For information about Family Readiness, call 878-3638

The Family and Soldiers Readiness System (FSRS) addresses the state of preparedness of the Army Family through proactive education and support programs that promote self-reliance and enhance Family well-being. It includes those Family assistance services and related programs that support well-being, readiness, and retention, and meet the Army’s obligations to Soldiers, civilian employees and their Families by ensuring the effective interface between Family assistance and Family support. The Family and Soldier Readiness System includes Family Assistance Centers (FAC), Family Readiness Groups (FRG), Rear Detachment Commanders (RDC)(where applicable) and Family Readiness Liaison (FRL).

Family Assistance is the contractual or statutory obligation the Army has to provide assistance (e.g., ID cards, Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS), (TRICARE) to its Soldiers, civilian employees, retirees and their dependents. This obligation also extends to the programs and services commanders use to fulfill their morale, welfare, and quality of life responsibilities, such as Army Community Service (ACS); Child and Youth Services (CYS0; Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) programs etc.

Family Support is the mutual reinforcement provided to Soldiers, civilian employees, retirees and their Family members-both immediate and extended. Examples include Family Readiness Groups, newsletters, telephone trees, and other volunteer programs and activities.

Family Readiness is the state of preparedness of Soldiers and their Families through proactive education and support programs that promote self-reliance and enhance individuals and Family well-being.

The Family Readiness Group (FRG) Purpose is to encourage self-reliance among members by providing information, referral assistance and mutual support. FRG”s achieve readiness by providing an atmosphere and an agenda of activities, which builds cohesiveness among unit members.

Common Goals of a FRG include:

-  Welcoming service and Family members into the unit

- Developing and providing copies of telephone trees to all FRG members

- Assisting Family members in understanding the 1098^th’s mission

- Providing social and emotional support during deployments and while Soldiers are at school and on temporary duty at other locations

- Sponsoring deployment and reunion briefings

- Organizing meetings and invite subject matter experts from the community to answer questions about available services

- Providing information and refer families to appropriate agencies

Chain of Concern and Telephone Tree:

- Is an informal self-help channel for Family members and others involved with a unit/organization.

- It’s usually structured along the lines of the chain of command…..but not always. It may be different each place you live!

- Consists of volunteer members.

- Is voluntarily implemented.

- Provides assistance to Families.

- In order to receive information from the FRG Volunteers you have to fill out a FRG Questionnaire and sign the privacy act statement so your phone number and/or email and be printed on the telephone tree. FRG members are only allowed to call Family members if you give them permission to do so.

- If you have not heard from your Unit Family Readiness Liaison or your FRG Leader, contact them for more information.

 REMEMBER: Resource Your Families, Not Rescue Them!

“ You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves” Abraham Lincoln