Contact information for key programs and services at this installation.
Deployment can be a challenging phase of the military lifecycle, but it’s important to know that you don’t have to go through it alone. The military provides a variety of resources and support programs — ranging from educational briefings to morale calls — for your loved ones, children and service members to ease the stress of deployment. Military members may be assigned to a specific installation but support may come from local communities, Yellow Ribbon events or the installation itself.
At the Military and Family Readiness Center the readiness noncommissioned officer will brief you about what you can expect when you deploy and what the M&FRC can do to help family members cope during your absence. Many programs have been established to assist your loved ones, such as Operation Pillowcase/T-shirt which prints a picture of you or your loved ones on a pillow case or a child's t-shirt, and the Hearts Apart program which offers a variety of support and activities for spouses and families when their service member is deployed.
Pre-deployment briefings are conducted in variety of forums, including:
Commanders calls
Spouse groups
Mass briefings
Individual appointments at the M&FRC
Mobility lines (as a last resort: not preferred)
Readiness provides communication support to the community through:
Personal and family readiness training
One-on-one appointments
Give Parents a Break child care program
Family care plans
Financial planning
Return and reunion education
Access to internet in the M&FRC computer room
Hearts Apart program
Give Parents a Break Program
The Give Parents a Break Program relieves stresses due to the nature of military life, deployments, remote tours of duty, extended working hours, high operation tempo, etc. The Air Force Aid Society will pay the costs of having the Child Development Center open at least once a quarter for families referred to this program.
Reunion/Reintegration
The reunion stage is often the most neglected aspect of deployment. It is critical that members understand that relationship changes will occur and readjustment must take place. The M&FRC Readiness Team works closely with other base agencies to provide the best possible service. This cooperative effort greatly assists our members and families with this phase of military life.
Being deployed can bring on all sorts of stress and the possibility of upcoming problems. The Family Readiness Program is designed to enhance family readiness and to keep family lines of communication open during deployments or TDYs. Geilenkirchen's Military and Family Readiness Center NCO and staff strive to prepare service/family members for impending stages of deployment: Pre-deployment, Deployment, and Redeployment and Reintegration. They provide assistance to spouses and family members while the military member is deployed/TDY or serving on a remote tour. In addition, if a family separation occurs during relocation contact through another military family center is available.
Students: don't try to do it alone. If your family will not be joining you at Geilenkirchen start making arrangements early to make the separation easier. Deal with the stress associated with the family separation up front; it will make future problems seem less urgent. Setting up two separate households, banking arrangements, allotments, communications, transportation, and just about every other aspect of your life together must be looked at and sorted out. Use the base and community resources at your disposal; they are there to make your relocation as smooth and painless as possible for both you and your family.
Release 2024.03.06.1