SpouseBuzz Live 3...Remains of the Day

I can't believe almost a week has passed since SpouseBuzz LIVE took place in Fayetteville.  It's also hard to believe how many times a man can say, "Let's just do it and then we can talk" in one week's time.

If you don't know what that's in reference to, you either weren't paying attention in Fayetteville or you haven't watched the archived event at SyncLive.

Even with final exams looming, my brain has processed SBL3 and plenty of good things happened.

The Army Integrated Family Support Network

Big changes are in store for Army families, active and reserve components. News you can use:

The Army Integrated Family Support Network, a new program to provide assistance to Soldiers and their Families in geographically dispersed areas was announced today by Secretary of the Army Pete Geren and Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey.

"In this era of persistent conflict, we can expect continuing deployments and to sustain this effort, we have to eliminate the old way of supporting Families, and replace it with a system to support all Army Families with means that respond to a globally networked society communicating in mobile ways," Sec. Geren said.

What is your Chain of Command/FRG telling you about AIFSN?

Something needs to change

I'm running into some difficulty in getting our FRG to accept the unconditional donation of money that I raised (please note I am NOT an FRG volunteer...not even a Key Caller) from a direct sales food party I hosted. Part of it, I think, is a misunderstanding of the regulations and part of it is that the regulations themselves are entirely too strict.

Found: FRG

Back in January I wrote a post titled Wanted: FRG .  I had several complaints about my "non-existent" Family Readiness Group, but the largest of those was the lack of communication from the FRG Leader.

Well, after writing it, re-reading it, and reading all the comments, I decided it really was time to be pro-active; to stop barking behind closed doors.  I picked up the telephone and called her (the FRG Leader) again, with nothing but positive results.  It is possibly the best thing I'd done for myself all month long.

The premise of my call was to ask her if I'd been added to her mass email list.  We had emailed one another a couple of times, but they were all one-on-one emails.  Sure enough, she had forgotten to add me to that list.  A mistake that was easy to make and just as easily remedied.  She promptly emailed me the most recent newsletter from the commander and an informational flyer.  There had been communication; I was just missing out on it.  Okay, one issue resolved.

Wanted: FRG

We PCS'd to our current duty station back in October and, at the time, I had high hopes of being part of an active FRG (Family Readiness Group).  With JD's unit deploying I just knew that they'd have all of their i's dotted, t's crossed, and be "squared away".  I really believed that I'd arrive, JD would pass on our info, someone would call, and off I'd go.  I would attend meetings/functions, volunteer when needed, and meet other spouses in JD's unit. 

That was, in reality, a fantasy.  Nothing more.  JD signed into his unit on Oct. 20th and would be here for almost two full months before deploying.  His unit deployed in the last days of October, but he was in contact with Rear Detachment on a daily basis.  He gave them my name and info on at least two occasions.  I waited, somewhat patiently, since JD was still here and I was not yet alone.  I did this against the advice of a very good (and wise) friend of mine who told me to be pro-active, pick up the telephone, contact Rear D, and make myself known.  Sometimes we all need a little encouragement to be the "I am woman, hear me roar!" type and she gave me that.  Temporarily, at least, as I still did nothing.  I didn't want to step on any toes or come off as pushy.  I tend to have a loud bark behind closed doors, but I seldom have a bite.