What is the FRG?

What is the FRG? This is a question  that many people ask about, even the soldiers. FRG is an acronym used in the United States Army, which stands for Family Readiness Group. The FRG is a group of people who volunteer their time to a certain unit or battalion. They work under a network of communication with the chain of command, community, and one another.
Family Readiness Group is mainly associated with the United States Army and then the Reserves and National Guard. I am sure that other branches have something similar to the FRG but it could be called something different. There is a program that helps get the FRG together and gets them the information that they need. Family Programs finds resources and gathers up the information to hand out to the FRGs within the state when they have training events.

FRG is:
1. Information conduit
2. Welcoming organization
3. Self-help, referral organization
4. Source of social support and group activities
5. Unit family dedicated to achieving social and military goals

FRG is NOT:
1. Babysitting service
2. Taxi service
3. Financial institution
4. Professional counseling agency
5. Another military organization

FRG is given GOALS either by the unit they are under or from the battalion.
1. Organize events
2. prepare soldiers/families for deployments
       stresses for saying goodbye
       stresses for the reunion
3. Reduce commanders/ other leaders workload
4. Help families become more self-sufficient
5. Provide accurate information
6. Promote community resources

FRG to a family member:
1. Gives moral support during deployments
2. Provides ways to develop great bonds with others
3. Share important information
*Activities bring more positive attitudes among the families and gives them a better understanding of the military life, the unit, and the mission.

FRG to the Soldier:
1. Helps give them a peace of mind.


A little of my own experience:
I have been part of the FRG for a local unit, 772 MAC for the last 7 years or so but before that I was just a kid that had a father in the military that was not able to be deployed. To this day, I remember every meeting that my mom and I went to, just to support the women and children that had a loved one deployed in 2005. Ever since then I have grown to love the volunteering I do for this group of guys. Helping the soldiers and their families makes this even more special for me. I will continue to do the best that I can do to put out the resources that are there for them that I have been given.
The last few years my mom and I have been making breakfast or lunch for our soldiers on drill weekend as a fundraiser. The money that is raised goes to our family picnics or the Christmas dinners. The years that our unit holds the Ball, we do more fundraising so that we are able to purchase more things for the entire Battalion.