FRG 101 FRG 101 For Commanders For Commanders Setting up Your FRG and Making it work for You
FRG 101FRG 101For CommandersFor CommandersSetting up Your FRG and
Making it work for You
FRG Mission StatementFRG Mission Statement
““Assist commanders in Assist commanders in maintaining readiness of maintaining readiness of Soldiers, Families, and Soldiers, Families, and communities; promotes communities; promotes self-sufficiency, resiliency, self-sufficiency, resiliency, and stability during and stability during peace peace and warand war””
ObjectivesObjectives What a FRG can do for youWhat a FRG can do for you Benefits of a FRGBenefits of a FRG Must’s for CommandersMust’s for Commanders Establish a SOWEstablish a SOW Necessities for FRGsNecessities for FRGs Appropriate FRG areasAppropriate FRG areas Inappropriate FRG areasInappropriate FRG areas
What can a FRG do for you?What can a FRG do for you?
Assure Family welfare during Assure Family welfare during deployments and training exercisesdeployments and training exercises
Unit cohesionUnit cohesion Raises morale Raises morale A network between Family members A network between Family members
and chain of commandand chain of command Fosters a sense of belonging in the Fosters a sense of belonging in the
unitunit
A robust A robust Family Family
readiness readiness program can program can
produce produce substantial substantial
benefits!benefits!
Benefits of FRGBenefits of FRG Improved retentionImproved retention Improved mobilization preparationImproved mobilization preparation Improved member commitment to Improved member commitment to
the missionthe mission Improved unit and service member Improved unit and service member
readinessreadiness Improved moraleImproved morale Improved member prideImproved member pride
Benefits of FRG (cont.)Benefits of FRG (cont.) Enhanced Family involvement in unit Enhanced Family involvement in unit
activitiesactivities Enhanced propensity of Family Enhanced propensity of Family
members to contribute to volunteer members to contribute to volunteer servicesservices
Enhanced Family readinessEnhanced Family readiness Enhanced propensity for Family Enhanced propensity for Family
members to support military member members to support military member participationparticipation
To reap these benefits, To reap these benefits, commanders must:commanders must:
Must’s for CommandersMust’s for Commanders Make the Family readiness program a Make the Family readiness program a
part of the unit’s daily lifepart of the unit’s daily life Ask about Family readiness plans and Ask about Family readiness plans and
activities during briefings and planning activities during briefings and planning meetingsmeetings
Include Family readiness activities on Include Family readiness activities on training schedules and calendarstraining schedules and calendars
Plan unit level (and higher) volunteer Plan unit level (and higher) volunteer recognition eventsrecognition events
Ensure that Families are enrolled in Ensure that Families are enrolled in DEERSDEERS
Must’s for Commanders (cont)Must’s for Commanders (cont)
Make Family readiness a unit asset—Make Family readiness a unit asset—not a liabilitynot a liability
Track and report Family readiness as Track and report Family readiness as a key component of unit readinessa key component of unit readiness
View Family readiness as a work in View Family readiness as a work in progress that demands continuous progress that demands continuous attention and improvementattention and improvement
Learn from the pastLearn from the past
Establish a SOWEstablish a SOWProvide your FRG withProvide your FRG with::
-PURPOSE-PURPOSE
-GOAL’S-GOAL’S
-RESPONSIBILITIES-RESPONSIBILITIES
-STRUCTURE-STRUCTURE
-ORGANIZATION-ORGANIZATION
Give Them Give Them the Tools the Tools
and Watch and Watch Your Your
Family Family Program Program
GrowGrow
Basic Necessities for a FRGBasic Necessities for a FRG Command guidance—not interferenceCommand guidance—not interference Guidelines or a SOWGuidelines or a SOW Specific position with job descriptions- Specific position with job descriptions-
units should officially appoint units should officially appoint individuals to positionsindividuals to positions
TrainingTraining Outreach to Family membersOutreach to Family members Publicity/MarketingPublicity/Marketing
Basic Necessities (cont.)Basic Necessities (cont.) Administrative supplies, equipment, Administrative supplies, equipment,
facilitiesfacilities Volunteer recruitment and Volunteer recruitment and
recognitionrecognition Your full supportYour full support Funding or the opportunity for fund Funding or the opportunity for fund
raisingraising
Let Your FRGs know Let Your FRGs know what areas they what areas they cancan be be
involved in and what involved in and what areas they areas they cannotcannot be be
involved ininvolved in
Appropriate FRG AreasAppropriate FRG Areas Newsletters and OutreachNewsletters and Outreach Provide checklists to help Families be Provide checklists to help Families be
more prepared for separationmore prepared for separation Educate and assist Families with Educate and assist Families with
separationseparation Unit functionsUnit functions Helping in times of trauma under Helping in times of trauma under
command directioncommand direction
Inappropriate FRG AreasInappropriate FRG Areas Casualty NotificationCasualty Notification Giving or lending money to FamiliesGiving or lending money to Families Notifying Families on unit/mission Notifying Families on unit/mission
matters without your knowledge, matters without your knowledge, direction, or approvaldirection, or approval
Social Worker’s/Counselor’sSocial Worker’s/Counselor’s
Where Do I StartWhere Do I Start
WY NG Family ProgramWY NG Family Program
11stst
Who is your Lead Volunteer?Who is your Lead Volunteer? What is the current FRG doing? What is the current FRG doing? Ask for assistance from Senior NCO’sAsk for assistance from Senior NCO’s Host an organizational FRG meetingHost an organizational FRG meeting Elect or appoint FRG officersElect or appoint FRG officers Write a SOWWrite a SOW Approval & Appointment lettersApproval & Appointment letters
Approval & Appointment lettersApproval & Appointment letters
Letter sanctioning FRGLetter sanctioning FRG Letter appointing:Letter appointing:
• Military POCMilitary POC• Lead VolunteerLead Volunteer• TreasurerTreasurer
Memorandum authorizing checking Memorandum authorizing checking account (EIN)account (EIN)
SR + FR = MRSR + FR = MR
Soldier Readiness Soldier Readiness (SR) together with (SR) together with Family Readiness Family Readiness (FR) are equally (FR) are equally important and important and vital to Mission vital to Mission Readiness (MR).Readiness (MR).
Your Wyoming National Guard Your Wyoming National Guard Family Programs Office is Family Programs Office is
committed to offering:committed to offering:• education, education, • training, training, • awareness, awareness, • outreach, outreach, • information, information, • referral, referral, • and follow-up.and follow-up.
Through these components, missions are Through these components, missions are accomplished both at home and during periods of accomplished both at home and during periods of military separation.military separation.
SummarySummary This is This is YourYour program—Use it program—Use it It will work, if you work itIt will work, if you work it FRGs are volunteersFRGs are volunteers FRGs are great retention tools, “If FRGs are great retention tools, “If
momma ain’t happy—ain’t nobody momma ain’t happy—ain’t nobody happy!”happy!”
FRGs are not just the “Party Planners”FRGs are not just the “Party Planners” Recognition, Recognition, RecognitionRecognition, Recognition, Recognition
We are here to assist We are here to assist You and Your FRGYou and Your FRG
WY NG Family ProgramWY NG Family Program
Questions?Questions?
WY NG Family ProgramWY NG Family Program