READINESS AND DEPLOYMENT SUPPORT

CHECKPOINT

Erin McConnell Vanko

Family Readiness/Deployment Support Trainer

P   619.524.8030

E    vankoem@usmc-mccs.org

L    Building 6 – Located within Marine Corps Family Team Building

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

FOR FAMILY READINESS OFFICERS, COMMANDERS, MARINES AND THEIR FAMILIES

1. What is the goal of Readiness and Deployment Support?

The goal is to prepare our military families for the unique challenges of a deployment in addition to maintaining a constant state of readiness independent of deployment. The Readiness and Deployment Support Trainer’s (RDST) unit support remains constant for the Marines and families regardless of the deployment cycle.

2. When should the Family Readiness Program Trainers (FRPT) and Readiness and Deployment Support Trainers be utilized?

RDST’s must be utilized from pre-deployment, deployment to post deployment. FRPT’s must be utilized to deliver Command Team Training, Family Readiness Officer Training, and Family Readiness volunteer training.

3. What are the duties of a Readiness and Deployment Support Trainer?

RDST duties include, but are not limited to: ▫ Coordination and delivery of pre, during, and post deployment briefs and support at the unit level. ▫ Direct liaison to the unit FRO’s, assisting with various family readiness matters, facilitation of the family readiness assessment tool, providing feedback for current trends and issues, and providing recommendations for improvements in services to the Marine Corps Family Team Building (MCFTB) Director. ▫ Coordination with other MCFTB programs to facilitate fulfillment of unit-specific family readiness training needs, as required.

4. When do I need to schedule and conduct my series of Pre-Deployment Brief? Scheduling needs to take place no later than 60 days prior to deployment and the actual brief shall take place no later than 30 days prior to departure. The briefs no offered are:

• Pre-Deployment Brief for Single Marines I and II (whether it is their 1st or 2nd deployment)
• Pre-Deployment for Single Parent and Married Marines I and II

5. How do I encourage my families and Marines to attend the various Pre-Deployment Briefs?

The information presented in these briefs is critical for Marines (single and married) and their family members to be aware of in order to be prepared and have a successful deployment. In the past, the Pre-Deployment Briefs turned into marathon evenings with several speakers. With the new content, all information is given by the command team and a RDST. The information given is designed to briefly touch on important topics to help prepare your Marines and family members.

6. What topics are covered during a Single Marine Pre-Deployment Brief?

MCFTB will provide a deployment guide and checklist for all in attendance. The topics covered are: legal planning, single parents, Combat Operational Stress Continuum, personal preparation (vehicles, property, weapons, voting), comfort items, preparing loved ones, communication, care packages, and emergency leave.

7. What topics are covered during a Marine and family Pre-Deployment Brief?

MCFTB will provide a deployment guide and checklist for all in attendance. The topics covered are: deployment stress, emotional cycle of deployment, coping tips, should I stay or should I go? (moving home during a deployment), to do list, TriCare, American Red Cross, power of attorney, Military OneSource, communication, mail (postal), children and deployment, and resources available.

8. What is “Kids-N-Deployment” and when can I offer the workshop?

This workshop is offered by MCFTB RDST’s. The goal of this is to give a structured workshop that delivers the tools needed for children (ages 4-18) and parents to positively and successfully cope with deployment. Parents and family members also attend their own workshop that runs concurrently with their children’s workshop. This workshop is best delivered two weeks to one month after your unit deploys.

9. What are “Kids, In The Midst” and “In the Midst for Adults”?

Organized by the RDSTs, these two separate workshops are designed to sustain family members during the deployment. Children (ages 4-18) and adults are able to understand the importance of taking care and focusing on themselves. These workshops are ideally offered three months into a six or seven month deployment and again about three months after Return and Reunion for a twelve to fourteen month deployment. This workshop may also be delivered on a regular schedule for families to participate. It does not need to be related to a deployment cycle. The skills developed would assist families in attaining and maintaining a state of resiliency and stability regardless of the deployment cycle of the unit currently assigned to.

10. What is “Beyond the Brief”?

This is a series of workshops for adults aimed at addressing topic identified as needing more discussion. Pre-Deployment Briefs are designed to hit wave tops of important topics to better prepare the Marine and their family for the deployment/separation they are facing and its challenges. The individual workshops are meant to delve into greater depth of the topics in the Pre-deployment Briefs in a more hands on manner. Some of the topics already developed into workshops and provided by HQMC are:

• Coping with the Stress of Deployment
• Safe and Sound at home
• Financial Planning
• Casualty Assistance Process
• Effects of Combat Operational Stress on the Marines and families

Additional topics that address issues unique to your installation may be developed as part of this series. Some topic that may be addressed in this format would be:

• Adjusting family Roles (finance, household, chores, etc.)
• Emotional Cycle of Reunion for Couples (honey moon, disturbance, adjustment, and acceptance)
• Should I stay or should I go?

These workshops may be delivered as a series or as stand alone workshops. They may be a regular part of the MCFTB schedule or may be delivered at the request of units. This series should remain a workshop format that is discussion driven with the assistance of subject matter experts and resources available with in MCCS, the installation, and the community.

11. What are “Kids-N-Reunion” and “Return and Reunion” for adults and when do I need to offer them?

At least 30 days prior to your unit’s anticipated return, both workshops need to be conducted. “Kids-N-Reunion” is a structured workshop that delivers the tools needed for children and parents to positively and successfully adjust to the return of the deployed parent/s. Parents and family members attend their own workshop that runs concurrently with tier children’s. “Return and Reunion” for spouses is an interactive workshop that discusses the expectations and challenges associated with the return of the deployed spouse.