thedrifter
12-23-08, 11:12 AM
Family Readiness a Combat Multiplier
December 22, 2008
Marine Corps News|by 2Lt. Michele Perez
MCB CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — In October of 2006 commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James T. Conway called for an improvement of the Marine Corps’ Family Readiness program by expanding the budget of the program from $5 million to $60 million. Today, units throughout the Corps have made vast improvements to their program as it continues to evolve into a resource that spouses, children and even parents of Marines and sailors can come to rely on.
The 2nd Marine Logistics Group has not only embraced these developments, but currently leads the way within the II Marine Expeditionary Force in making all of the family readiness officer appointments full-time positions.
Before the program’s facelift, the family readiness program lacked the resources to help families cope with the strains and hardships that came with increased deployment cycles. Plainly said, the program was designed before 9/11 and was not ready to accommodate the needs of families during a time of war. In his planning guidance, Conway wanted to “ensure our family and single Marine programs have fully transitioned to a wartime footing in order to fulfill the promises made to our families.”
In May 2007, 9,000 surveys were sent to service members and their families throughout the Corps to identify flaws in the current family readiness program. The survey found that insufficient funding and personnel, outdated processes, and lack of standardization were amongst several of the concerns that surfaced.
In response to the feedback, improvements were made. One of the most prominent innovations was transitioning the position of each unit’s family readiness officer into a full-time position.
Before this change, FROs were Marines within that unit that wore two hats; they not only had to perform their assigned jobs within the unit, but they were also expected to provide adequate support and guidance to requesting families.
Capt. Kirsten L. Steidl, 2nd MLG Adjutant, was one of these Marines. She was not only responsible for overlooking the administrative matters of the 8,000 plus service members of the MLG, but she was also expected to provide their families with undivided support and assistance when they sought her help.
“You can only imagine the workload when you consider the thousands of active duty members that deploy in support of 2nd MLG and you are the one that receives those phone calls and e-mails from all those family members,” Steidl said. “There is so much daily work to do, but a FRO has to stop what he or she is doing and make it personal when a mom, wife or dad calls seeking information or is in need.”
Within the 2nd MLG, the hiring process for a full-time FRO first began in March. Unit commanders and their staff looked through several thousand applications to ensure they hand-picked individuals that would be the best fit for their unit. Some who applied thought the job would be easy; a phone few phone calls here, a few meetings there. But some of the 2 a.m. phone calls coming in is evidence enough to tell you that this is a not only a very demanding job, but one that extends through 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
“If an active duty member was assigned as a FRO as a collateral duty they didn’t have to like their job, they just had to do it,” Steidl said. “But now because of the hiring process, there is competition and obvious desire to perform these duties.”
Patricia Turner, deputy director of the human resources department at Marine Corps Community Services-Lejeune, described the application process as being very selective and critical. Out of a total of 14,000 applicants, a select group of people were chosen who truly care, according to Turner.
“Some applicants were interviewed 12, 13 times,” Turner said. “The fact that these people were picked says a lot about them…they’re the best of the best.”
Aside from being a good fit with Marines and sailors and their respective units, FROs need to have certain characteristics that the unit’s command team was looking for during the interviews. They need to be personable, flexible and a multi-tasker.
“They need to be willing to jump in and do the work,” Turner said. “(The position) comes with a lot of work, a lot of dedication.”
In addition to making the family readiness officer appointments full-time positions, the program focused on three additional areas: technology, volunteer management and the increased installation support staff.
For the upcoming MLG deployment, immediate and extended family members can not only expect newsletters, phone calls and e-mails with information on their Marine or sailor’s unit, but they should also expect text messages as part of the mass communication tool.
The same surveys administered in May 2007 also highlighted that service members and their families did not trust the key volunteer program. The volunteer program has since been revamped and is now a more formal and standard entity that will be at the disposal of MLG service members and their families throughout future deployments.
FROs are now responsible for screening and selecting qualified family readiness volunteers for interviews with the commander. Once appointed as a volunteer, they will go through required training and have a work schedule established by the unit FRO.
“Volunteers must now go through a screening process and are appointed in writing,” Turner said. “Program was standardized, formalized and professionalized.”
Kimberli Cooley, family readiness officer, 2nd MLG, took over the full-time position after the program changes were initiated. According to Cooley, the improvements will add continuity to the program and add feasibility to tracking the MLG service members as they deploy to either Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom.
“By the end of December, MLG will be on the new program,” Cooley said. “Just in six months, there have been huge changes.”
The program is now more capable of giving service members and their families the empowerment to handle their individual situations by providing them with the many resources the military has to offer.
Ellie
December 22, 2008
Marine Corps News|by 2Lt. Michele Perez
MCB CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — In October of 2006 commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James T. Conway called for an improvement of the Marine Corps’ Family Readiness program by expanding the budget of the program from $5 million to $60 million. Today, units throughout the Corps have made vast improvements to their program as it continues to evolve into a resource that spouses, children and even parents of Marines and sailors can come to rely on.
The 2nd Marine Logistics Group has not only embraced these developments, but currently leads the way within the II Marine Expeditionary Force in making all of the family readiness officer appointments full-time positions.
Before the program’s facelift, the family readiness program lacked the resources to help families cope with the strains and hardships that came with increased deployment cycles. Plainly said, the program was designed before 9/11 and was not ready to accommodate the needs of families during a time of war. In his planning guidance, Conway wanted to “ensure our family and single Marine programs have fully transitioned to a wartime footing in order to fulfill the promises made to our families.”
In May 2007, 9,000 surveys were sent to service members and their families throughout the Corps to identify flaws in the current family readiness program. The survey found that insufficient funding and personnel, outdated processes, and lack of standardization were amongst several of the concerns that surfaced.
In response to the feedback, improvements were made. One of the most prominent innovations was transitioning the position of each unit’s family readiness officer into a full-time position.
Before this change, FROs were Marines within that unit that wore two hats; they not only had to perform their assigned jobs within the unit, but they were also expected to provide adequate support and guidance to requesting families.
Capt. Kirsten L. Steidl, 2nd MLG Adjutant, was one of these Marines. She was not only responsible for overlooking the administrative matters of the 8,000 plus service members of the MLG, but she was also expected to provide their families with undivided support and assistance when they sought her help.
“You can only imagine the workload when you consider the thousands of active duty members that deploy in support of 2nd MLG and you are the one that receives those phone calls and e-mails from all those family members,” Steidl said. “There is so much daily work to do, but a FRO has to stop what he or she is doing and make it personal when a mom, wife or dad calls seeking information or is in need.”
Within the 2nd MLG, the hiring process for a full-time FRO first began in March. Unit commanders and their staff looked through several thousand applications to ensure they hand-picked individuals that would be the best fit for their unit. Some who applied thought the job would be easy; a phone few phone calls here, a few meetings there. But some of the 2 a.m. phone calls coming in is evidence enough to tell you that this is a not only a very demanding job, but one that extends through 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
“If an active duty member was assigned as a FRO as a collateral duty they didn’t have to like their job, they just had to do it,” Steidl said. “But now because of the hiring process, there is competition and obvious desire to perform these duties.”
Patricia Turner, deputy director of the human resources department at Marine Corps Community Services-Lejeune, described the application process as being very selective and critical. Out of a total of 14,000 applicants, a select group of people were chosen who truly care, according to Turner.
“Some applicants were interviewed 12, 13 times,” Turner said. “The fact that these people were picked says a lot about them…they’re the best of the best.”
Aside from being a good fit with Marines and sailors and their respective units, FROs need to have certain characteristics that the unit’s command team was looking for during the interviews. They need to be personable, flexible and a multi-tasker.
“They need to be willing to jump in and do the work,” Turner said. “(The position) comes with a lot of work, a lot of dedication.”
In addition to making the family readiness officer appointments full-time positions, the program focused on three additional areas: technology, volunteer management and the increased installation support staff.
For the upcoming MLG deployment, immediate and extended family members can not only expect newsletters, phone calls and e-mails with information on their Marine or sailor’s unit, but they should also expect text messages as part of the mass communication tool.
The same surveys administered in May 2007 also highlighted that service members and their families did not trust the key volunteer program. The volunteer program has since been revamped and is now a more formal and standard entity that will be at the disposal of MLG service members and their families throughout future deployments.
FROs are now responsible for screening and selecting qualified family readiness volunteers for interviews with the commander. Once appointed as a volunteer, they will go through required training and have a work schedule established by the unit FRO.
“Volunteers must now go through a screening process and are appointed in writing,” Turner said. “Program was standardized, formalized and professionalized.”
Kimberli Cooley, family readiness officer, 2nd MLG, took over the full-time position after the program changes were initiated. According to Cooley, the improvements will add continuity to the program and add feasibility to tracking the MLG service members as they deploy to either Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom.
“By the end of December, MLG will be on the new program,” Cooley said. “Just in six months, there have been huge changes.”
The program is now more capable of giving service members and their families the empowerment to handle their individual situations by providing them with the many resources the military has to offer.
Ellie