Photo By Laura Berry | WELLESLEY, Mass. -- Logo sign is hung at the Military Family Program Office in the...... read more read more
We are all Family
Photos by Staff Sgt. Kevin Nunes
Story by Sgt. 1st Class Laura Berry
One of the most underrated programs in the Massachusetts National Guard has made a few changes that you may have missed because they happened during the height of the Covid pandemic.
Family Programs is now known as the Military and Family Program Office and the personnel that work in the offices are now known as Soldier and Family Readiness Specialists. This is to ensure single Soldiers know the program includes everyone, not just Soldiers with families.
The contractors that once worked in the office have been replaced with Title 5 Federal employees and the offices went from 15-16 employees throughout the state of Massachusetts to nine total.
They are a resource and referral program for current and former military members, their families and Veterans of all eras. According to their website, their goal is for the Family Assistance Centers (FAC) to provide information and referrals to appropriate agencies for emotional and mental well-being, legal, educational benefits, Veteran’s benefits, career assistance, DEERS/ID cards, financial assistance, housing and Tricare information. They also have a child and youth program that builds peer networks and supports unit youth programs.
“We will find whatever resources there are to help those people [soldiers and families], and do whatever is in our power to help,” said Samantha D’Agostino, the lead Soldier and Family Readiness Specialist.
Adrian Gunn, a Soldier and family readiness specialist at the Taunton FAC, said that while they want to help everyone, the caller must have realistic expectations. One thing that is important to know is there are a lot of complex issues that are not necessarily something the SFAC can fix.
“We will give you the resources for you to be self-sufficient, to help soldiers solve their own problems,” said Gunn.
Though calling them may not be the solution to the problem at hand, the team does not want anyone to wait for their world to be falling apart before giving them a call. They go to great lengths to make sure every servicemember or family member gets the best care they can provide.
Another big change is that the unit commander’s program that was made up of Soldiers, family members and other volunteers, known since the first Gulf War as the FRG (Family Readiness Group), is now known as the SFRG (Soldier and Family Readiness Group).
Again, the idea of the SFRG includes the single soldiers into the support network. The commander is now the chairperson, and the commander has a Command Family Readiness Representative (CFRR) which is usually the unit readiness non-commissioned officer or if the unit is deployed, a rear detachment representative. The new guidance directs commanders to focus on the core goals and expectations of SFRGs to act as an extension of unit command. The commander is to ensure that official, accurate command information is being distributed and that the SFRG connects Soldiers and Families to the chain of command and its members to on and off post community resources. The new SFRG will now have less restrictions on informal funds and fundraising to allow them more opportunities to plan activities for the group’s members.
It is not a requirement to be a spouse to be a part of a unit’s SFRG. Parents, brothers, sisters, friends or extended family are also encouraged to join. For more information about joining the SFRG, speak to the unit commander, the CFRR, another member of the SFRG or someone in the Military and Family Programs Office.
Their mission is to enhance all phases of military life by supporting the foundation for resiliency, strengthening relationships, and promoting patriotism.
“RESPECT…COMMITMENT…UNITY…INTEGRITY”
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For more information about Military and Family Programs or the Soldier and Family Readiness Groups, go to https://massnationalguard.org/index.php/resources/family-programs.html, ng.ma.maarng.list.military-and-family-services@mail.mil, call at 339-202-4800, or find them on Facebook @FamilyProgramMANG
Or contact any of the Soldier/Airman & Family Assistance Center locations:
104th Fighter Wing, Barnes Air National Guard Base:104.FW.Airmanandfamilyreadiness.org@us.af.mil 413-568-9151 x6981183/6981681
102nd Intelligence Wing, Otis Air National Guard Base:508-968-4855/4857
Lead Soldier & Family Readiness Specialist: 339-202-4812
Taunton Armory: 339-202-7804/7805
Springfield Armory: 339-202-5593/5592
Worcester Armory: 339-202-4398
Wellesley Armory: 339-202-4808
JFHQ – Hanscom AFB: 781-698-7914
Joint Base Cape Cod (JBCC): 781-698-7170
| Date Taken: | 07.05.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 07.05.2022 13:56 |
| Story ID: | 424349 |
| Location: | WELLESLEY, MASSACHUSETTS, US |
| Web Views: | 33 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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