Council Support Efforts Can Help Military Families Cope

Sea Power, Jun 2004 by Atkinson, Peter E

As a Navy League member, and the wife of a Navy Reservist who was called to active duty in Iraq, KathyLee Wever has experienced the family support issue from both ends of the spectrum.

When her husband Mark, a military intelligence specialist, was activated in October 2002, Wever was left to juggle the care of their two young daughters and her career as a teacher. Living in Champlin, Minn., well away from any major military installation, Wever was able to find support when she needed it from family, fellow church members and people from school during her husband's absence.

"It's mostly National Guardsmen and reservists here, so you don't have the usual military support network," Wever said. "We were lucky to have people do the things they did to help us out."

But changes for the better are afoot now in Minnesota. Wever and her husband, who returned in September after nearly a year on active duty, were invited to share their story at a Navy League area meeting in Minneapolis in January.

"They wanted to know what they could do," Wever said. "I think that meeting really got the ball rolling."

During the past several months, Navy Leaguers from the area have dramatically stepped up their efforts to fill the support void and provide a sense of community among the growing number of Guard and reserve families affected by activations.

The Twin Cities Council, which the Wevers joined after the January meeting, has been especially active. The council formed a Military Affairs Committee in December to help coordinate its program efforts, according to council President Joanne Knobel, and has been moving forward ever since.

"Our goal is to provide support in the way of monies, information and volunteers in supporting families and military personnel," she said.

The council worked with the Naval Reserve Center in Minneapolis to host a "Thank You for Your Service" reception March 13 to honor reservists who had returned from active duty. More than 250 Navy and Marine Reservists, along with Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, attended the event, said Robert Faust, chairman of the council's Military Affairs Committee.

That event served as a launch pad for a new effort to work with service family support officials to better serve the unique needs of Navy Reservists. Because they often are activated individually, based on their specialty, and not as an entire unit, "It can be an incredibly isolating event," Faust said.

But by working with each unit's ombudsman and the affected families, the council hopes to put together a support network for each active reservist, based on their specific needs. Knobel cited the example of a young woman who is 7-1/2 months pregnant, has a 22-month-old son, works full time and whose husband was recently activated.

"A plan is being worked out to maintain contact on a weekly basis, and to make sure she has the support available around delivery time to help with meals and care of herself and her son," Knobel said.

"Arrangements were also made for her to have access to the base videophone system so the family will be able to view each other. This is especially important so their son does not forget his dad over the year-long deployment and helps make the return transition easier."

In another ongoing project, the council is working on a partnership arrangement with area Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve representatives to make presentations together to community leaders on the needs of families of reservists who are mobilized.

"By June, we plan to begin our first presentation together with different Chambers of Commerce around Minnesota," Knobel said.

The Twin Cities Council also is supporting Minnesota's Military Family Care Initiative, which was created in 2003 by Gov. Pawlenty's wife, Mary, on behalf of mobilized reservists and National Guardsmen of all service branches. Under the program, local businesses, churches and organizations have volunteers to provide as-needed services to families of mobilized military personnel.

Constant Effort

As the Navy League council for a community that houses one of the largest military facilities in the world, support efforts for active-duty and reserve families have been a top priority and a full-time job in Hampton Roads, Va., for some time. The mobilizations and activations that have come in the wake of the war on terrorism and the war in Iraq mean more people are in need and there is more work to be done.

"We really do work at these programs every day," said Mary Ellen Baldwin, the council's executive director. Their efforts include raising money, gathering resources for family support and offering the programs themselves. Because of the unique circumstances of having such an enormous military presence in the Hampton Roads area, the council provides services that go above and beyond traditional family support.

For spouses or family members who may be in the job market, the council hosts a variety of events, including monthly distinguished guest speaker forums, that offer information and provide networking opportunities. Resume-writing and job-placement assistance, as well as access to Transition Assistance Program resources also can be provided through the council "to help people get their foot in the door," Baldwin said.