FAMILY MATTERS

"We ask a lot of those who wear our uniform. We ask them to leave their loved ones, to travel great distances, to risk injury, even to be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice of their lives. They are dedicated, they are honorable; they represent the best of our country. And we are grateful."
- Presidential Address to the Nation, October 7, 2001.

How do I find out where my deployed relative is?

	Deployment Guide: For Families of Deploying Soldiers This guide, for you and your Family, includes forms and checklists, Family readiness resources and separation and reunion handbooks. Family Deployment Checklist | Your Finances | Handling Emergencies | Home Security Family Readiness Groups | Separation | Reunion			The Emotional Cycle of Deployment: A Military Family Perspective Military Families have experienced the emotional trauma of deployment on an unprecedented scale since the end of the Gulf War. A Closer Look for Current Conditions: A Fresh Glance at the Emotional Cycle.
	The American Legion’s Family Support Network is ready to provide immediate assistance to service personnel and Families whose lives have been directly affected by Operation Iraqi Freedom and America’s war on terror. Calls are received at a nationwide toll-free number - 1-800-504-4098 - and referred to local American Legion posts for action. Temporary financial assistance as well as help with child care, yard work, and other routine jobs is available. Visit the web site or download the brochure.			Operation RE/MAX The Department of Defense (DoD), through the Office of Educational Opportunities and the Office of Family Policy, is working with the real estate industry to significantly improve training and career opportunities for military spouses as part of the Military Spouse Employment Initiative. DoD is appreciative of the efforts of many real estate organizations that have collaborated with this initiative.
	Tips for Parents Supporting the Child Whose Military Parent is Deploying Read about the ten tips a supporting parent can do.			Military OneSource Gives Around the Clock Human Touch Now you get questions answered about the Army. It's a 24/7 toll free telephone number for information and referral service for Soldiers, deployed civilians and their Families.
	Return and Reunion Tip Sheets: Service Members (pdf)   (MS Word) Spouses (pdf)   (MS Word) Family & Friends (pdf)   (MS Word)			Spouses Handbook This handbook is designed as a guide to assist spouses, as they become part of the Army team and offers a wealth of information and resources.
	The Special Supplement Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children A government-sponsored supplemental food and health education program is available to service members and their Families stationed stateside and overseas.			Courage to Care The latest in the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences' (USU) "Courage to Care" fact sheet series is about health care for the Families of deployed military personnel. Give a copy to your Family doctor and pediatrician, whether they're civilian or military.
	Army Activates Family Assistance Hotline The U.S. Army has established a toll-free Family Assistance Hotline for Operation Iraqi Freedom at (800) 833-6622.			New Program Offers Subsidized Child Care to Guard, Reserve The Defense Department has joined forces with national agencies to help Guard and Reserve Families in finding and affording child care while Mom or Dad is deployed in support of the global war on terrorism.
	Bereavement Resources The death of a loved one is never easy to deal with -- but help is available. Here are some resources that may help those left behind cope with the loss.			A Summary of VA Benefits for National Guard and Reserve Personnel (pdf - 408KB) Click here for Black & White version of this pdf file. (pdf - 384KB)
	Operation: Military Kids, a collaborative effort between the Army and America 's communities, has launched to help children and teens of military servicemembers cope with the stresses and changes a parent's deployment brings into their lives. The program is open to all military connected children but is geared toward those children of the 150,000 deployed National Guard and Reserve members. For more information, go to www.operationmilitarykids.org.			APA Offers Materials to Ease Homecoming for Returning Military and Their Families The online brochure, "Homecoming: Resilience After Wartime," offers 10 tips for resilience, and includes a warning symptom checklist and more... (Download pdf version of the brochure - 541KB)
	The Army Community Service Website ACS's mission is to assist commanders in maintaining readiness of individuals, Families, and communities within America's Army by developing, coordinating, and delivering...			U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) An Army initiative that provides its severely disabled Soldiers and their Families with a system of advocacy and follow-up with personal support to assist them as they transition from military service to the civilian community.

Joint Task Force Katrina Army Reserve Family members and Soldiers affected by Hurricane Katrina can still access Hurricane Relief Information. Read More...