Interservice Family Assistance Committee (ISFAC)
Minutes from January 14, 2010 at Grand Forks, ND
Taken by Shelle Michaels, Soldiers' Angels
Co-chairs: Tom Slaughter and John Hanson, GFAFB
Moderator: Theresia Hersch, NDNG
Sponsors: Soldiers' Angels and UND Center Rural Health
Theme: The Journey of our Wounded Warriors and their Families
Attendance: Tom Slaughter, John Hanson, Theresia Hersch, Tonya Sigl, Jimmy Grote, Kristi Fetsch, Dave Seifert, Col. Mike Aberle, Shelle Michaels, Carolyn Henderson, Alan Fehr, Bradley Cogdill, Diane Hahn,Rebecca Quinn, Peggy Walker, Brad Aune, Heidi Sanger, Shelley Klein, Jan Nelson, Tim Wicks, JP Moszer, Amber Graves, Lowell Benson, Coreen Swart, Mike Evans, Samantha Kolness, Penny Ripperger, Christy Carroll, Vince Dicks, Marcus Nehlson, Marlys Morgenstern, Jerry Meske, David Klassy, Brian Westerman, Ashley Messner, Ron Fillion, Karen Pearson, Bob Krause, Tracey Abbott, Myron Veenstra, Earl Beal, Amanda Kubik, Jill Holwerda and Todd Brossart. (This attendance reflects the names checked off on the roster only—at one point we counted 70 people in attendance.)
Social mingle hosted by Soldiers' Angels from 0930-1000.
Welcome by Mr. John Hanson and Mr. Tom Slaughter (The Tom and John show):
· Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Silence for our POW/MIA and those serving in harm's way, their families, and our veterans.
· John announced that he will be retiring- now he can focus on helping the veterans full time!
· Shelle Michaels has been appointed to represent the ISFAC on the
Administrative notes by Theresia Hersch.
· Thank you to Soldiers' Angels and UND Rural Health for hosting this meeting.
· Introductions by all- name, organization and how you(r)/organization can assist service members/families/veterans.
· Door prizes sponsored by Soldiers' Angels- drawing at noon.
· Sign in sheet going around, please check your name for attendance.
SPC Ashley Messner - Casualty Assistance
– (Family notification process)
There is no harder task than to knock on the door of a fallen service member's family. The family sees the dress uniform and knows their hearts are about to be broken. The words that no family ever wants to hear-- "The Secretary of the Army has asked me to express his deep regret that your (relationship; son, Robert or husband, Edward; etc.) (died/was killed in action) in (country/state) on (date). (State the circumstances provided by the Casualty Area Command.) The Secretary extends his deepest sympathy to you and your family in your tragic loss." This is just one of several scripts used per the definition of casualty.
o Mission: Assists the Army Casualty and Mortuary Affairs Operation Center (CMAOC) and Casualty Assistance Center's (CAC) with the mission of assigning Casualty Notification and Casualty Assistance Officers to assist families during their time of need. Casualty operations consists of 3 major components: Casualty Reporting, Casualty Notification and Casualty Assistance.
o Casualty Notification and Assistance Officers are dedicated professionals. When serving this duty, it will always take precedence over all other assignments. The Army National Guard is committed to doing all we can to support our deceased service members families. The Army National Guard provides full support to Casualty Operations, providing Notification Officers within 4 hours of initial casualty reports and Assistance Officers for as long as the family needs. Army National Guard conducts Casualty missions for all soldiers in the Active Component, Reserves, and National Guard.
- The National Guard provides exceptional training to certify Casualty Notification and Assistance Officers to provide support of the highest standard to surviving family members who sacrificed so much.
- Messner was trained at Ft. Carson, CO CAC (
- Responsibilities
- Casualty Notification and Casualty Assistance, honors our countries bravest and their families whose sacrifice makes our lives as Free Americans possible.
- They help and assist the survivors who served alongside our Soldiers with the upmost dignity. Casualty Notification and Casualty Assistance Officers represent the Army as they Honor the fallen Soldiers by assisting and providing guidance to their families in the most difficult time of need.
- They are responsible for all reports of casualty, next of kin notifications and casualty assistance within their area of responsibility.
§ Represents the Secretary of the Army
§ All duties performed in a timely, professional, dignified, and understanding manner
§ Will pass only confirmed information
- It is important that all NOK receive the same information about the casualty
§ Informs PNOK that a Casualty Assistance Officer will be assigned
§ Informs family not to make any disposition/funeral arrangements until they have been briefed by a Casualty Assistance Officer
§
- Casualty Defined –
- Any person who is lost to an organization by reason of having been declared beleaguered, captured, deceased, diseased, detained, DUSTWUN, injured, ill, interned, missing, missing in action or wounded.
- Who's Reportable
- Active duty military
- USAR/ARNG enroute to/from/participating in Active Duty Training (AT, ADT, FTNGD, IADT, ADSW, SADT, TTAD or IDT)
- Army retirees
- Soldiers separated from the Army within120 days
- DA civilian employees OCONUS & CONUS TDY
- DA dependents OCONUS
- Determination of Next of Kin
§ The primary next of kin (PNOK) is the person most closely related to the casualty. The following order of precedence is used to identify the PNOK:
- Spouse
- Natural, adopted, step and illegitimate children
- Parents
- Persons standing in loco parentis
- Persons granted legal custody of the individual by a court decree of statutory provision
- Brothers or sisters, to include half-blood and those acquired through adoption
- Grand Parents
- Other relatives in order of relationship to the individual according to civil laws
- If no other persons are available, the Secretary of the Military Department may be deemed to act on behalf of the individual
§ Secondary next of kin (SNOK) is any other next of kin other than the PNOK
- The Notification Team depends upon the type of casualty.
- Notification Officer
- Casualty Assistance Officer
- Chaplain
- Notification Requirements
§ CAC is notified of an incident by:
· Unit Commander/representative
· Police (civilian/military)
· Medical treatment facility
· Another CAC
§ CAC confirms incident
§ CAC collects personnel information
§ CAC produces initial casualty report
§ CAC/DA Casualty Operations Division coordinate all actions
§ Notification Standards-
· Personal notification to PNOK/SNOK of all deceased/missing persons listed on casualty's DD Form 93 (Record of Emergency Data)
· Notification officer will be in Class A uniform
· Notification officer will be an Army Officer, Warrant Officer, or Senior Enlisted Noncommissioned Officer
· Notification conducted between the hours of 0500-2400 hours
· PNOK will be notified prior to SNOK whenever possible
SSgt Samantha Kolness - Mortuary Affairs
– (What happens before coming home)
"The movie "Taking Chance" is very realistic in regards to dignified transfer of our service members killed in action."
The Joint Mortuary Affairs Program provides support across the range of military operations for: search, recovery, tentative identification (ID), evacuation and, when required, temporary interment, disinterment, decontamination, and reinterment of deceased US
military personnel, US noncombatants, and allied, coalition partner, third country, and adversary personnel; operating mortuary affairs (MA) processing points during military operations; preparing and coordinating shipment of human remains to the place designated
by the person authorized to direct disposition of human remains (PADD).
Experience with mortuary duty (TMEP) in Kuwait:
Following recovery, the human remains are usually moved to a mortuary affairs collection point (MACP). The MACP provides direct support and/or general support in the receipt, processing, tentative ID, and evacuation of the human remains and their accompanying PE, usually to a theater mortuary evacuation point (TMEP). The TMEP provides general support in the receiving and evacuating of all human remains and their accompanying PE to a military mortuary. The TMEP performs quality assurance checks on existing processing documentation and initiates any additional processing documentation that is required. The TMEP initiates all shipping documents needed to coordinate the evacuation of human remains. TMEP(s) is/are usually located at major aerial ports of embarkation.
· Provide reverence, dignity and respect
· Observe forensic protocol
· Initiate continual chain of custody for personal effects
· Establish identification
· Preserve remains in viewable condition
· Evacuate remains - refrigeration and icing remains necessary
· Maintain essential records and reports
· Warrior killed in action needs to be transferred to the United States no longer than 24 hours after receipt at the location in Kuwait, Manas or other locations across the globe.
· Wears a dogtag with the names of the six service members that she worked with in Kuwait.
o Discussed experience of female 1LT from the USAF that she worked with this process.
§ This service member was 1LT Roslyn Shulte- the first female officer to die in combat from the United States Air Force Academy
§ This service member was personally adopted through Soldiers' Angels by Shelle Michaels. To see the tribute on Roslyn Schulte please see www.SoldiersAngelsLadiesofLiberty.com scroll down to the right to the tributes.
The Joint Mortuary Affairs Program also maintains temporary interment sites including the recording of interment and disinterment actions; operation of the Dover Air Force Base port mortuary in the continental United States (CONUS) for the preparation of human remains and coordination of final disposition; collecting, inventorying, storing, and processing personal effects of deceased, and missing US military personnel, US noncombatants (when requested by the Department of State), and deceased allied, coalition partner, third country, and adversary personnel; developing standards and specifications for the preparation of human remains (to include cremation), caskets, and urns; compilation of records and other data to support search and recovery (S&R) of human remains; and developing standard policies and procedures for implementation of the current death program, concurrent return program, and graves
registration program.
Mrs. Kristi Fetsch - Survivor Outreach Specialist
– (Who is there for me after it is all over)
CONTACT: W) 701.333.3333/ C) 701.658.9533/ Email) kristi.fetsch@us.army.mil
· MISSION: The SOS program demonstrates the Army's commitment to Families of the Fallen, utilizing a holistic and multi-agency approach to delivering services and support closest to where the Family lives for as long as they desire.
· The Outreach Program models the reciprocal partnership between the Army and the Surviving Families as evidence of fulfillment of the Army Family Covenant. This program will take effect in FY09.
· Work closely with Military Funeral Honors to ensure all Army Survivors located in ND receive the necessary support.
· Work closely with the Casualty Assistance Officer to ensure the PNOK and SNOK receive the necessary services and support.
· Provide expertise on State and Federal Survivor benefits to the CAO and Surviving Family Members.
· Work with the Family, when requested, to arrange financial support regarding financial affairs, including but not limited to government survivor benefits, budgeting, college savings plans, health care (TRICARE & Medicare), long term insurance, asset allocation, retirement savings, life insurance, etc.
· Function as the long term support for the Soldier's Surviving Family.
· Work with the Family, when requested, to pair them with the appropriate counseling support.
· When appropriate, form peer support groups, networks, and offer events that will allow surviving families the opportunity to receive support.
· Deliver briefings to the leadership and community; and provide availability of a multitude of resources to Survivor Families.
· Responsibilities:
o To be the SME on benefits and entitlements for surviving families across all Military, VA, social service, non-profit and private groups or individuals nationally or within this service area.
o To form relationships with these groups to benefit survivors.
o To refer survivors to the appropriate person, group, or agency.
o To assist the Primary Next Of Kin to obtain military reports.
o To provide continuation of Army support to Surviving Military Families for as long as they desire.
· Kristi works with seven states in this outreach
· Another Survivor Outreach Specialist will soon be hired for North Dakota.
Winners of the door prizes:
· Tastefully Simple product- Tonya Sigl
· Package to a deployed service member of recipients choice- Brad Aune
· Package to a deployed service member of recipients choice- Penny Ripperger
· 50# coffee to a deployed service member of recipients choice – Myron Veenstra
ISFAC presented John Hanson with a plant in honor of his retirement.
Lt. Col JP Moszer and Sgt 1st Class Tim Wicks - Words from Wounded Warriors
Less than 1% of the nation's population has served our country.
· LTC JP Moszer
o Wounded XXXXXX during the surge in Iraq; TBI, left eye injury nearing eye loss, shoulder and leg injury
o Medevacs were constant
o Unseen injuries- not all retention issues when coming back are related to PTSD.
o Ten year plan- Looking at the program Troops to Teachers and his wife Leslie want to go part time working with a coffee shop.
· Sgt 1st Class Tim Wicks
o Wounded in Afghanistan on June 6, 2006 in an IED explosion that fatally wounded Cpl. Curtis R. Mehrer and Sgt. Travis A. Van Zoest.
o Evacuated to Landstuhl German and then to Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital where he spent one month before being transferred to the Minnesota Politrauma center where he spent three and a half months.
o Fisher Foundation paid for flights for Angie Wicks (Tim's wife)
§ Encourages others to donate air miles
o Ten year plan- will retire from the National Guard and finish a degree, possibly in psychology.
· Encourage the ISFAC to work together for/on:
§ Sensory overload- use the ISFAC to communicate on behalf of the soldiers, using the network so you do not overwhelm the wounded service member, talk to one another to get the best and most needed services to the wounded warrior.
§ Provide Military Awareness Training
§ Educating Rural providers that may not understand:
· I am Anti-war
· Why are you here
· I don't like soldiers
MG David Sprynczynatyk, North Dakota National Guard Adjutant General
· Thanks to the ISFAC- Values what we are doing across the state.
· Governor John Hoeven and MG Sprynczynatyk attended a press conference earlier Thursday announcing the return of the NDARNG 1-188th ADA RAID III under the command of Cpt. Amber Monette. The soldiers will return to the United States within the next few weeks and will do their Demobilization at Ft. McCoy. The soldiers will more than likely be bussed back to North Dakota so they can return as one unit.
· Other service members coming home soon, but not announced yet would be DET 42 serving in Djibouti. Other National Guard service members deployed now are the 1-188th ADA RAID IV/Sentinel mission- with 61 soldiers deployed to Afghanistan and 8 to Iraq, the 2-285th Aviation unit is in Iraq and the KFOR12 mission is in Kosovo.
· Governor John Hoeven and MG Sprynczynatyk are planning for a trip to Kosovo, yet this is not locked in at this point.
· Update on the Community Military Covenant initiative showcases that North Dakota has over 200 communities and all counties that have signed the covenant. (At the end of the minutes is the full listing- ideally we would like to have this completed – please take a look at the list and see if your town/hometown is MIA and contact the mayor to see how we can best be of service to complete this project.)
Wrap-up/ Q&A / Time and Place:
· Operation Military Child Theme- Month of the Military Child will be the focus of the meeting next schedule for April 22 in Bismarck. The Haugland room at the ND State Capitol has been reserved. Theresia Hersch, Tonya Sigl and Shelle Michaels will plan for the meeting.
WHAT IS ISFAC?
· The Interservice Family Assistance Committee (ISFAC) is a voluntary military cooperative partnership organized to provide multi-service networking for training and assistance to ensure Total Force Family Readiness.
· Our purpose is to provide assistance to families regardless of service component.
· The goal of the ISFAC is to strengthen existing family assistance delivery systems in the event of mobilization, deployment, or natural disaster through the interaction of committee member
· Many issues surrounding quality of life and family well-being can only be addressed by states. Across the nation current focuses are being developed in regards to spouse employment, including unemployment compensation for transferring military spouses, in-state tuition allowances, financial readiness, education, and the pressing needs of severely injured service members and their families. Many state leaders share our concern for the welfare of our Active Duty, Guard, and Reserve service members and their families living within their borders, and we look forward to making significant progress in the future.
· North Dakota ISFAC is currently focusing on six key topics; family support, educational benefits, license and registration benefits, tax and financial breaks, state employee benefits and other special protections.
COMMUNITY COVENANT COMMUNITIES: PLEASE HELP US FINISH THIS- ShelleMichaels@msn.com will direct you to our contact.
| ADAMS | BOWMAN | CAVALIER | GOLDEN VALLEY | |||
| Bucyrus | Bowman | Alsen | Beach | |||
| Haynes | Gascoyne | Calio | Golva | |||
| Hettinger | Rhame | Calvin | Sentinel Butte | |||
| Reeder | Scranton | Hannah | ||||
| Langdon | GRAND FORKS | |||||
| BARNES | BURKE | Loma | Emerado | |||
| Dazey | Bowbells | Milton | Gilby | |||
| Fingal | Columbus | Munich | Grand Forks | |||
| Kathryn | Flaxton | Nekoma | Inkster | |||
| Leal | Lignite | Osnabrook | Larimore | |||
| Litchville | Portal | Sarles (Towner) | Manvel | |||
| Nome | Powers Lake | Wales | Niagra | |||
| Oriska | Northwood | |||||
| Pillsbury | BURLEIGH | DICKEY | Reynolds (Traill) | |||
| Rogers | Bismarck | Ellendale | Thompson | |||
| Sanborn | Lincoln | Forbes | Grand Forks AFB | |||
| Sibley | Regan | Fullerton | GRANT | |||
| Tower City (Cass) | Wilton (McLean) | Ludden | Carson | |||
| Valley City | Wing | Monango | Elgin | |||
| Wimbledon | Oakes | Leith | ||||
| CASS | New Leipzig | |||||
| BENSON | Alice | DIVIDE | ||||
| Brinsmade | Amenia | Ambrose | GRIGGS | |||
| Esmond | Argusville | Crosby | Binford | |||
| Knox | Arthur | Fortuna | Cooperstown | |||
| Leeds | Ayr | Noonan | Hannaford | |||
| Maddock | Briarwood | |||||
| Minnewaukan | Buffalo | DUNN | HETTINGER | |||
| Oberon | Casselton | Dodge | Mott | |||
| Warwick | Davenport | Dunn Center | New England | |||
| York | Enderlin (Ransom) | Halliday | Regent | |||
| Fargo | Killdeer | |||||
| BILLINGS | Frontier | KIDDER | ||||
| Medora | Gardner | EDDY | Dawson | |||
| Grandin (Traill) | New Rockford | Pettibone | ||||
| BOTTINEAU | Harwood | Sheyenne | Robinson | |||
| Antler | Horace | Steele | ||||
| Bottineau | Hunter | EMMONS | Tappen | |||
| Gardena | Kindred | Braddock | Tuttle | |||
| Kramer | Leonard | Hague | ||||
| Landa | Mapleton | Hazelton | LAMOURE | |||
| Lansford | North River | Linton | Berlin | |||
| Maxbass | Oxbow | Strasburg | Dickey | |||
| Newburg | Page | Edgeley | ||||
| Overly | Prarie Rose | FOSTER | Jud | |||
| Souris | Reile's Acres | Carrington | Kulm | |||
| Westhope | Tower City (Barnes) | Glenfield | LaMoure | |||
| Willow City | West Fargo | Grace City | Marion | |||
| McHenry | Verona | |||||
| LOGAN | MERCER | PIERCE | ROLETTE | |||
| Fredonia | Beulah | Balta | Dunseith | |||
| Gackle | Golden Valley | Rugby | Mylo | |||
| Lehr (McIntosh) | Hazen | Wolford | Rolette | |||
| Napoleon | Pick City | Rolla | ||||
| Stanton | RAMSEY | St. John | ||||
| MCHENRY | Zap | Brocket | ||||
| Anamoose | Churchs Ferry | SARGENT | ||||
| Balfour | MORTON | Crary | Cayuga | |||
| Bantry | Almont | Devils Lake | Cogswell | |||
| Bergen | Flasher | Edmore | Forman | |||
| Deering | Glen Ullin | Hampden | Gwinner | |||
| Drake | Hebron | Lawton | Havana | |||
| Granville | Mandan | Starkweather | Milnor | |||
| Karlsruhe | New Salem | Rutland | ||||
| Kief | RANSOM | |||||
| Towner | MOUNTRAIL | Elliot | SHERIDAN | |||
| Upham | New Town | Enderlin (Cass) | Goodrich | |||
| Velva | Palermo | Fort Ransom | Martin | |||
| Voltaire | Parshall | Lisbon | McClusky | |||
| Plaza | Sheldon | |||||
| MCINTOSH | Ross | SIOUX | ||||
| Ashley | Stanley | RENVILLE | Fort Yates | |||
| Lehr (Logan) | White Earth | Glenburn | Selfridge | |||
| Venturia | Grano | Solen | ||||
| Wishek | NELSON | Loraine | ||||
| Zeeland | Aneta | Mohall | SLOPE | |||
| Lakota | Sherwood | Amidon | ||||
| MCKENZIE | McVille | Tolley | Marmarth | |||
| Alexander | Michigan | |||||
| Arnegard | Pekin | RICHLAND | STARK | |||
| Watford City | Petersburg | Abercrombie | Belfield | |||
| Tolna | Barney | Dickinson | ||||
| MCLEAN | Christine | Gladstone | ||||
| Benedict | OLIVER | Colfax | Richardton | |||
| Butte | Center | Dwight | South Heart | |||
| Coleharbor | Fairmount | Taylor | ||||
| Garrison | PEMBINA | Great Bend | ||||
| Max | Bathgate | Hankinson | STEELE | |||
| Mercer | Cavalier | Lidgerwood | Finley | |||
| Riverdale | Crystal | Manatdor | Hope | |||
| Ruso | Drayton | Mooreton | Luverne | |||
| Turtle Lake | Hamilton | Wahpeton | Sharon | |||
| Underwood | Hensel | Walcott | ||||
| Washburn | Mountain | Wyndmere | ||||
| Wilton (Burleigh) | Neche | |||||
| Pembina | ||||||
| St. Thomas | ||||||
| Walhalla | ||||||
| STUTSMAN | WALSH | WILLIAMS | ||||
| Buchanan | Adams | Alamo | ||||
| Cleveland | Ardoch | Epping | ||||
| Courtenay | Conway | Grenora | ||||
| Jamestown | Edinburg | Ray | ||||
| Kensel | Fairdale | Spring Brook | ||||
| Medina | Fordville | Tioga | ||||
| Montpelier | Forest River | Wildrose | ||||
| Pingree | Grafton | Williston | ||||
| Spiritwood Lake | Hoople | |||||
| Streeter | Lankin | WELLS | ||||
| Woodworth | Minto | Bowdon | ||||
| Park River | Cathay | |||||
| TOWNER | Pisek | Fessenden | ||||
| Bisbee | Hamberg | |||||
| Cando | WARD | Harvey | ||||
| Egeland | Berthold | Hurdsfield | ||||
| Hansboro | Burlington | Sykeston | ||||
| Perth | Carpio | |||||
| Rock Lake | Des Lacs | |||||
| Sarles (Cavalier) | Donnybrook | |||||
| Douglas | ||||||
| TRAILL | Kenmare | |||||
| Buxton | Makoti | |||||
| Clifford | Minot | |||||
| Galesburg | Ryder | |||||
| Grandin (Cass) | Sawyer | |||||
| Hatton | Surrey | |||||
| Hillsboro | ||||||
| Mayville | ||||||
| Portland | ||||||
| Reynolds (Grand Forks) | ||||||
| Color key: | ||||||
| County has signed | ||||||
| City has signed | ||||||
| Counties or cities may have signed but no documentation | ||||||
| Signing is pending (scheduled) | ||||||
| Note: Seven cities are located in adjoining counties | ||||||
| Tower City (Cass/Barnes), Wilton (Burleigh/McLean), Enderlin (Cass/Ransom) | ||||||
| Grandin (Cass/Traill), Sarles (Cavalier/Towner), Reynolds (Grand Forks/Traill) | ||||||
| Download documents: | Information: | |||||
| | ND League of Cities | |||||
| | ND Ass'n of Counties | |||||
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