(Marine Corps Times) Backtalk: Mission: Family

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Mission: Family
By Ken Meredith

With its new Family Readiness Program, the Corps finally is making good on its promise to take care of Marines and their families.

For too long we talked a good game but failed to adequately follow through on our pledge to look out for those left behind when their Marine — married or single — deploys. The family readiness officer in most units was a collateral billet held by the executive officer, meaning the Family Readiness Program took a back seat to other duties deemed more important. In some units, nothing was done with the program until inspection time.

As a result, the majority of FRO duties fell to the Key Volunteer Network, which has a history of doing great things, but in some units created the perception — right or wrong — that it was an officers’ wives’ club, gossip circle or an association where wives assume the rank of their spouses. The Key Volunteers’ primary responsibilities are to provide information and assistance to family members while their Marines are deployed. However, in some units, they were overburdened and overworked.

Under the new program, the FRO is the main point of contact for all family readiness issues. The contact person is nondeployable, which means the program will have greater continuity. The FRO could be a civilian, an active-duty Marine or, in my case, a retired Marine who has been called back to active duty.

The new Family Readiness Program doesn’t eliminate the need for volunteers. Each unit needs the advice and experience they have to offer, but responsibility for the program is placed on the FRO, who reports to the commanding officer. This will standardize the program across the board.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/community/opinion/marine_backtalk_readiness_111008/%2e