of the smoke
alarms have new batteries?
Am I capable of doing
the yard maintenance? If not, have I made arrangements?
Do I have a current
household inventory, including serial numbers?
Do I have current
renters or homeowners personal property insurance?
Do you have
extinguishers close at hand and suitable for grease and electrical fires?
Do you have an
intruder plan and fire escape plan and have you practiced it with all family
members? Have you practiced fire emergency procedures?
Automotive
Can you legally
drive?
Do you have a current
driver’s license?
Do you have an extra
set of car keys?
Do you know where your
spouse will park the car if he drives it to the unit when leaving for a
mobilization or a deployment?
Do you know that if
your spouse leaves the car in a unit holding area and deploys, you must have a completed release form showing
that you by name may take it out of the areas? This must be filled out before your spouse leaves.
Have you recently
updated your car maintenance? When?
What was done?
Do you know what to
do if the car breaks down?
Do you know when the
car is due for maintenance?
Do you know where to
take the car for maintenance?
Is the registration
for the car kept in the car? Is a proof
of insurance kept in the car at all times?
Are the car tags
current? If the tags need to be renewed while your spouse is away, do you have
the proper paper work to get new tags?
When will the
safety inspection expire?
Automotive
Do you have the title
for the car?
What is the name and
address of the company holding the lien?
Are you insured to
drive the cars?
If you do not drive
or have a valid driver’s license, are you familiar with local public
transportation?
Health Care
Do I know the
telephone number to Kenner Army Health Clinic?
Do I know the location?
Do I know the
location of the nearest emergency room?
Is each family member
enrolled in DEERS?
Does each family
member have a current medical card?
Does each member have
a current military ID card?
Are immunizations for
each family member up to date?
Where are the TRICARE
cards for each family member?
Where are the dental
records for each family member?
Who has medical power
of attorney?
Pet Care
Are the family ‘s
pet’s vaccinations up to date?
Are the family ‘s
pets registered with the city or the post?
What is the telephone
number of your veterinarian?
Are you familiar with
the Veterinary Treatment Facility?
Do you know the
location of the Veterinary Treatment Facility?
IDENTIFICATION
(ID) CARDS: THE KEY TO BENEFITS
Replacement ID Cards
The Installation Adjutant
General Section can:
·
verify family member
status, and
·
complete the DD Form
1172 (Application for Uniformed Services Identification and
Privilege Card).
The spouse must bring
copies of each of the following:
·
the marriage license;
·
a picture ID (driver's
license, passport, or someone with a military ID card who can
identify the spouse); and
·
the child's birth
certificate, if applying for an ID card for a child.
When verified, the forms are taken to the ID Card Section to have the ID card
issued.
Temporary ID Cards
If
the required documents are not
available for verification, a temporary ID card may be
issued.
• Temporary ID cards
are valid for 30 days.
• Temporary ID card
requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.
FINANCES: HOW DO WE TAKE CARE OF EACH
OTHER?
The Finance and
Accounting Office (FAO) provides information concerning a soldier's
pay to the rear detachment. If a problem with pay arises, such as a non-deposit
of funds at
the bank, contact the rear detachment commander.
In
planning a budget, remember that separate rations may be taken from the soldier's pay
for the duration of the deployment.
Financial Difficulties
If financial
difficulties arise while the spouse is away, contact the rear detachment and
the
Army Community Service (ACS) financial
readiness section.
Financial Support for Spouses
Ways of
providing financial support to spouses during deployment are:
·
Soldiers should
establish a joint checking or savings direct deposit account that the
spouse maintains.
·
Beware; due to distance
and difficulty of communication, a check overdraft may
occur if both the soldier and spouse write checks drawn on the same account.
Consider opening a separate checking account in addition to the joint account.
·
The soldier may elect
to start an allotment to the separate checking account or have
the spouse make monthly deposits to the account.
·
Send an allotment to
the spouse. Ensure the allotment covers all the expenses
necessary to maintain a household.
·
Establish a
deployment budget with a predetermined dollar amount for the
deployed soldier's expenses.
·
Direct questions
concerning military pay to the unit Command Financial Specialist or
the Family Readiness Group Leader.
Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS)
BAS is the amount the
Army pays the soldier for meals while living at home. Since he will
be taking meals in Army facilities while deployed, BAS may terminate for the
period of
deployment; the soldier's pay decreases accordingly. Plan for this in your budget.
Separation Allowance
If deployed or on TDY for more than 30 days, a soldier with
qualified dependents
receives a separation allowance. Upon his/her return, the soldier should apply
for the
separation allowance through the unit Personnel and Administration Center. In case of an actual wartime
deployment, a separation allowance begins during the soldier's deployment.
Family members:
·
can contact the rear
detachment for information;
·
cannot get casual
pay;
·
ACS Financial
Readiness, can go through Army Emergency Relief (AER) or the American Red Cross
(ARC) for assistance if problems arise.
HOW CAN I GET MEDICAL CARE?
Kenner Army Health Clinic
Refer to the Fort Lee
Telephone Directory and Guidebook 2001-2002 for complete and thorough
information about Kenner Army Health Clinic.
Location: 700 24th
Street, Bldg. 8130
Web Site: www.narmc.amedd.army.mil/kenner
Medical Appointments and TRICARE information: 1-800-931-9501
Monday-Friday
6:00am-10:00pm
Saturday, Sunday and
Holidays 8:00am-3:00pm
Primary Care Clinics (Teams)
Key Clinic: 734-9166
Sword Clinic:
734-9214
Wilkerson
(Pediatrics) Clinic: 734-9125
Additional Services:
734-9000
Optometry
Drug & Alcohol
Counseling
Orthopedics
Occupations Health
& Preventive Medicine
Immunizations
Social Work Services/Mental
Health
Physical Therapy
Pharmacy: 734-9137 Information
734-9535 Call-in Refill
Hours: Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday: 10:00am-5:00pm
The Pharmacy is
closed on weekends and holidays
CURRENT TRICARE Network
Pharmacies: Please call first! This
list may change
BI-LO HARRIS
TEETER
COSTCO KMART
DRUG EMPORIUM KROGER
ECKERD ` PHAR-MOR
FARMCO RITE
AID
FOOD CITY TARGET
HANNAFORD UKROPS
WALGREEN WAL-MART
WINN DIXIE
TRICARE Service
Center
No appointment
necessary and is open Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:30pm
Located in Kenner
Army Health Clinic
·
Enroll in TRICARE
Prime
·
Receive TRICARE
information
·
Receive a TRICARE
network referral
Clinic
& Services Important Phone Numbers
Alcohol
& Drug (ADAPC) 734-9601
Community Health Nursing 734-9063
Customer
Service Advocate 734-9512
Dental
734-9614
Eagle
Clinic (Physical Exams) 734-9247
Environmental
Health 734-9665
Family
Advocacy 734-9152
Health
Promotion/Wellness Clinic 734-9304
Industrial
Hygiene 734-9438
Laboratory
734-9101
Mental
Health 734-9143
Nutrition
734-9311
Occupational
Health Clinic 734-9159
Optometry
734-9253
Orthopedics
734-9226
Outpatient
Records 734-9283
Pharmacy
734-9137
Pharmacy
Refills 734-9535
Primary Care Clinics
Key
Clinic 734-9166
Sword Clinic 734-9214/9215
Wheel
Clinic 734-9269
Pediatrics
(Wilkerson Clinic) 734-9125
Physical
Therapy 734-9200
Psychology/Psychiatry
Services 734-9143
Radiology
734-9118
Social
Work Services 734-9152
TRICARE
Service Center 1-800-931-9501
