Many resources available for deployers

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Cherish Chavez
  • 934th Airlift Wing
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL AIR RESERVE STATION, Minn. --  Deployment, separation, reunion, reintegration. These are words that military families at the 934th Airlift Wing are all too familiar with, especially as they gear up for a deployment in the next few months. What they may not be as familiar with, however, are all the resources available to them before, during and after deployments. There are many programs that offer assistance to military families during all stages of the deployment cycle.

Before departing, members and their families can become educated on what to expect during the coming months.

Military members are required to attend multiple pre-deployment briefings. One of those is a briefing at the Airman and Family Readiness Center. Members can go to the A&FRC to receive help with creating family care plans, get information for schools to aid military children, and get referrals to different support groups for their families. They can also get contacts for their spouses or parents to later get coping assistance or emergency assistance if needed.

Master Sgt. Kyle Polencheck, NCO in charge of the A&FRC, said, “We try to stress to the member that deployments don’t only affect them, but their families, too.”

The Yellow Ribbon Program is a program that provides members and their families with military and community resource information, and workshops on subjects such as communication skills, financial planning, stress management and resiliency. The YRP also offers pre-deployment events for deploying Airmen and their families. Up to four months before a deployment, members can go on one of the monthly trips the YRP offers to places such as Denver, San Diego and Washington D.C. Airfare and hotel accommodations for the trip are provided for the member and two adult guests, or one adult guest and as many children as the member has.

“It’s a good deal,” said Maj. Richard Hall, the Yellow Ribbon coordinator for the wing. “We get a lot of folks on base that take advantage of it.”

This month, 13 members and their families are taking the trip to Orlando, Fla.

While their loved ones are gone, family members can take advantage of resources such as the American Red Cross, Military OneSource, and the Key Supporters program.

The American Red Cross is a resource that can help families stay in touch with their service member. They can assist in sending messages in the event of an emergency, or provide updates with good news such as the birth of a child. The Red Cross provides access to financial assistance such as emergency funds, and helps families to identify other community resources and government benefits. They also offer several education programs to help throughout the deployment cycle.
Military OneSource offers free counseling for matters such as family issues, marital communications, parent/child communications, and coping with stress. Counselors can help with problem solving and financial management, and even assist in locating child care.

The Key Supporters program assists members and families during deployments and other times of hardship. It utilizes military and civilian resources that are on base in addition to local and national resources. These key supporters act as liaisons between families and base leadership (first sergeants and commanders, for example), whenever problems arise with things such as ID cards or military pay. Another thing they do is call families of deployed members to check on them and offer moral support.

“We can assist them with everything from getting help with lawn mowing or shoveling snow to mental health counseling and everything in between,” said Lynn Amidon, Key Supporter wing mentor and military spouse. “Whatever the need, let us know! We can be very creative when put to the test. We always come up with something!”

The help doesn’t end when the deployment does. Once the deployed member returns home, there are multiple resources to help with reintegration and reconnection.

Members return to the A&FRC for reunion and reintegration briefings. While they are there, they can also get relation education and talk about post-traumatic stress disorder vs. post-traumatic growth.

Within one year of returning from a deployment, members and their families can go on two of the Yellow Ribbon post-deployment trips. During these trips there are breakout sessions to discuss Tricare, education benefits, Veterans Affairs benefits, anger/stress management and understanding the new normal. Childcare is provided while the members and their spouses or guests go through the classes. As with the pre-deployment trips, airfare and hotel accommodations for the weekend are provided.

“It’s an awesome program to be a part of,” said Hall. “The members really enjoy the weekend.”

The Veterans Affairs website, eBenefits, is an online resource for tools and benefits-related information. Members can apply for VA benefits online, check status of compensation claims, access and retrieve copies of official military personnel records including DD214’s and active or reserve orders, and view payment history of received VA benefits. They can also obtain or submit an application for the home loan certificate of eligibility.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki said, “I can think of no higher responsibility than ensuring that the men and women who have served our nation in uniform are treated with the care and respect that they have earned.”

The VA also has a suicide prevention program that provides information on suicide risk factors and warning signs, and treatment for those feeling sad, hopeless, alone or suicidal.

As the wing prepares for the upcoming deployment, Airmen and family members alike are encouraged to utilize the resources available to them. These resources are not just for the members of the military, but for the whole military family.

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates said, “In time of war, our families deserve our support and thanks as well. They are the power behind the power.”