Grand Forks AFB  Military and Family Support Center

Separation from family and friends is a big part of military life. Military units carryout their missions more effectively and successfully when the service member and their family are well prepared. The Grand Forks Airman and Family Readiness Center facilitates deployment briefings and assists with preparing a Personal Preparedness Plan as well as various workshops. 

Deployment Briefs

Spouses are always welcome to attend these briefings! We have numerous deployment materials available for children such as writing kits for ages five to eight or nine to 12, bracelets, buttons, coloring books and activity books covering deployment and reintegration issues. We often offer various workshop opportunities at the GFA&FRC for spouses on various topics such as issues of deployment, communication, deployment survival, reintegration, and much more.

A PPP

A PPP is a plan for the military individual and family during a member's absence. In addition to the requirement for single military parents and dual military couples with family members to have a Family Care Plan (AF Form 357), all Air Force members will have family care arrangements that reasonably cover all situations – both short and long term (AFI 36-2908). It's a working plan that provides guidance for people in your absence that helps guardians and others with care for family members, financial and legal matters, and medical needs. A PPP is important because of the lifestyle we've chosen. We need to be ready to deploy on short notice. Service members who were confident their families were well prepared and taken care of were better able to focus on their jobs and, in general, were better off and healthier.

Give the GFA&FRC a call for a wide variety of information and tools to help you survive and thrive during family separations such as Give Parents a Break that provided free child care once a month at the Child Development Center for families during separation due to deployment or remote tours. Vouchers and schedules are available at the GFA&FRC. Car Care Because We Care is another program sponsored by the Air Force Aid Society. The program provides a free oil change and general service check for spouses on one vehicle during deployment costing up to $50.

Military and Family Life Consultant Program

MFLCs are assigned to the GFA&FRC and to Child and Youth Services. They are master's level counselors, social workers or family therapists who are available to assist. Consultations are free and anonymous, no records are kept. Call 901-260-7295 for more information.