1. Family Readiness Group Overview

2. Objectives of Family Readiness Group (FRG) Overview Define Family Readiness Define the mission and role of the FRG Review the structure of FRG operations Highlight how FRG’s need to adapt to changing times – what FRG’s need to do now

3. What is Family Readiness? Families being prepared and equipped with the knowledge and tools to successfully meet the challenges of the military lifestyle

4. The so what… Essential component to the success of the unit’s mission Paramount to sustaining mission capabilities and readiness Offers the support needed to lessen the impact of deployments or other military commitments on the family Family Readiness is a force multiplier for successful deployments Key factor in unit, service member, and family morale Helps increase retention of Service Members, encourages family participation and ultimately contributes to successful achievement of mission. BOTTOM LINE: Allows Service Members to focus on the mission, without worrying about family

5. What is a Family Readiness Group? A Family Readiness Group (FRG) is a command-sponsored organization of Soldiers, civilian employees, family members (immediate and extended) and volunteers belonging to a unit. (Source: AR 608-1, Appendix J)

6. FRG Purpose Assist unit commander in enhancing family readiness Encourage self-sufficiency by providing information, referral assistance and mutual support Provide a network of communications among family members, chain of command and community resources, which includes: Providing feedback to command on state of unit families Disseminating official, accurate information from command to families Offering referral assistance to community resources

7. FRG Mission Support the Commanders Family Readiness goals & intent Act as an extension of the unit in providing official, accurate command information Provide mutual support between the command and the FRG membership Advocate more efficient use of available community resources Reduce stress by helping families become: -more knowledgeable -self reliant

8. FRG Activities Mission Essential Activities FRG member meetings FRG staff and committee meetings Publication and distribution of FRG newsletters Maintenance of updated family information sheets and family readiness information Establishment of FRG member telephone tree and e-mail distribution lists Scheduling educational briefings for FRG members

9. FRG Activities Non-mission activities FRG social activities FRG fundraising activities Note: While FRG social activities can be valuable, they are not funded by the unit’s appropriated funds. The FRG must use its FRG informal fund.

10. What the FRG’s Primary Mission is NOT Coffee group or Spouses Club Part of the casualty notification process Professional counseling agency/Group therapy Babysitting service, social worker, taxi service or lending institution Just for deployment Fundraising entity for the unit

11. Family Readiness is a Commanders Program! FRG Structure Brigade and Division Level (Major Command): Advise battalion leadership on Family Readiness and policy issues (Family Readiness Support Assistant) Battalion Level: Advise company level FRG’s (Battalion Volunteer) Company Level: Functioning FRG established

12. FRGs in Changing Times Army reorganizing to more flexible, rapidly deployable force Military operations conducted by Brigade Combat Teams (BCT) AND Joint Forces Increased demands on military and families with more frequent deployments and training requirements Army recognizes Soldier’s broader support system (family, friends, etc.)

13. What FRG’s Need To Do in Today’s Environment Support a diverse FRG membership Be operational in all phases of deployment cycle Support individual Soldiers and their families Prepare for situations that can impact a unit/unit family Conduct practice exercises

14. FRG Supports the Unit’s “Family” Soldiers/Service Members Assigned Attached to unit for deployment (augmentees) Family Members Spouses Children Extended family (parents, grandparents, etc.) Others as identified by Soldiers (e.g., boy/girlfriends, fiancées, guardians). These individuals may be geographically dispersed

15. FRG Supports Deployment Cycle

16. FRG Planning and Preparation for Unit/Family Situations Receive necessary training Review the Operation READY materials Meet with unit leadership to discuss how unit families will be supported in deployment cycle and in emergency situations

17. Benefits of Effective FRGs for… Families Connection to unit and other unit families Connection to community resources Ability to problem-solve Ability to cope with deployments Soldiers Peace of mind / Reduce stress Ability to focus on mission

18. Benefits of Effective FRGs (continued) Commanders Ability to be more responsive to family issues Reduced time spent handling individual soldier/family issues Increased family readiness and deployment preparedness Community Reduced occurrence of crisis situations Increased ability to support Soldiers and families where they live

19. Questions?