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August 2004 Deployment and Reunion Issue OFFICE OF FAMILY PROGRAMS UPCOMING EVENTS This month’s issue prepared by: Fran Bellas, Family Assistance Center Coordinator, Hammond. State Family Program Advisory Council 4th Quarter Meeting Aug. 28 2004, Core, Baton Rouge, LA Guard Family Team Building (GFTB) Instructor Training Course, New Orleans, Jackson Barracks, September 25-27 National Family Support Workshop Albuquerque, NM 1-5 Aug 2004 CONTACT US INDEX: Deployment Loose Lips Sink Ships OPSEC Savings plan for deployed Soldiers Managing Stress During Deployment Communication Ideas for Children “Help Our Troops Call Home” Absentee Voting Reserve Kids During Deployment Letters Abroad Delayed Project Scrapbook Reunion American Red Cross Seeking Understanding upon Return Shades of Green Reopens Transitional Health Care Benefits(TAMP) They‟re home. What now for our FRG? Miscellaneous You Might Find Interesting… Louisiana Family Assistance Centers Deployment Support Coordinators 2 2 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 The Office of Family Programs prepared this edition of “Family Focus” newsletter. The majority of it is a compilation of articles, relevant to our families, pulled from national Family Support newsletters and reports. Please see each article for source information. If you have questions or concerns regarding “Family Focus”, please call us at 800-5415860. Do you have suggestions for our newsletter staff or something that you would like to share? We ask that you please keep everyone in mind when you come across information that will enhance our Guard Family Quality of Life. You can send input to the Office of Family Programs at susan.bush@la.ngb.army.mil or Carrie Matirne at family.readiness@lanewo.ang.af.mil , or fax to 504-278-8156. 6 7 7 8 8 10 10 10 Do you have ideas for our Christmas Issue of Family Focus? We are looking for gift ideas for soldiers that help to remind them of home, special project ideas or even stories of how you survived a Christmas during deployment. Please email Office of Family Programs at susan.bush@la.ngb.army.mil or call 800-541-5860. WATCH OUT FOR NEXT ISSUE: Ideas for Keeping your Relationships Alive, Military Benefits, Ways for Fathers to stay connected with children, New AAFES Shipping Fees and MUCH MORE! DEPLOYMENT Loose Lips Sink Ships or OPSEC Source: www.sgtmom.com Operational Security, also known as OPSEC, is even more important today than in the past. In the simplest terms OPSEC is denying the “bad guys” information so that our military may complete their assignment. We now have more means of communication that may be “intercepted” than ever before. Cell phone conversations and internet/email transmissions need to be guarded. Conversations on cell phones are very easy to monitor. Discussing leave, where a unit is located or even plans for the spouse and kids to go visit Grandma and Grandpa can give anyone another piece of the puzzle. Before you talk make sure it is not of any importance to anyone who may be tuned into your conversation. (Regular phones may be monitored too!) The Internet and email seem to give many a sense of false security. You may think that post with your name on one message board won‟t harm anyone. Maybe not, but how about that post complaining about your spouse leaving for “over there” in December, and then the post about taking your child to the ER and your spouse being gone to the desert and you had to do it alone and so forth. All of these pieces can be used to build “the big picture” of who you are, where you live, where your husband is stationed and so on until they know all about you and your life. Go to a search engine such a Google.com sometime and search your name – you might be surprised at how much turns up! Information posted to the Internet or sent in emails can literally be all over the world in a matter of seconds. Once out there it is impossible to retract it! I know message boards for military spouses are great – it helps us to have someone else out there who understands the hardships. Please be careful of what you post though. If you are not sure about a posting – save it as a draft in your emails. Then reread it the next day and if you feel it is okay to post then do so, if not just delete it and no one else will know. We all pay attention to warnings about children posting personal information on the web. Many of us have kids who use the web for school projects and have warned them of the dangers. How many of us follow those same rules ourselves or do you feel that is for kids only? Many of you have practiced OPSEC without knowing it. Have you stopped your mail and newspaper when leaving town? Have you put your lights on a timer while gone? You have done those things to make it more difficult for someone to know you are gone – OPSEC! The rules have changed now and it could also be your own security you are protecting. Terrorists have attacked civilians and may continue to do so. Please think of that old WWII saying – “Loose Lips Sink Ships” because it might be your spouse‟s safety or your own in jeopardy! Savings Plan Created for deployed Solders Source: FLO Notes, Volume 17, Issue 5 05/04 Deployed uniformed servicemembers have the chance to earn a guaranteed 10 percent interest on their savings annually. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) implemented the Savings Deposit Program in August 1990 for servicemembers serving in the Persian Gulf Conflict. This program has changed to include troops assigned to areas of operation outside the U.S., and includes Operation Iraqi Freedom servicemenbers assigned to a combat zone or in direct support of a combat zone. “A servicemember can contribute up to $10,000, but interest of 10 percent will not accrue after that amount,” said Roger Castillo, program director for the program. “A member can participate in the program if the member is serving outside the U.S. or its possessions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and has served at least 30 consecutive days in an area that has been designated as a combat zone or in direct support of a combat zone. Also, members serving on permanent duty assignment outside the U.S. or its possessions in support of 2 contingency operations and serving on active duty in the designated area for more than 30 days.” To make a deposit into the fund, troops are asked to contact their finance office. Withdrawing the money before leaving the combat zone is not authorized, unless there is an emergency. The last day to make a deposit into the fund is the date of departure from theater, however, interest will accrue up to 90 days after return from deployment. DFAS will post the savings deposit balance of active-component members to their Leave and Earnings Statement. The DFAS provides responsive, professional finance and accounting services to the men and women who defend America. In fiscal year 2003, DFAS paid about 5.9 million people, processed more than 12.3 million invoices from defense contractors, disbursed more than $416 billion and managed more than $197.4 billion in military trust funds. For more about DFAS, visit the agency‟s Web site www.dfas.mil. More information concerning DFAS may be found in the Army Families online “SmartBook.” SEND 10 MINUTES OF VIDEO ONLINE TO LOVED ONES The Wishes From Home campaign allows families of deployed servicemembers to send up to 10 minutes of video online for FREE. Send clips from soccer games, weddings, birthday parties, first steps, … whatever the reason, your loved one doesn’t have to miss out. www.SharedVideoMoments.com It’s FREE for Military Families Deployment Stress Source: www.sgtmom.com To say that we go through stress during deployments, TDYs, and hardship tours is an understatement. These situations are very stressful and how we deal with them can make all the difference in the world! Stress is pressures from everyday living, and extreme situations as well, that make us feel tense inside. Symptoms of stress can include - tight neck and shoulders; headaches; upset stomach; fatigue; rashes; teeth grinding; chest pain; and more. Stress can result in feelings of depression, anger, apathy, low self-esteem and impatience among others. Stress can cause overeating, smoking, drinking, forgetfulness, and other problems. Some stress is a part of daily life and can be good for us. It keeps us on our toes, but too much stress and you can be miserable. If you allow stress to build up it can interfere with your daily activities. Knowing its symptoms and signs is the first step to dealing with stress. One of the most common and main cause of stress is change. Too many or too drastic changes often result in high levels of stress. Some major stressors include - personal loss; job changes; money problems; illness; injury; moving; marriage or divorce; loneliness; commuting; pregnancy; lack of time; retirement and so forth. You can do a lot to help your situation and deal with the stress. See your doctor and make sure there is not an underlying medical condition. Speak with your doctor about a healthy diet and exercise. They will both help you deal with stress. Also make sure you get enough rest. Stress can cause illnesses due to your system being "run down." Headaches and sore back muscles can come from stress. Try deep breathing exercises, stretches and over the counter medications such as Tylenol and Aspirin. (Ask your doctor about medications first to make sure they are compatible with any other medications you may be taking.) Talk things over with a friend or family member. Sometimes just talking about the problems make them seem a lot smaller and not as stressful. Write about your stress in a journal. When you go back and reread things you just may realize it wasn't as bad as you thought! You can also speak with a Chaplain or Priest, a counselor at your FSC or ACS, or check in the yellow pages for someone. Your doctor could also refer you to someone. Take a break! A change of pace, no matter how short, gives you a new outlook on old problems. Sit down and have a cup of tea, 3 enjoy a program on TV, do a craft you enjoy, take a quick walk around the neighborhood. Just give yourself a little break and then go back to your work. Plan your work so that you do not have tons of things to do at the last minute of the day. Be realistic and do not set goals that are too lofty. Better to set smaller goals and accomplish them than to set high goals that are unattainable! If you are able to recognize stressors in your life you can avoid or minimize them. Stress is a fact of life and the more you know about and understand it the better you will be able to deal with stress. Some Ways to Deal With Stress Associated With Children:  Tell your child you need a break.  Count to ten; go to another room for a few minutes. If your child is an infant or toddler - put him or her in a safe place first!  Go into another room, close the door and let it out - cry, scream, yell.  Lie on a couch or bed, put your feet up, and place a cool cloth on your forehead. Take deep breaths and imagine a peaceful scene. Lie there for at least 5 minutes. (Be careful not to fall asleep though if you have kids you are watching.)  Call someone who cares about you and understands what you're going through. If your child(ren) takes naps, use that quiet time to pamper yourself. Take a long bath, a hot shower, read, do your nails, whatever relaxes you.  Change your daily routine occasionally. Visit a friend, watch a special show on TV or take a walk.  Do something physical. Physical activity is good for you and your children. It lets off steam and it's free! Things to Do to Stop Worrying:  Discuss your problems with a friend.  Schedule worry sessions.  Talk positively to yourself.  Keep a journal.  Don't blame others for your feelings.      Press the "delete button" on needless worries. Forgive yourself. Look for the lessons your troubles bring. Focus on others, not yourself. Don't take on TOO MUCH! Learn to say NO! This includes your children's activities! N eat Idea to Comfort Children: Find an old set of BDUs that can be cut up. Sew it into a small comfort quilt to help the child feel close to soldier during deployment. Communiicatiion Ideas ffor Kiids Commun ca t o n Ideas or K d s FAC Coordinators and Family Members Communication during deployment is very important for children. They need to still feel connected with their deployed loved one. This section will be ongoing and will give a new tip each issue. Find neat things to write your letters on, for example: backs of photos, your favorite color of paper, napkins, paper lunch bags (w/a treat inside) or paper cut out in special shapes (holiday shapes like shamrocks or hearts). Military Phone Card Donation Program Goes Public Source: Military Report April, 26, 2004 The Department of Defense announced that any American can now help troops in contingency operations call home. The Defense Department has authorized the Armed Services Exchanges to sell prepaid calling cards to any individual or organization that wishes to purchase cards for troops who are deployed. The “Help Our Troops Call Home” program is designed to help servicemembers call home from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. For those wishing to donate a prepaid calling card to 4 a military member may log on to any of the three Armed Services Exchange web sites: The Army and Air Force Exchange Service at www.aafes.com The Navy Exchange Service Command www.navy-nex.com The Marine Corps Exchange at www.usmcmccs.org Army Program Helps with Absentee Voting Source: Military Report: February 9, 2004 For more information log on to Army One Source at www.armyonesource.com or call Army One Source today. New booklet Helps Guard, Reserve Kids During Deployment Source: Military Report July 12, 2004 …The Army‟s Voting Assistance Program aims to ensure that Soldiers, their families and DoD civilians overseas can exercise their right to vote. Absentee ballots can be applied for by filling out the federal postcard application, standard form 76, which can be found at the Federal Voting Assistance Program‟s Website http://www.fvap.gov/ . The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act requires states to allow absent military voters and overseas American citizens to use absentee ballots in elections for federal office. Typically absentee ballots are mailed out to citizens 30 to 45 days before an election. If Soldiers, families or civilians sent in their request for an absentee ballot in sufficient time and didn‟t receive their ballot, they can fill out form 186, the federal write-in application, which allows them to write their votes without a ballot. Voting assistance officers at each unit have copies of form 186. For more information, see www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,usa2_0205 04.00html. For more information concerning absentee ballots and the upcoming elections, see http://content.military.com/Vote2004/0,14392,El ectionMain,00.html . (Army One Source) Additional information about overseas voter registration can be found on the Federal Voting Assistance Program Web site. http://www.fvap.gov Separations can be tough on any child whose parent is deployed overseas – but particularly for the estimated 500,000 sons and daughters of deployed National Guard and reserve troops. A new Military Child Education Coalition booklet is chock-full of ideas to help communities reach out to Reserve and Guard families during their family member‟s deployment. The coalition has produced the booklet after repeated requests from militaryfamily representatives, educators and community groups. The 12-page brochure, “How Communities Can Support the Children and Families of Those Serving in the National Guard and Reserves,” explains the dynamics of the deployment process in easy-to-understand language. It offers tips for educators and lists military and community resources for families of deployed troops. The publications and more information about the Military Child Education Coalition are posted on the coalition‟s website: http://www.militarychild.org . To get the full story, see http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,0 70704_Booklet,00.html . Or keep up with benefits and resources using our Insider‟s Spouse and Family Benefits & Resources section. Find useful guides on deployment, careers, relocation, and more: http://www.military.com/NewContent/1,13190,S pouse,00.html . Project Scrapbook: Support the Troops Source: Military Report July 12, 2004 There are nearly one thousand Sears Portrait Studios nation wide and each one of them is involved in a project to create and send a 5 REUNION scrapbook full of photos, drawings and thank you letters in time for Thanksgiving to numerous locations overseas as a way of thanking our troops. According to Corrie Benedict of University Sears Portrait Studio in Tampa, FL, each Sears Portrait Studio is doing anything they can to get their communities involved in this project. “Starting July 17 th we will be giving away free sheets of 3x5‟s to anyone who mentions the „Thank Our Troops‟ scrapbook so that their photo can be included at no charge to them. This project is a very big deal to all of us involved and we are taking great pride in it.” Visit Searsportrait.com for more info or for a studio locator in your area. Simple Errors Delay Military Mail Source: Military Report June 28, „04 American Red Cross serves Soldiers’ needs Source: FLO Notes, Vol 17, Issue 4 04/04 Simple errors such as adding the name of the destination country to an address can delay the delivery of mail to service members overseas. It is a problem that the military postal system encounters daily. To alleviate this situation, help is needed from the family and friends of deployed service members. Senders stateside are actually slowing the delivery of the mail by not properly addressing letters and packages. The sender needs to know that the name of the country and the name of the base camp where a service member is stationed are incompatible with regulated military addresses. By writing Kuwait or Iraq on a letter or package it is routed through civilian mail channels rather then military ones. When that happens, the mail can be delayed significantly. This is attributable to the sorting machine's inability to discern whether or not the letter is intended to reach an Army or Fleet Post Office address. For more information, see www4.army.mil/ocpa/read.php?story_id_key=6089 Separation Training for the 256th Infantry Brigade will be offered soon. Please take advantage of this opportunity to meet your fellow Guard families, learn what to expect during deployment and how to successfully make it through. Contact your local Family Assistance Center (FAC) for times and keep an eye out for a flyer from your FRG. FRG Leaders please your local FAC Coordinator to schedule your briefings. Members of the U.S. Armed Forces don‟t have to be actively deployed to benefit from American Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services. The Red Cross provides services to more than 1.5 million members of the National Guard and Reserves when they are living in their local communities and when they are mobilized. American Red Cross services are also available to member of the Reserve Officers Training Corps, recruiters, U.S. Coast Guard, commissioned corps of the U.S. Public Health Service, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, retirees and to their families. The American Red Cross wants members of the National Guard, Reserves and other community-based military personnel to Get to Know Us Before You Need Us. All too often, members of the National Guard and Reserves don‟t know about available Red Cross services until they are mobilized. Knowing in advance that communication links, access to financial assistance and counseling will be available in an emergency brings peace of mind to the military and to the families from which they are separated. Similarly knowing that Red Cross services are available to inactive service members and their family members provides a safety net in times of need. The Get to Know Us Before You Need Us: Serving the CommunityBased Military and Their Families pamphlet (ARC 1129) can be obtained from your local Red Cross. Red Cross chapters are listed in local telephone books and on the American Red Cross Web site – www.redcross.org/where/where.html Red Cross services for inactive and active members of the National Guard and Reserves include:  Emergency communication  Access to emergency financial assistance  Counseling  Veterans services  Information and referral provided by Armed Forces Emergency Services.  (Contact your FAC for more info) 6 For help during inactive duty, members of the National Guard and Reserves and their families should contact their local Red Cross chapters. When on active duty, members of the National Guard and Reserves can get Red Cross help by contacting your local Family Assistance Center. If the Reserve-Component Soldier is away from home due to military duty and the family needs to get in touch with him or her during an emergency, visit the Red Cross Web site to find out how to use the American Red Cross. Your local Family Assistance Center (FAC) can direct you to information you may need regarding the American Red Cross and possibly give information for additional support. See FAC Locations on last page of newsletter. Seeking understanding upon Soldiers’ return Source: FLO Notes, Vol. 17 Issue 4 04/04 Chief‟s Corner Bringing Soldiers back from war is something we have done for more than 229 years. For as long as we‟ve done this, you might think that we would‟ve perfected the system for doing this by now. We are light-years ahead from where we were decades ago. Today there are a multitude of resources available to support our Soldiers and their families such as the Army Information Line – 800-833-6622, Army One Source, Family Life Chaplains, and Operation Ready materials just to name a few. If we were dealing with the same people each and every time we deployed, this would continue to get easier, but this is not the case. Many of our Soldiers and their families are new to this, and those who are now new to the reunion of a battled-hardened Soldier, that great warrior, and his or her return, find challenges anew each time they return. The Soldier‟s perspective is different from ours here at home, and though we may wish we had been there, we were not. Those Soldiers who were over there certainly didn‟t experience the feeling of what it was like waiting for them to return. Additionally, what a combat Soldier now sees as normal, likely dos not look quite the same as it used to. In talking with World War II Soldiers and Vietnam veterans, many tell us that for years they didn‟t talk about their experiences because those experiences were too painful. However, they now say that they wish they had talked about their experience because the healing begins when the talking starts. Talking and sharing your experiences with each other is smart. It is mentally and emotionally healthy, and shows respect for the tremendous sacrifices our great Soldiers and their families have made for this great nation. Each one of you has a story. That story is valid. Your story is worthy of an audience that needs to understand. Your first audience should be that one you love the most. When someone asks what‟s wrong and you hear yourself say, “you just don‟t understand,” then know the reason they don‟t understand is not because they were not there. I mentioned earlier the many resources…that we have to support our Soldiers and their families. Please keep in mind that your Army Family Web resource is Army Families Online, and it can be found at www.wblo.org . LA National Guard Chaplains are always available to talk to Soldiers and their families. You can reach them at the 24 Hour Hotline number 800-443-2985. Shades of Green Reopens Source: Vol. 17, Issue 6, 06/04 More servicemenbers and their families can now say “I‟m going to Disney World,” thanks to the recent expansion of Shades of Green Armed Forces Recreation Center on Walt Disney World Resort. Affordability, a term often lost on Disney World visitors, is the main Shades of Green attraction. Room rates are based on rank and range from $70 to $225 per night for a standard room and $82 to $119 for a poolside room. With the reopening, Shades of Green has more than doubled in size, adding 299 rooms to the previous 287, a 500-seat ballroom, ten 7 new restaurants, and a second heated swimming pool. The upgraded complex also better accommodates buses that shuttle guest around Disney‟s property, separate from the flow of traffic near the hotel‟s check-in area. For more information visit the Army Morale, Welfare and Recreation Web site - www.armymwr.com – for a related news story at www.armymwr.com/portal/news/display.asp?N EWS_ID=465. Army One Source has counselors available, in your community, for you to visit in person. You have access to up to six (6) in-person counseling sessions with a licensed counselor at NO COST TO YOU and Army One Source takes care of all the paperwork. Call 1-800464-8107 and ask for a referral. They’re Home. What now for our FRG? Bridget A. Stuckey The Family Readiness Group (FRG) was a vital part of your life during deployment but what role does it play now that your soldier is back? The answer to that question can be a multitude of different things for each of you. It may mean having a shoulder to cry on, a continuation of friendships built out of hardship like no other or the understanding that you are not the only one going through reunion. Reunion is a difficult part of deployment and for many people the closeness of the FRG provides someone else to talk with, especially if your soldier is unwilling to acknowledge that life doesn‟t just go back to “the way it was” before deployment. There have been families who thought they were prepared for reunion and even now, almost a year later, are still dealing with reunion issues. That bond that you have built with other FRG members during deployment is as important now as it ever was. Who else but fellow FRG members are going to understand what you are going through. Family and friends can try to be understanding but unless they have experienced a deployment and reunion they cannot “be in your shoes”, so to speak. The Family Assistance Center Coordinators offer Reunion Training before the soldiers return home. Some family members take advantage of this training opportunity and others do not. I know of some FRG‟s that that have families requesting this training be repeated several months after deployment ends. At times, families do not see the need for Reunion Training until months after they are reunited. This time allows them to identify their needs, understand that these needs are normal, realize that there is help available and be willing to accept it. The following is from a family member who experienced reunion recently: “Reunion for me was nothing like I expected. I did all the right things preparing for reunion [… attended the briefings, talked with my spouse about expectations (somewhat), etc…] or so I thought. However, when my spouse returned he was a totally different person (no exaggeration). I won‟t speak on my spouse‟s behalf, but I know I was also changed by the deployment experience. As a key volunteer in the FRG I was overwhelmed by the end of the deployment. It had taken a toll on me physically and mentally. I was ready to reunite with my spouse and go back to our pre-deployment lives as best we could. My spouse returned home close to a year ago and I can say we are still struggling. When my spouse returned I was so ashamed and embarrassed by what we were experiencing that I could not reach out to my FRG friends. It was not that they wouldn‟t help me, but that I couldn‟t ask for help. Fortunately I have a wonderful friend who also experienced deployment and helped me get back on my feet (literally). “ Participation in the FRG really slacks off after the initial return home from deployment. Families are simply trying to reunite and don‟t want to think about anything Guard related. Usually, the FRG members who have become close still keep in contact with each other and the FRG eventually recovers. Now that you have gone through a deployment you can see the importance of a viable FRG. I urge you to recover and not let the FRG disappear. Take advantage of your FRG 8 even though your soldier has returned home. It is a resource of support and well being and will continue to enrich your life if you allow it to do so. If you would like to become more involved in your FRG or need information to help your FRG make it through the reunion transition time, please contact Bridget Stuckey, Deployment Volunteer/FRG Coordinator, at 800-541-5860. 3. Separating from active duty following involuntary retention (Stop-Loss) in support of a contingency operation What does TAMP Coverage Provide? TAMP provides health care coverage as you transition to civilian life. Your accrued total active Federal military service time determines how long you and your eligible family members are covered by TAMP health care benefits:  Fewer than six years of active duty service eligible for 60 days*  Six years or more of active duty serviceeligible for 120 days* *(You may be eligible for a temp. extension of the TAMP benefit upon separation. Visit www.tricare.osd.mil or call 888-363-2273) Block 12.d of your DD For 214 should provide you with your accrued total active Federal military service time. Have you had changes in your family since deployment? Have you notified Jackson Barracks and your FRG? Maybe a new baby was born and hasn’t been put into DEERS or you got married when you returned. It is very important to pass the information along. Contact your unit or closest FAC for further information. Transitional Health Care Benefits Source: Tricare Brochure If you are a National Guardsman or an Activated Reservist ordered to active duty for more than 30 days in support of a contingency operation; or an active duty service member separating from service who belongs to one of the three categories applicable below, you and your covered family members may be eligible for benefits under the Transitional Assistance Management Program (TAMP). TAMP provides health care coverage for you and your eligible family members as you transition back to civilian life. Am I Eligible? You and your eligible family members are covered for health benefits under TAMP if you, the sponsor, are: 1. A service member involuntarily separating from active duty under honorable conditions 2. A Reserve Component member (which includes certain members of the national Guard) separating from an active duty period of more than 30 days in support of a contingency operation Under TAMP, you and your eligible family members may choose one of the following TRICARE program options: TRICARE Standard, TRICARE Extra or TRICARE Prime. Contact your regional contractor‟s toll free number for more information about the program options and providers in your area. What do I need to do? First, ensure that you and your family‟s DEERS eligibility status is correct. If your DEERS information is correct, you and your family members may immediately enjoy health care coverage under TRICARE Standard or TRICARE Extra. Call your local FAC for details on enrolling in TRICARE Prime. (See FAC locations in newsletter.) TRICARE South Region Contractor 888-444-5445 www.humana-military.com All LA falls under South TRICARE Dental Program 800-866-8499 www.ucci.com TRICARE Information Service 888-363-2273 www.tricare.osd.mil 9 You might find interesting… Rocky Mountain Blue offering military discount: www.rockymountainblue.com/rmbhome.htm Military Child Education Coalition http://www.militarychild.org Deployment Connections http://www.deploymentconnections.org/portal/page? _pageid=117,107034&_dad=portal9x&_schema=PO RTAL9X Let Freedom Ring – Mil. Family Support http://www.adusa.com/MFamilies.htm Army Community Service http://www.armycommunityservice.org/home.asp Army Morale Welfare Recreation (MWR) http://www.armymwr.com SGT Mom’s www.sgtmoms.com National Military Family Support (NMFS) http://www.nmfa.org/ Military Spouses’ Career Network http://www.mscn.org/ with any issue or question that may arise. FAC Locations and Coordinators are as follows: New Orleans Glenn Kirby, State FAC Coordinator Jennifer Blanchard & Joe Roy 866-647-3618/504-278-8544 Baton Rouge Staci Meares 866-647-3613/225-355-3886 Lafayette Gerald Cradeur & Teresa Graybill 866-647-3614/37-593-2093 Alexandria Doug Upshaw 866-647-3617/318-641-5429 West Monroe Brigitte Matejowsky 866-647-3615/318-251-0531 Shreveport Barbara Conway 318-676-7613 x8102 Hammond Fran Bellas 866-631-6121/985-345-0767 HOUMA Brett Gilmore 866-502-5053/985-873-2090 ABBEVILLE Karen Brittain 800-568-9899 x8130/337-893-0727 x8130 LAKE CHARLES Cammi Quinn 800-611-2536 x8102/337-491-2536x8102 Family Assistance Centers (FAC) There are now ten (10) Louisiana National Guard FAMILY ASSISTANCE CENTERS (FAC) open throughout the state to support you, the Family Readiness Group and family members. With the recent Houma, Abbeville and Lake Charles FAC openings to support the 256th Infantry Brigade‟s deployment, all regions are covered. The FAC Coordinators are here to help you with anything that may come up during deployment. They have contacts to help with pay or insurance questions, organizations to help with financial issues and resources to help with counseling/family issues or even household repairs. Please don‟t feel like you have to go through these challenges alone – Let us help. Please call the FAC Coordinator in your region Deployment Support Coordinators Deployment Volunteer/FRG Coordinator Mrs. Bridget Stuckey 504-278-8644/800-541-5860 Deployment Operations Coordinator (Resources, Training and Community) Mrs. Kathy Bretz 800-541-5860/504-278-8325 Deployment Family Readiness Education Coord. Margaret Aycock 504-278-8325 10