Family Assistance Specialist Vacancies

Vacancies exist for Fort Wayne and Evansville, Indiana.

Position closing date is 1 January 2010.

Point of Contact Information:
Van Bree, Cathleen A MAJ NGIN
State Family Programs Director
Email Address: cathleen.vanbree@ng.army.mil

Indiana Family Assistance Center (FAC) Specialist
*Provide Family Assistance for the Total Army and Air National Guard and all deployed service members and their families in accordance with DoDI Number 1342.23, Family Readiness in the National Guard and Reserve Components, AR 600-20, Army Command Policy and FORSCOM Regulation 500-3, FORSCOM Mobilization and Deployment Planning. Serve as a liaison between the chain of command and the chain of concern, providing assistance to families in preparing for and coping with all aspects of mobilization.

*Assist in providing information, referral, outreach, and support services to military members and their families for all services and components per FORSCOM guidelines. The standard expectation for response to family member issues shall be 24hrs with a resolution or follow-up contact.

*Assist the Lead FAC in providing guidance and in gathering, collating, maintaining and disseminating information to families. This will include distributions made at FRG meetings, mobilization and demobilization briefings, providing resources to families and service members related to family / life issues and concerns.

*Develop and maintain with approval from the State Family Program Director, a schedule of events, reunion and deployment briefings, or other events.

*Provide supported families with pertinent information related to deployment and redeployment, including but not limited to National Guard Bureau materials, information regarding Tricare, Military One Source, Marriage Enrichment Seminar and any other applicable information.

*Provide assistance to military families in their designated FAC and in other locations as needed. Assistance on pay & financial issues, military medical benefits, legal issues, ID cards & Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System enrollment, Employer Support to the Guard & Reserve (ESGR), accessing military dependent benefits and services from local installations, and a wide variety of other family-related deployment issues. This list is not all-inclusive, and all family problems and concerns of service members will be effectively and appropriately addressed.

*Establish and maintain contact with each deployed Guard member’s family or Point of Contact (POC) to offer assistance and determine any issues or concerns that the family may have. Encourage the support of volunteers and unit members to provide monthly contact and maintain a database that documents the family information and the monthly contact.

*Establish positive working relationships with state and local military, government, and civilian agencies and offices, social service agencies, community services, businesses, and civic organizations that may be able to provide support and services to Guard members and families. Develop and maintain a directory to include the full name of the resource, POC, complete address, telephone number, and description of the services provided. Lists will be updated and maintained at the FAC. *Maintain contact with the Unit Family Program Military POC and Commander regarding Family Assistance issues and operations.

*Coordinate with the Unit Commander and the specific facility POC to plan for sufficient office space and support equipment and supplies, such as telephones, computers, facsimile machines, copiers, postage, etc., to support the center mission. Ensure that equipment safety and security requirements are met. A prior arrangement with the Director of Information Management (DOIM) for all communication requirements is essential.

*Coordinate financial assistance from military, governmental and civilian (community) organizations as needed to assist military families experiencing financial hardships. This includes referral to appropriate offices, agencies and organizations.

*Familiar with and maintain access to all regulations and guidance thhat are applicable to the operation of the FAC, particularly those that pertain to assisting families.

Attend all FAC training by National Guard Bureau, the State Family Program Director or the Contract agency.

*Provide the briefings and information packets to Soldiers and family members for the following:
Mobilization requirements: Mobilization, De-Mobilization and Post Mobilization. Upon mobilization: Soldier Readiness Processing for Mobilization.
Family mobilization briefing Upon de-mobilization: Reverse processing on redeployment.
Provide family reunion briefings
Post mobilization: At three months a family & soldier reunification briefing, or Seamless Transition Event.

*Provide administrative support services.

*Complete intake sheets or utilize the Guard Family Management System and maintain logs on all cases received by the FAC. Responsible for complete and thorough follow-up on all problems noted on all Intake Sheets at the FAC.

*Compose routing correspondence, including e-mail; and completing correspondence in the correct format. Completing and forwarding, on time, all required FAC reports in the correct format.

*Receive FAC visitors and notify visitors and participants of relevant information, meetings and events.

*Comply with verbal or written guidance of the State Family Program Office regarding the operations of the FACs and the activities of the Contract Employees in support of these operations.

*Secure and safeguard all government property, including documents that are provided for or created by the operations of the FAC. It is understood that all records, documents and resources utilized in the FAC and by the FAC Supervisor are for official government use only, and will remain government property on termination of the contract.

*Respond to and effectively handle time-sensitive calls as they are received, to include during off-hours. *Ensure that coordination is made with the State Family Program Director in advance of any and all communication with any element of the civilian media. The FAC Specialist will provide no statements or documents to the media unless authorized by the appropriate State National Guard Public Affairs Office and the State Family Program Office.

*The FAC Specialist will be required to complete all FAC records, reports, logs and communications records. These will be consolidated and forward to the State Family Program Office as scheduled by the State Family Program Director. All deliverables must meet required professional and technical standards.

*Maintain office files to include, daily reports, and other documents as necessary. Revise, purge, and maintain various filing systems in the office.

*Maintain access for all regulations and guidance that is applicable to the operation of the FAC, particularly those that pertain to assisting families.

Please send resumes to: belinda.r.ireland@us.army.mil. Position closing date: 1 January 2010