WHAT IS FAMILY READINESS?
The purpose of family readiness is to keep you, the family informed and supported during your Guardsmen’s time with a unit, especially during a deployment. Family Readiness is available to all Guardsmen and those the Guardsmen defines as his or her family.
Practicing family readiness means being “ready”. In other words, being prepared to effectively navigate the challenges of daily living within your community, as a well as living as a geographically dispersed military force. Ready individuals and families are “good fisherman” – knowledgeable, aware of resources, adaptable, and networked to succeed and grow from experiences unique to military culture as well as whether their Guardsmen is deployed or not.
In applying Family Readiness to daily life, it looks something like this: a family readiness program encourages family partnerships within your Guardsman’s unit, fosters a sense of well-being, builds self-reliance, and strengthens relationships within the unit and community to develop shared benefits and responsibilities.
Soldier and Family Readiness Groups (SFRGs) and Key Spouse programs are a Commander’s program and an official extension of the Command. Commanders will utilize appointed SFRG/Key Spouse Volunteers as a conduit for official information, referral and support during the deployment cycle to the Guardsman family.
- The Florida National Guard places a high value on both military and personal preparedness.
- Commanders have an obligation to provide assistance to establish and maintain family readiness at all times, regardless if the unit is deployed.
- Family Readiness is provided to Guardsmen and their family members (regardless of marital status) – immediate and extended.
FRG/Key Spouse Mission:
- Act as an extension of the unit in providing official, accurate command information
- Provide mutual support between the Unit/Command and the Military Family Readiness Specialist/Airman and Family Readiness Assistance Manager (AFRAM)
- Advocate efficient use of available community resource
- Help families solve problems at the lowest level
- Build Self-reliant and resilient Guardsmen and Families
- Provide a single point of contact in the unit for FRG/Key Spouse members
- Network of communication between the Unit, families, and Command
- Aid Guardsmen and families in mitigating potential risks which may impact the Guardsman’s mission with the unit
- Enhance Guard and Family Readiness