By Terri Moon Cronk
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2013 – Service members’ families also
serve the nation and are the force behind the total force, a senior Defense
Department official said yesterday.
“Our military members are as effective as they can be
because of the support their families provide them,” Barbara Thompson, director
of DOD’s office of family policy and children and youth told American Forces
Press Service and the Pentagon Channel. “[DOD] wants to make sure the people
who are important in the lives of our service members -- spouses, children,
parents, partners, aunts, uncles, siblings and cousins -- are part of the
military family.”
Military Family Month recognizes the sacrifices and contributions
that family members make for national security, Thompson said, adding that it’s
important for families to know the country appreciates their tireless efforts
to support their service members and communities.
During Military Family Month, military installations will
vary in their celebrations to recognize families, and family support centers
will offer information on what’s available, Thompson said. Year-round, however,
support services exist through the Family Readiness System to help family members
navigate any challenges they might face in their military lifestyle, she added.
The system also includes resources for families who don’t live on military
installations.
And that’s where there’s a growing need for community
support of military households, Thompson said. For example, DOD offers a system
involving professionals in a variety of fields, agencies, programs and services
who are educated to meet the needs of military families.
Two other initiatives that bring civilian resources together
with military needs are the Military Families Learning Network and the How to
Help program.
The network comprises programs, services, people and
agencies that promote quality of life for service members and their families,
Thompson explained. Through the network, service members and families learn to
take on new skills and challenges in all stages of their military life. The
network primarily focuses on personal finance, child care, family development
and network literacy, she added, but it is expected to expand to include
military caregivers, community capacity building and relocation services.
In the How to Help program, early childhood educators,
extended family, friends, neighbors, financial professionals and experts in
higher education also have learned how to help military families, using
evidence-based guidance on how to help families with practical suggestions and
links to community resources, she said.
And individually, people who live in communities with
military families can help to support their service member neighbors in several
ways, Thompson said.
“People in the civilian sector who are not affiliated with
the military need to realize that military members are an integral part of
their communities,” she said. “It’s important to start by asking a question
such as ‘Have you served, or are you serving? And how can I help?’”
One way people in the civilian community can begin to help
their military neighbors is to learn about Joining Forces, an initiative
established two years ago by First Lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe
Biden’s wife, Dr. Jill Biden, to mobilize support from every sector of American
society to help service members, their families and veterans, Thompson
suggested.
Another community option to help support service members and
their families is the Military OneSource website, which explains the military
lifestyle and families’ particular needs while living off an installation and
in a neighborhood.
“It’s important for the community to know where to go if
they want to support military members and their families, … especially during
this month, since we’re recognizing military families,” Thompson said.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment