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Family members support each other
by Tina Ray
Paraglide
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photo by Spc. Jessica M. Kuhn/49th PAD
Children gather to watch a clown during Picnic in the Grove at the John L. Throckmorton Library Saturday. “We are here to celebrate reading and learning during the National Children’s Book Month,” said Bernadette Ross, reference librarian. |
Shelle W. Altieri serves as a Family readiness group key caller for the 82nd Airborne Division, where her husband works as a strategic planner.
Altieri said she has been an FRG member all of the 13 years that she has been a military spouse.
“I’m a total advocate for the Family readiness group,” Altieri said. “We’re out there to make sure Family members are aware of resources that will make deployments easier.”
An FRG is a command-sponsored organization that provides support to Family members, volunteers, Soldiers and civilian employees of a unit, according to the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Web site.
As a key caller, Altieri said she calls about 15 people associated with the division and notifies them of any information passed to her from the company FRG leader. Those people are usually spouses or parents of Soldiers.
Often Altieri relays information about important resources available on the installation. For example, she said she lets Family members know that free childcare, counseling and access to camps are available.
Counseling is available through Military OneSource, said Altieri. The person seeking counseling can remain anonymous.
In this time of first-time or revolving deployments, being able to get the help someone needs is crucial.
If a situation similar to the tragedy at Fort Hood were to happen on Fort Bragg, the FRG would work with other entities, such as the Family Care Team, to respond and disseminate information, Altieri said.
“We’ll do as much as anybody can to help with what’s appropriate,” she said.
Dan Ahern is the Fort Bragg director of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation. He said that FRGs are sanctioned by commanders to operate, so there are likely as many FRGs as there are units on Fort Bragg.
FRGs, said Ahern, are invaluable to the installation.
“It is a support mechanism for the Family and it helps keep the Family strong while the Soldier is deployed,” Ahern said.
For more information about FRGs, visit the MWR Web site at www.fortbraggmwr.com/frg.php.
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