September Family News

September 2009

Welcome to the Family News—the monthly newsletter from Army Community Service (ACS) and ArmyOneSource.com, the Army's most comprehensive portal for family members.

IN THIS MONTH'S ISSUE: Change of Command at FMWRC AUSA Newell Rubbermaid Volunteer Family of the Year – the Bolke Family Some States' Tuition Cap Not Available Yet for New GI Bill In-State Tuition for Soldiers and Their Families Tutors Available 24/7 Military Offers College Tuition Aid to Spouses Making It Work: Back to School Strategies for Success Financial Counseling Fellowships Awarded to Military Spouses NCO and NCO Spouse Scholarship at Grantham University Federal Quick Hire of Military Spouses Starts This Month DoD Launches New Web Portal Help DoD Select High-Quality Movers Yellow Ribbon Program Reaches Thousands in the Reserve Component DoD is Reviewing Social Networks and Wants Input from Soldiers and Families Becoming a Family Again after Deployment AUSA Family Programs Survey Freedom Service Dogs TRICARE Expands Behavioral Health Care Services Online and by Video Largest Study Ever of Suicide in the Military DoD Pushes Ahead with E-Health System Seasonal and H1N1 Flu Vaccine Information Released Summer Camp Flu Cases May Predict Fall Surge Respite Child Care Aids Families Cadre Spouse Handbook Prepares Spouses for Training Installation Assignment State Farm Recalls Good Neigh Bears Due to Choking Hazard GEN Casey Says Stress Programs to be Added to Basic Training 7-Eleven Seeking a Few Good Vets Women Veterans Memorial in Financial Trouble

Change of Command at FMWRC On 30 July 2009, BG Reuben D. Jones assumed command of the Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command (FMWRC) from COL Brick T. Miller during a change of command ceremony at the Wallace Theater, Fort Belvoir, VA. Before coming to FMWRC, BG Jones served as The Adjutant General of the US Army, Commanding General of the US Army Physical Disability Agency and Executive Director of the Military Postal Service Agency in Alexandria, VA. LTG Robert Wilson, commander of the Installation Management Command, and FMWRC CSM Abe Vega assisted in the passing of the unit flag during the change of command ceremony, a time-honored military tradition that originated during the 18th century reign of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. It signifies the passing of responsibility for the unit from one commander to the next through the unit's senior enlisted Soldier. COL Miller resumed his duties as the FMWRC Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff. For more information, go to www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/ChangeCommand.

AUSA Newell Rubbermaid Volunteer Family of the Year -- the Bolke Family The Association of the US Army (AUSA) Family Programs Directorate recently announced the Bolke Family of White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico is the 2009 winner of the AUSA Newell Rubbermaid Volunteer Family of Year Award. FMWRC congratulates them and thanks Major Kevin Bolke, his spouse DeDe, and their children Max, 8; Benjamin, 6; Nicholas 3, and Rex, 3 months for their outstanding contribution of time and energy to the greater Army Family. As recipient of this year's AUSA Newell Rubbermaid Volunteer Family of the Year Award, the Bolke Family will receive a trip to Washington D.C. for the Annual AUSA Meeting, a cash prize, and a gift basket courtesy of Rubbermaid, AUSA and GEICO. Congratulations also go to the two runner-up Families: Colonel John Lenk and his wife Molly, and their children, Trevor and Courtney Smits of McDonough, Georgia, and Mrs. Barclay Murphy and her children, Luke and Elly of Charleston, South Carolina. Each runner-up Family will receive a certificate of distinction, a savings bond, and a gift basket in recognition of their dedicated service to their fellow Soldiers, Army Families, and communities. Congratulations to these outstanding Families!

Some States' Tuition Cap Not Available Yet for New GI Bill The launch of the Post-9/11 GI Bill went smoothly except for one issue outside the control of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department: The tuition and fee caps for some states are not yet known. Among the many positives about the new veterans education benefits program is its promise to reimburse tuition and fees for eligible students up to a cap for every state based on the highest tuition and fees charged for undergraduate education at a four-year public college or university at the in-state rate. To set caps, VA is depending on state approving agencies to determine the highest tuition and fee rates and report the numbers. VA officials have found that some state agencies did not meet the Aug. 1 deadline to report their highest tuition and highest fees, leaving VA to find a stopgap solution. For states where a cap has not been established for the 2009-10 academic year, tuition and fee payments will be made based on the 2008-09 rates. Once 2009-10 caps are set for a state, retroactive payments will make up the difference. For more information, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/Tuition.

In-state Tuition for Soldiers and Their Families Members of the armed forces on active duty for a period of more than 30 days and their Families will be eligible to receive in-state tuition at public colleges and universities in the state where they reside or are permanently stationed. Once a Soldier or Family member is enrolled and paying in-state tuition, they will continue to pay the in-state tuition rate as long as they remain continuously enrolled at the institution, even if the Soldier is reassigned outside the state. The Higher Education Opportunity Act (H. R. 4137) (HEOA) amends and extends the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA). To read more, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/SoldierTuition.

Tutors Available 24/7 The Army has contracted with Tutor.com Learning Suite to provide military learners of all ages with additional educational support. The on-line tutoring program offers high quality, vetted subject matter resources, and educational support for military Families. The program is open and tutors are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Because it is web based, users have access worldwide from any internet-connected PC or MAC computer. The Army program is provided by Child, Youth & School Services and is available at http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/CYSSTutor. Active, Wounded, Reserve Component, National Guard, Army civilians, Survivors and their dependents are eligible. For further information, go to: http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/Tutor.

Military Offers College Tuition Aid to Spouses The Department of Defense Military Spouse Career Advancement Account, or MyCAA, funds a program for spouses pursuing "portable careers." Portable careers — such as business administration, education or health services — are flexible in nature and can be performed just about anywhere Soldiers and their Families are stationed. Military spouses of active-duty or active reserve members can apply for up to $6,000 for college tuition. They can apply for the program through the Military OneSource Web site at http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/MilitaryOneSource. To find more information, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/SpouseTuition.

Making It Work: Back to School Strategies for Success If you are a new – or returning – college student this fall, you can plan on a lot of change. Maybe you're taking advantage of the Military Spouse Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) or maybe you're following a different path. Either way, you can count on some significant changes in your lifestyle. These strategies will help you and your Family deal with the changes: http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/BacktoSchool.

Financial Counseling Fellowships Awarded to Military Spouses Nearly 200 military spouses have been awarded the FINRA Investor Education Foundation's 2009 Military Spouse Fellowship to earn the Accredited Financial Counselor® (AFC®) designation. This accreditation will give them marketable job skills and provide them with the tools and expertise they need to help military Families overcome financial obstacles. The program, now in its fourth year, is administered in partnership with the Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education® (AFCPE®) and the National Military Family Association. The fellowship covers the costs associated with completing the AFC® training and testing. The 195 military spouses who received the fellowship this year were selected from thousands of applicants, and will join a corps of nearly 600 U.S. military spouses from around the world who provide military Families with important financial counseling services-from budgeting and credit management to help with planning their finances for PCS moves and deployments. Recipients of the Military Spouse Fellowship must commit not only to completing the courses of study, but also to volunteering in the financial counseling field serving the military community for up to two years. Of this year's fellowship recipients, 35 percent are Army spouses, 28 percent are Navy spouses, 22 percent are Air Force spouses, and 12 percent are Marine Corps spouses. The 2009 class of spouse fellows includes 26 spouses who live abroad. To learn how to apply for this fellowship, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/FinancialCounseling.

NCO and NCO Spouse Scholarship at Grantham University In conjunction with the celebration of The Year of the Non Commissioned Officer (NCO) and to encourage members in their efforts to pursue higher education, Grantham University will provide one full, 4-year scholarship to a Non-Commissioned Officer and one full, 4-year scholarship to the spouse of an NCO from the community of the Greater Kansas City, Ft. Leavenworth, Ft. Riley, and Topeka Chapters of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA). Applicants do not need to be a member of AUSA. The scholarship will cover: tuition costs, required textbooks, software, fees and shipping of the course materials. The value of each scholarship is approximately $36,000. For more information, visit http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/NCO.

Federal Quick Hire of Military Spouses Starts This Month Under a personnel rule that takes effect 11 September 2009, some military spouses could be quickly hired for federal jobs without following the usual competitive process. The guidelines are posted in the Federal Register under the title: "Noncompetitive Appointment of Certain Military Spouses." The intended effect of the rule, according to documents listed in the Federal Register, "is to facilitate the entry of military spouses into the federal civil service as part of an effort to recruit and retain skilled and experienced members of the armed forces and to recognize and honor the service of members injured, disabled, or killed in connection with their service." The availability of jobs for military spouses contributes to the sustainment of the all-volunteer force according to a recent survey in which employed military spouses reported that their work income constitutes about 48 percent of total Family income. However, frequent moves often make it difficult for military spouses to maintain employment. Eligible individuals include spouses of active-duty Soldiers who have been called on to relocate. This includes spouses of Guardsmen or reservists who've been called up for more than 180 days of active service other than training. Eligible spouses must be moving to another duty station accompanied by their Soldier. For more information, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/QuickHire.

DoD Launches New Web Portal A new home page, http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/Defense was recently launched, designed to invite participation from the public and make military news and information more accessible. The new Web site will provide quick access to those sites that are most sought by Web site visitors, including DoD social media sites, the Pentagon Channel and DoD news stories. Prominent on the new home page is a new "We Want to Hear from You" feature that will give users the opportunity to ask questions of Defense Department leaders, vote on policy issues they want explained, and explore frequently asked questions and answers. The new site, http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/Defense, replaces http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/Defenselink as the department's main Internet entry portal. DefenseLink will remain a news Web site and may be accessed from http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/Defense.

Help DoD Select High-Quality Movers The Defense Department (DoD) is changing the way it selects civilian companies that move Soldiers and Civilians to new duty stations by focusing on customer service rather than on cost. DoD now ranks companies' performance based in part on input from people they have moved. Soldiers are asked to fill out a 12-question survey after the move is made. The survey is completed online. Customers receive an email message with a link to the survey after their household goods are delivered at their new duty station. Soldiers not receiving an email with a survey link should go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/Move to complete the survey online. The survey is one of three factors used to choose and rank moving companies. It is the cornerstone of the "best-value acquisition" program utilized by DoD. Moving company rates and how well the company handles claims for lost or damaged items also determine which companies are used and how frequently. Poorly ranked companies will be used less frequently, and eventually removed from the list of available transportation carriers. Currently, only about 20 percent of military members who have moved since last November have completed the moving survey. If you or someone you know has moved this summer, please remind them to complete their customer satisfaction moving survey. Do your part to help select high-quality movers for military Families. For more information, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/Movers.

Yellow Ribbon Program Reaches Thousands in the Reserve Component During the first nine months of fiscal year 2009, reserve components have hosted more than 1,367 Yellow Ribbon events across the 54 U.S. states and territories. Through these events, more than 133,000 National Guard, Reserve members and their Families have received valuable training and information about support services available to them before, during and after mobilization. In addition to helping Families understand their benefits and entitlements, as they transition in and out of active-duty status, the program also links to services such as referrals and counseling through Military OneSource, Veterans Affairs Vet Centers, TRICARE, and other state and local programs. The newly formed Yellow Ribbon Advisory Board has conducted its second meeting. The mission of the advisory board is to provide independent advice regarding the program to the Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, and is also required to submit a report to the Senate and House Armed Services committees at least once a year. The board is completing its initial report to Congress, which is due in early September. It is in the process of finalizing a department instruction, which will provide Yellow Ribbon guidance to the individual reserve components. For more information, visit http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/YellowRibbon.

DoD Is Reviewing Social Networks and Wants Input from Soldiers and Families The Department of Defense (DoD) announced recently its review of the use of Facebook and other social media amid concern the sites pose a cyber security risk for sensitive military information. The concern driving the latest review was the free-wheeling nature of so-called Web 2.0 sites, which are more vulnerable to hackers and cyber assault. The review looks at "the requirement, vulnerabilities and risk mitigations" involved in social media and a new policy was being drafted on the use of so-called Web 2.0 sites. Strategic Command last week issued a "warning order" to the armed services asking for comments on a possible ban on social media on the Pentagon's unclassified network. To read more, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/SocialNetworks. These applications have a huge positive impact on certain missions like public affairs, recruitment, internal communication, and maintaining quality of life for Soldiers and their Families. At the same time, providing access to these sites from official DoD networks opens those networks to security threats. To help the decision-making process balance these concerns, DoD is seeking your input. Please consider: To what extent do Internet functions like social networking impact quality of life for Soldiers and Families? Is access more important when service members are deployed? Are there specific Internet-based activities you feel are crucial to Family bonding, Family readiness, and community support? To capture your responses, DoD created the "Web 2.0 Guidance Forum" blog at http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/GuidanceForum. Please visit the blog and take time to share your thoughts, experiences, and specific applications of Internet tools in the comments section. Also, please pass on the link to your Family, friends, and contacts to help provide DoD leaders with the information they need to make informed decisions on Internet-based activities.

Becoming a Family Again after Deployment Reuniting with Family after deployment is a time of happiness and excitement, but it also brings extra stress. Everyone – including you – will have changed in some way. It takes time, effort, and especially patience to reconnect and find a new normal. http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/MilOneSourceDeployment. Another resource to help the post-deployment adjustment is a newsletter published by AfterDeployment.org. This quarterly newsletter delivers the latest information about post-deployment. To read the newsletter, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/AfterDeployment.

AUSA Family Programs Survey The Association of the US Army (AUSA) is conducting a Family Member Survey to assist in understanding the hardships Family members endure while their Soldier is deployed, as well as access and availability of healthcare provided by the TRICARE program. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. Your opinions are important in order to create Family programs to meet your needs. Survey responses will be strictly confidential and data from this research will be reported only in the aggregate. If you have questions at any time about the survey or the procedures, you may contact the AUSA Family Programs Directorate at 800.336.4570 or by email at familyprograms@ausa.org. To take part in the AUSA Family Programs survey, go to the following link: http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/AUSA.

Freedom Service Dogs A new Veterans Administration (VA) program adopts dogs from animal shelters and trains them to be matched with wounded warriors who are home from Iraq and Afghanistan. The program was formed after Freedom Service Dogs recently partnered with the VA. VA hospitals nationwide are integrating service dogs into treatment plans for disabled veterans. For further information about Freedom Service Dogs, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/FreedomService.

TRICARE Expands Behavioral Health Care Services Online and by Video With the introduction of two new programs, time and distance will no longer be obstacles for active duty Families seeking behavioral health care. The Web-based TRICARE Assistance Program (TRIAP) and telemental health program use evolving telecommunication technologies to bring counseling assistance and behavioral health care closer to the people who need it most. From the security of their homes, or anywhere else for that matter, beneficiaries with a computer, Webcam and the associated software can speak "face-to-face" with a licensed counselor over the Internet at any time of the day or night. Eligible beneficiaries can link to their regional contractor's TRIAP site and get more information about the program at http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/TRIAP. TRICARE's telemental health services use medically-supervised, secure audio-visual conferencing to link beneficiaries with offsite providers. Available to all TRICARE beneficiaries in the United States, telemental health care will fall under TRICARE's telemedicine coverage. To find out more information, go to: http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/TricareServices.

Largest Study Ever of Suicide in the Military Director of the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress and chairman of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU) Department of Psychiatry, Robert J. Ursano, M.D., will lead an interdisciplinary team of four research institutions to carry out a National Institute of Mental Health study – the largest study of suicide and mental health among military personnel ever undertaken, with $50 million in funding from the Army. To read the whole article, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/Suicide.

DoD Pushes Ahead with E-Health System A personal health records pilot test by the Department of Defense has been successful, and the military is now determining how to expand it more widely. The service, called MiCare, is still in pilot mode at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, WA. MiCare will eventually give military members, their Families, and veterans access to their personal health records via Internet services, including Microsoft HealthVault and Google Health. To read more about the E-Health System, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/EHealth.

Seasonal and H1N1 Flu Vaccine Information Released The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), along with other public and private organizations have isolated the new H1N1 virus. The virus has been modified to make the H1N1 vaccine. Vaccine manufacturers are in the process of making a vaccine that is a multi-step process and will take several months. The 2009 H1N1 vaccine should be made available in the fall. A 2009-2010 Seasonal flu vaccine has also been approved for use in the U.S. It is important to note that the seasonal flu vaccine will NOT protect against the 2009 H1N1 flu virus. The Seasonal vaccine is still recommended for individuals at risk because the vaccine may reduce the severity of the illness and help prevent flu-related complications. For more information on the seasonal flu vaccine, go to: http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/FDA and http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/CDC. Both the 2009 H1N1 vaccine and the 2009-2010 Seasonal flu vaccine will be available in a number of places, such as through your TRICARE provider, Military Treatment Facilities, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care facilities, and your local community health departments. The CDC is in the process of determining if individuals can receive the Seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines at the same time. When it comes time to receive your flu vaccinations, ask your health care provider for the most up-to-date information. The Department of Defense Military Health System has information related to H1N1 flu at http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/Health. For VA related information, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/PublicHealth or http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/PandemicFlu. For the CDC, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/SwineFlu.

Summer Camp Flu Cases May Predict Fall Surge An official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns outbreaks of the H1N1, swine flu among children attending U.S. summer camps predict a surge in cases this fall as students return to school. The CDC predicts soaring numbers of H1N1 cases compared to those seen in April when the first U.S. cases were diagnosed in California and urged health officials to plan now for the possibility of crowded hospitals, swamped emergency rooms and overwhelmed clinics. H1N1 swine flu is now so widespread that the World Health Organization (WHO) has stopped counting individual cases. The median age of sufferers has been 14 to 17 years old, although the age is increasing slightly as the number of cases increases, according to the WHO, suggesting the virus is spreading from schools into the wider community. For more information, click here: http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/CampFlu.

Respite Child Care Aids Families Respite Child Care, a Child, Youth and School Services program, allows military Family members of deployed Soldiers or Warriors in Transition a much needed break by offering the Army Community with 16 free hours of child care, per child, per month. The program has become a life-line Army wide. For further information, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/RespiteCare.

Cadre Spouse Handbook Prepares Spouses for Training Installation Assignment As a way to inform Soldiers and spouses about the rigors of working in a training environment, the Directorate of Combat Training has developed a Cadre Spouse Handbook. The handbook is an informational tool used to shed some insight on what to expect before coming to a training installation. The handbook is broad enough for any Family member to relate to. It is also meant to dispel misconceptions some may have upon coming to a training installation. To learn more, please go to: http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/CadreSpouse.

State Farm Recalls Good NeighBears Due to Choking Hazard The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada announced a voluntary recall of the State Farm Good NeighBears. The eyes on these bears can come off, posing a choking hazard to young children. Consumers should immediately take these bears away from young children and discard them. For further information, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/StateFarm.

GEN Casey Says Stress Programs to be Added to Basic Training GEN George W. Casey, Jr., Chief of Staff of the United States Army, is implementing anti-stress programs into basic training for Soldiers as part of a broader effort to help Soldiers deal with the after affects of combat and prevent suicides. The new program will begin Oct. 1, 2009 and will be part of a Soldier's first week in basic and continue through all levels of Army education for officers and enlisted Soldiers. A record 140 Soldiers committed suicide in 2008, pushing the rate per 100,000 troops beyond the civilian rate for the first time since record keeping started. The program is formally dubbed Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF) and melds with some work already underway. This is one of several topics being addressed at this year's AUSA Military Family Forums. To register for the Military Family Forums, go to: http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/AUSAStress. To read more on CSF, go to: http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/BasicTrainingStress.

7-Eleven Seeking a Few Good Vets For those who have given so generously to their country by serving in the military, 7-Eleven, Inc. wants to make it a little easier to reach the American dream of owning one's own business. Qualified veterans who become first-time 7-Eleven franchisees will receive a 10-percent discount on the initial franchise fee for the first 7-Eleven store they franchise. This discount can range from $1,000 up to approximately $35,000, depending on the store. For more information, please click on the following link: http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/7Eleven.

Women Veterans Memorial in Financial Trouble The Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation which maintains and operates the nation's only major memorial to female veterans is hurting for cash and has launched a fundraising campaign it hopes will help maintain operations — and ultimately stave off closure. The memorial, located on a 4.2-acre site at the entrance to Arlington National Cemetery, is the only national memorial honoring what the foundation estimates are the 2½ million women who have served in the armed forces. Dedicated in 1997, it is visited by some 200,000 people each year, according to the foundation. Currently, the foundation is struggling to pay employee salaries, rent on the foundation's offices and for items such as the foundation's roughly $12,000 monthly electric bill. To visit the foundation's website, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/WomensMemorial. To read more, go to http://www.myarmyonesource.com/News/2009/09/Fundraising.

The Family Programs Six-Month Calendar of Events 16-17 Sep 09 Army Family Readiness Advisory Council, Alexandria, VA 5-7 Oct 09 ASEP Partnership Meeting Signing Ceremony, Washington, DC   Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting, Washington, DC 1-30 Nov 09 Military Family Appreciation Month 12 Jan 10 HQDA AFAP Conference and GOSC, Alexandria, VA

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