School Supplies

We would like to thank those who donated school supplies to our school children. They were very excited about getting to pick out the school supplies they needed from their lists. Parents were also relieved to have some help this year through these generous donations.

Misty was able to get school supplies for all five of her children 

The kids excited to go back to school

Coming home

When your soldier comes home it can be an emotional experience for everyone, especially for children. They are so used to having their soldier gone that they can become clingy upon their return. As everyone reacts differently, I will just share my video of my husband's return home.

Red Cross

Having a deployed soldier can be difficult to deal with but life does go on while they are away, so do emergencies. I find myself thinking that would never happen to me.

But it did.

Just last week, we had a medical emergency for my mother-in-law and my husband is overseas. What do I do? Even though it is great to notify them directly, it cannot help bring them home in the event of medical issues or death. You must contact the Red Cross.

So to be prepared. Make sure you have the following available at all times and make sure more than one person has this information in case you have the medical emergency.

Name, rank, unit, & Date of Birth of soldier
Address of soldier
Country of deployment
Name of commanding officer
Your contact information

The Red Cross will need to verify any medical emergencies or death so have the following,

Medical emergency:
    Name, relationship, and contact information of person with emergency
    Name and contact information of hospital
    Name and contact information of Doctor

Death
   Name & relationship of person who has died
   Name and contact information of funeral home

Being prepared will make these situations less chaotic and will expedite your soldier's trip home.

Fundraising

Why do FRGs do fundraisers?
        Fundraisers are used to supply funds for the FRG.

What are the funds used for?
        Funds are used to send our soldiers care packages, have arts & craft supplies to make things for our soldiers, and have activities (like cookouts, Holiday parties, and the best the Welcome Home celebration).

Do you have to participate in fundraising if you come to FRG meetings?
        There is no obligation to participate in fundraising.

How can we fundraise?
        We do fundraising events within our unit or company. "For us, by us".
        We cannot ask people to donate to our unit or company, but we can accept donations if they were unsolicited.
        We cannot do raffles or any other fundraising that involves things that are considered gambling.

Our current fundraiser is Joe Corbi's. If you'd like to order online here is the link Joe Corbi's orders are due by August 7, 2011.

Why participate in a FRG?

Imagine, you just got married three days ago and today you are watching your new husband get on a bus while you are holding your nine month old child. You know he is going to be gone for a long time and you have no idea how you will manage without him. Now imagine you come home to a waterfall in your house because a pipe broke and shortly after your child's pediatrician tells you they have a high lead level. What do you do? Where do you go? Who can you ask for help?

This was me when my husband had his first overseas deployment to Iraq. I knew nothing about the military and had briefly heard there was a Family Readiness Group (FRG). I went to a meeting not knowing what to expect and I found support that I needed, information that I needed, and life-long friends.

I had never spent time with families who had ever had close family members deployed overseas before. Both my family and my husband's family had no members in the military for several generations and my co-workers had not experienced it either. To my surprise the members of the FRG understood how I felt because they were feeling that way too. It was a very open and honest group and I know our spouses  and children benefited from the bonds that we made.

My husband is deployed overseas again, and now I have a new role in the FRG. I am a volunteer. I have learned so much through my husband's deployments that I can now give advice to those that have never done this before. Not to say, I have no worries or fears; just a I am more mentally and emotionally prepared this time around. And I definetly find the support of my FRG comforting during this time.

Our Military Kids, Inc.

This organization is a great resource. It provides up to $500 every six months for each child (ages 3- 12th grade) of a deployed parent to participate in a single activity.

I applied for the grant for my daughter the day my husband left on his deployment. I received a letter telling me she had gotten the grant five days after I submitted it and the money was sent directly to her gymnastics provider.

All that is needed is to fill out the application and have the following:
     1. Copy of deployed soldier's orders
     2. Copy of One of the following:
            Child's Military ID card
            Form 1172 for Child
            Birth certificate of child if deployed is biological parent
    3. Documentation of the cost of activity
            Brochure
            Website
            Typed Letter from activity provider

The goal is to nuture and sustain Our Military Kids while they are separated from their parents.

MASCOT PMCS

BY: SSG. Blagg
MFO Mascots are valuable force protection assets for the remote sites due to their natural territorial instincts. They are also loyal companions which provide comfort and companionship to the Soldiers. Cleanliness is one of the first lines of defense in disease prevention.

USBATT Soldiers take the time to make sure that the Mascots out at the OP’s maintain their proper level of cleanliness. PV2 Kyle McNamara, Buddy, and PFC Antonio Washington of C. Co 1/175th INF out at one of the remote sites. “Next time I come out here I’m bringing clippers, sorry Buddy but you’re getting a Mohawk” said PV2 McNamara jokingly.

Mascot Bones with PFC. Washingtonenjoying his towel dry. When asked “Why are you drying the dogs off on a 100° day?” PFC Washington said “Two reasons, one we don’t want to let
these wet dogs run through the sand and get more dirt then they had on them. And two this is my squad leader’s towel.”