Introduction

Guard families are the backbone to supporting our troops.  This is a general overview of some of the difficulties and stresses the guard family endures caused by activation and deployment.  We offer advice on helping children cope with stress and trauma as well as assistance available through a variety of sources.

To develop an active, cohesive, supportive statewide network of Air, Army and Community Volunteers who work together to improve family readiness and vigorously support the families of Soldiers and airmen who are deployed in service to their country or state or are in need due to tragic circumstances.
The Guard Family Network is an organization whose mission is to develop an active, cohesive, and supportive statewide network of Air, Army and Community Volunteers who work together to improve family readiness and vigorously support the families of Soldiers and Airmen who are deployed in service to their country or state or are in need due to tragic circumstances. 

Family Assistance Center

FACs have an important one-stop assistance and referral role for individual families. They are usually formed for major deployments. FACs provide linkages to Rear Detachment Command (RDC) and the State Family Programs Office. Currently, in Minnesota there are 11 operational FACs operational. Please contact any of the FAC's below by walking in, sending an e-mail or by phone.

What assistance will a FAC provide?
Primarily an Information Source
TRICARE Assistance
DEERS (Information)
Pay Issues
Point of Contact for Legal & Pay Issues
Financial Counseling/Training
Point of Contact for Community Support
Emergency Assistance Coordination
Site for Family Communication
Support/Mentor Family Readiness Groups (See below)

Family Readiness Groups

The official definition of a family readiness group is, "An organization of family members, volunteers, Soldiers, and Airmen belonging to a unit that together provide an avenue of mutual support, assistance, and a network of communication among the family members, the chain of command, and community resources."

Purpose of a FRG

Today the Army and Air Force is relying more heavily than ever on the Guard and Reserves to support its operations. In 1987 one million Guard man-days were used to support Army operations. By 1997 that number had risen to 13 million. With smaller budgets and an increasing taskings, the Army and Air Force's reliance on the Guard and the Reserve has continued to grow - meaning more deployments of Guard assets both Army and Air.

Today's Guard families need to be prepared for the possible deployment of their Soldier or airmen. The best way to prepare them is through the use of chartered Family Readiness Groups. The mission of the Minnesota National Guard Family Network is Family Readiness.

These preparations include but are not limited to:

• Formation of a telephone tree to pass information to families quickly and efficiently.
• Training volunteers and family members on the benefits and services available to them upon the mobilization.
• Helping deploying Soldiers and their families prepare for separation and the problems that come with deployment.
• Networking with other Guard families to share lessons learned and to provide mutual support.
• Networking in the local community through use of Citizens Committees and other community contacts.
• These networks and contacts can provide invaluable support to the families of deployed Soldiers during hard times.

Community support can take many forms as we learned during Desert Storm. In many cases local businesses donated labor and materials to military families to assist them during their Soldiers absence. In other cases military volunteers hearing of families in need formed volunteer groups and provided aid. The common denominator here was that the support group members heard or felt the need and put out a call for help. That help was received.

As you can see a Family Support group is more than a social club that plans the unit holiday party and summer picnic. The importance of having an active, functional unit Family Readiness Group cannot be over emphasized. We need our families to be informed, connected and educated. If this is accomplished we will have gone a long way towards helping them prepare for an uncertain future.

What is the Guardian Bear Program?
The Guardian Bear Program is a way to try and address the concern about the impact of Minnesota National Guard member departures on the children. The children of these Minnesota National Guard members go through many emotional difficulties as a result of this separation. This program was put together in hopes that giving these children a bear to hug from their parents might carry a soft message of love, good memories and comfort.

What is the Guardian Bear?
The Guardian Bear is a special friend who wears a soft camouflage vest secured by a big red heart. Inside the vest he carries a special message! And on the back of his vest he announces with pride his Minnesota National Guard identity.

The Birth of the Guardian Bear
The senior spouse advisory council worked up this project from concept to reality with the hope that sufficient groundwork has been laid to allow our Minnesota Guard Family Network to embrace and use this project as a positive tool. The Minnesota Guard Family Network has taken over the responsibility of continuing and overseeing this project.

Guardian Bear Adoption Qualifications and Parameters
Who gets the bear?
Children, up to age 16, of qualifying members.
Who qualifies?
Any Army/Air member, or group, deploying to a foreign assignment for a mission-based purpose (AEF for ANG), extending over 19 days.

Guardian Bear Special Message
The Guardian Bear Special Message is the whole meaning behind the Guardian Bear. It is a simple, yet extremely powerful idea! The idea is for the departing parent to write a message to their child inside the bears vest. Imagine how comforting it would feel for a child to hear the loving words of their parent. It is this special message that will bring joy to their hearts when they read it.

Funding for the Guardian Bear Project
Funding for this project is through contributions. We now have the Bear prop to use as we seek funds form various groups, including the American Legions. Contributions are tax deductible. Contact Family Programs to ask how to make contributions to this project. If you know of an organization likely to be interested in participating, let us know.

Just for the Children
To keep this a special project for the children, use of the bear in other situations is not encouraged. Because of a limited number of bears and the high cost of the bears we have to limit the Guardian Bears specifically for the children of deployed Soldiers.

Questions/Suggestions
If the Guardian Bear Program is a project that your organization may be interested in contributing to please call the Minnesota National Guard family Programs office for more information. The point of contact for this project is Kaili Braa at (651) 268-8200 or (888) 234-1274.

To order bears

• Must be a Minnesota FRG Leader or deploying unit POC to order
• Include unit, number of bears, date needed,  contact name & number