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What is an FRG ?
FRG stands for Family Readiness Group.  According to AR 608-1 "An FRG is a commander’s program
formed in accordance with AR 600–20 and appendix J to provide activities and support that encourage
self-sufficiency among its members by providing information, referral assistance, and mutual support."
They are normally organized at company/troop and battalion/squadron levels.

ATTENTION
CAVALRY FAMILIES!!!

Looking for a great family activity for your squadron?  Why not plan a Kid's Spur Ride?  See what the Fort Campbell Courier had to say about the recent
2-17 Cavalry
Kid's Spur Ride!

Some of the basic elements
of an FRG include:

• Battallion/Squadron FRG leader
• Company/Troop FRG leader
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Points of contact

Some FRG activities may include:

• Classes and workshops.
• Volunteer Recognition
• Unit Hail and Farewells.
• FRG member, staff or steering committee meetings.
• Newcomer sponsorship.
• Social gatherings (for families, couples, or spouses)
• Fundraising

Tips for a strong FRG

• Remember spouses have no rank
• Get involved!
• Encourage all-ranks activities
• Meet regularly for socials
• Keep updated Rosters
• Keep information flowing in both directions
• Get to know the other spouses
• Ask questions, offer suggestions, volunteer!
• Be yourself and have fun!

*FRG volunteer positions include:

• Company/Troop FRG Leader
  *Supports the Commander’s goal and intent for the FRGs.
  *Oversees the establishment of the chain of concern and its periodic revision. (Ultimately the Commander is responsible for having a Soldier update this information).
  *Assists Commander in recruiting volunteers for other positions within the FRG.
  *Assists Commander in scheduling and arranging the monthly FRG meetings.
  *Serves as a member of the BN/Squadron Steering Committee
  *Identifies needs or unique problems of families.
  *Acts as the CO/BTRY/TRP FRG spokesperson for communicating family members’ concerns and ideas to the unit commander and, if necessary to the BN advisor
  *Initiates the telephone chain to the unit POC’s
  *Assists Commander in coordinating and arranging CO/BTRY/TRP level events
  *Ensures each spouse receives a welcome phone call nd packet if applicable
  *Collects volunteer hours from the FRG members and submits to FRGA monthly or as requested
  *Encourage issue resolution at CO/BTRY/TRP level

• Secretary
  *Attend FRG meetings and steering committee meetings.
  *Record the minutes of the FRG point of contact (POC) meetings and steering committee meetings.
  *Provide minutes via e-mail to all members of the FRG whether present or not. Keep a notebook of the minutes for reference at a later date and record keeping. Minutes should include the names of all those in attendance.
  *Act as volunteer Coordinator until/unless one is chosen.

• Treasurer
  *Keeps accurate records of FRG money.
  *Collects money from fundraisers and has a second party verify the amount of money collected.
  *Pays for expenses and files receipts. Receipts should show: date, item, amount paid and payee.
  *Prepares quarterly and yearly statements.
  *Turns in volunteer hours monthly to battalion volunteer coordinator (secretary).

• P.O.C. (Point of Contact)/Key Callers
  *Talks to assigned spouses on a regular basis (monthly during periods of normalcy, weekly during training and deployments) to let them know they are being thought of and cared for. Asks if they need assistance and directs them to the proper source if necessary. These can be done by telephone or in person.
  *Meets personally with any new people in their support branch to explain the unit FRG, the contact person’s role and make them feel welcome.
  *Informs FRG leader or Commander of problems and actions taken.
  *Passes messages down the phone tree.
  *Helps to stop rumors during phone calls.
  *Attends FRG training meetings.
  *Turns in volunteer hours monthly to the Company FRG Leader or volunteer coordinator through the company point of contact.

*Information obtained from MyArmyLifeToo.com. 

IDEA BANK
One of the ways to have a successful FRG is to meet regularly and offer a variety of activities, rather than to simply have dry monthly informational meetings.  Below are some ideas I have had success with.
SHARE YOUR IDEA!

CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS

• Scrapbooking - Have each person purchase a scrapbook.  Make sure everyone buys the same size.  (8x8 or 12x12 work best)  Then create a page or two a month to add to the book.  Some theme ideas are:  holidays, seasonal, military occupation, birthday, romance, new baby, pet pages, just about anything.  You can even base each page on an activity your FRG has done.  For example, an Easter theme and add photos from your unit's Easter Party.

• Pottery - Organize a day to attend a local pottery class

• AFTB (Army Family Teambuilding)

VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION

• Emails/Phone Calls - an email or phone call to thank volunteers for their efforts is a great way to encourage continued participation in the FRG

• Notecards - Don't forget the traditional methods of acknowledging volunteers, such as sending a simple thank you note.

• Plaques- Presented by the command

• Certificates - Signed by the command are a typical method of recognizing volunteer work

• Gifts - 

HAILS & FAREWELLS

• When you become arrive or depart from a unit, you may be "Hailed or Farewelled." This is the units way of saying "Welcome or "Goodbye".  At a hail you and your spouse will be introduced. At a farewell, you'll normally receive a momento and be asked to say a few words.

NEWCOMER SPONSORSHIP

• Establish a welcome committee.

• Make initial contact with the new family by calling or visiting perhaps even bringing a small gift such as a plant.  Let them know how happy you are to have them joining the unit.

• Provide them with a welcome packet to include information on the local post and surrounding area, as well as contact. information for the FRG leader and a phone tree/roster.

• Bring the newcomer to the next troop/company get together.

• Encourage the existing spouses to reach out to the new ones, realizing that although they are new to the unit they may not be new to the military.

MEALS ON WHEELS  Consider implementing a program to provide meals to families in the unit during busy or difficult times.  When coordinating this type of program you may want to consider the following.

• Decide when to utilize the program.  (birth of a child, surgery or illness in the family etc.)

• Decide how many meals will be made.

• Ask for a volunteer to coordinate the meals.  This may mean sending out an email or making calls via the phone tree to find volunteers.

• Be sure to check if there are any diet restrictions prior to meal preparation

WEDDING/NEW BABY  It is a nice idea to recognize new additions to our military family, whether it be a new spouse, or birth of a child.  Here are some of the most common ways to do so:

• Send Flowers - Include a personal note welcoming the new spouse or baby.

• Gift/Card- Have everyone sign a card and decide what will be given as a gift.  It is hard to go wrong with a store gift card or restaurant gift certificate.

• Unit Baby Certificate (Click to see a sample)

• Engraved Silver Cup

SOCIAL GATHERINGS  It is important to have regular socials so families of the unit can get to know each other better, make new friends, and enhance esprit de corps.

• Half-Way Party - Celebrate the half way point of a deployment!  Order pizzas and 1/2 the toppings, get a cake; make it half chocolate and half yellow cake.  Be creative!

• Movie Night - Sign out a projector, get a movie and hang a sheet on the side of your house or over a garage door and have an outdoor movie night.  Don't forget the popcorn & goodies!

• Fondue Party - Make some chocolate and cheese fondues, then have your guests bring various foods for dipping.  (View sample invitation)

• Potluck - Everyone brings a dish to share.

• United Nations Dinner - This is a variation of the potluck - just have each person bring a different ethnic dish.

• Dip Party - Everyone brings their favorite dip with enough copies of the recipe to share with the group.

• Horseback riding - If your post has stables, make arrangements for rides for your group - the kids will love it and it makes for some great pictures.

• Day at the pool - Why not pack some snacks and meet at the local pool!

• Holiday Parties -

• Game Night - Bunco and Bingo are both popular choices

• Coffee/Tea

   

  ICE BREAKER IDEAS - The objective of using get to know you activities is to help your group of ladies get to know each other a little better, rather than to just stick close to the people they already know. It also will help avoid feelings of awkwardness.
   

  • Two Truths & A Lie - This is a great get to know you game!  Have each guest fill out an index card with two truths and a lie about themselves and then read them aloud.  Have the other attendees decide which of the things on the card are the truths and which one is a lie.

  • Little Known Facts - Have each guest anonymously fill out an index card with one little known fact about themselves.  The hostess then collects all the cards and reads each one aloud to the group and asks them to decide whose card is being read.

  • Get To Know You Bingo - Print Bingo Cards and instead of numbers, use things like, most pets, biggest purse, etc.  Find one person to sign each block.  Each person can only sign once.  Fill your blocks until you have B-I-N-G-O!!  (View a sample card)

     

Newsletters

• Title, Unit Crest, Logo

• Upcoming unit events

• Scheduled FRG activities

• Photos from past events

• Hails and Farewells

• Promotions/Awards

• Births, Birthdays, Anniversaries

• Thank Volunteers

• Rumor Control

• Trivia - research your unit's history and include some interesting facts.  This can be in a True/False format, multiple choice or a simple "Did you know?" format.