Military and Family Readiness Center (M&FRC)

Air National Guard: Drilling

Benefit Fact Sheet

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Summary

The Department of Air Force Military and Family Readiness Program's (M&FRP) mission is to provide targeted Airmen, Guardians and their Families support and services by contributing to mission readiness, and the well-being of the Department of the Air Force community. M&FRP supports and maintains mission readiness by assisting individuals and families with adaptation to the challenges and demands of the military lifestyle. The M&FRP ensures that Airmen, Guardians, and their Families are informed, educated, assisted, and prepared for the unique demands of military life.

Eligibility

The Military & Family Readiness Center (M&FRC) is the installation hub for information, referrals and resources. It serves all single and married active duty Service members, to include Guard and Reserve members while on active duty, DoD civilian personnel, military retirees and eligible Family members.

Benefit Highlights

AF Families Forever: The Air Force Families Forever program provides immediate and long-term bereavement care, service and support for Family members of deceased active duty Airmen, Guardians, and Air Reserve Component members in active duty status and whose relationship was establishedAF Families Forever prior to the Service member’s death. AF Families Forever serves as a conduit to facilitate the resolution of issues Family members may have as it relates to the death of an Airman or Guardian, in coordination with applicable subject matter experts. Each active-duty installation’s M&FRC is the point-of-contact for the Next-of-Kin (NOK) to receive long term support, including:

Information and Referral

  • Engagement through targeted contact and incremental outreach

  • Referral to eligible federal, state, and local resources to include partnering non-governmental organizations

Remembrance and Connection

  • Connection to installation and community support networks

  • Recognition/memorialization of deceased Airmen/Guardians

  • Coordination with installation leadership to include Family members in the Air Force and Space Force culture

Installation Access (Find your local Installation)

  • Sponsorship for NOK through the Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) process

  • Introduction to installation approved Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) activities

Air Force Warrior and Survivor Care: Military and Family Readiness Centers provide non-medical services, re-integration, and transition support for wounded, seriously ill, and injured Airmen and Guardians requiring long-term medical care and/or when meeting a medical/physical evaluation board to determine fitness forAir Force Warrior and Survivor Care duty. Centers ensure one-on-one pre-separation counseling is offered/provided for the Warrior & Survivor Care program participants when requested. Counseling support includes:

  • Any veterans’ benefits briefings and/or available specific disabled transition assistance counseling provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

  • Assistance for the Wounded, Ill and Injured Service member in completing and submitting a Veterans Affairs (VA) Form 21-526, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compenstion Benefits, through the Department of Veterans Affairs.

M&FRC’s collaborate with the Recovery Care Coordinator, the lead coordinator for Wounded, Ill and Injured to offer support to affected Service members and coordinate activities with installation agencies.

airmen walking to an aircraft Casualty Assistance: A trained Casualty Assistance representative provides counseling on benefits offered by a wide variety of programs, such as those from the DoD, Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Department of Health and Human Services, and state and local agencies. At some bases Casualty Assistance services are provided through the Force Support Squadron.

Deployment Support: M&FRC is dedicated to ensuring the needs of deployers and their families are addressed by offering services throughout the deployment cycle. Pre-deployment, sustainment, and reintegration services that provide information, improve skills, foster competencies, offer support, and assistance are offered to deploying personnel and their families. Family Readiness NCOs and other M&FRC staff are available to assist in managing the challenges of evacuations, emergencies, deployments and separations including TDYs and remote tours.

Employment Assistance Program (EAP): EAP supports military, civilians and Family members in achieving short- and long-term employment by referring them to education and/or training opportunities and assisting in helping achieve personal career goals in the private and public sectors. The M&FRC provides comprehensive services to ensure customers are equipped with adequate knowledge and assistance to aid in their job search, as well as for volunteer opportunities both on and off an installation.

Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP): The Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) is a mandatory enrollment program that works with other military and civilian agencies to provide comprehensive and coordinated community support, housing, educational, medical, and personnel services to Families with special needs. Airmen and Guardians on active duty enroll in the program when they have a Family member with a physical, emotional, developmental, or intellectual disorder requiring specialized services so their needs can be considered in the military personnel assignment process. The overall goal of EFMP is to help Families accompany the Service member to the right duty locations, not to exclude them.

5 dollar bill inside of an Air force money clip Personal Financial Readiness: M&FRC offers information, education, and personal financial counseling to help individuals and Families maintain financial readiness and build resiliency.

Personal and Work Life: Provides education and enrichment services that focus on helping Families build and maintain healthy relationships, strengthen interpersonal competencies and problem-solving skills, and master respective roles, tasks and responsibilities throughout the Family life cycle. Services may be provided in collaboration with other helping agencies.

  • Key Spouse Program: The Department of the Air Force Key Spouse Program is a commander's program to enhance unit Family readiness. The role of the Key Spouse is designed to enhance mission readiness and resilience and establish a sense of community. Promotes partnerships with unit leadership, Families, volunteer Key Spouses, M&FRC, and other installation community agencies.

M&FRC provide initial Key Spouse training at least quarterly using the AF standardized Key Spouse training curriculum as well as networking and education opportunities to compliment the initial training.

  • Heart Link: The Heart Link Program, partially funded by the Air Force Aid Society, is designed to strengthen military families, and enhance mission readiness by helping to orient new Air Force or Space Force spouses (typically five years or less) to active duty military life.

Relocation Assistance The Relocation Assistance Program is a congressionally mandated program designed to ease the personal and family stressors military families experience with a PCS by providing assistance, counseling, education, and training throughout all phases of the relocation process.

Each Department of the Air Force (DAF) installation Military & Family Readiness Center (M&FRC) provides a support staff, trained in the techniques and delivery of professional relocation assistance.

Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP): The Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) is a program through which the Department of Defense provides monthly, cost-of-living-adjusted income to eligible survivors of Service members who die on Active Duty in the line of duty, including Reserve and Air National Guard Service members who die on Federal Active Duty in the line of duty and Retired Airmen who choose to continue participating in the program after they retire.

Service members who retire due to a service-connected disability incurred while on active duty, whether Regular or Reserve, may participate in SBP.

Reserve and Air National Guard Service members may participate in the Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan (RCSBP) when they complete 20 years of qualifying service for non-regular retirement.

Transition Assistance Program (TAP): The goal of the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) is to provide information, counseling and training to ensure Service members and their Spouses are prepared for the next step in civilian life; whether pursuing additional education, finding a career or starting their own business. Support for TAP is provided by wing M&FRP Manager or local installation Military and Family Readiness Center (M&FRC) staff.

  • Air Reserve Component members being released from 10 USC orders (active status) with documented pre-separation counseling within the preceding five years and Veterans Benefits briefings within the preceding three years are exempt from those parts only, but may opt-in. The TAP CAPSTONE element must be completed by all.

  • Active Guard Reserve members and Air Reserve Technicians returning from activations/deployments of 180 continuous or more days returning to a full-time 10 USC position are exempt from TAP. Those members returning to a 32 USC position must complete TAP requirements shown in DoDI 1332.35.

Volunteer Resources: Collaborates with other base agencies for the purpose of referring Airmen, spouses, and other Family members for volunteer opportunities.

Additional services that may be available at the M&FRC include:

  • Air Force Aid Society Logo

    Air Force Aid Society: The Air Force Aid Society (AFAS) is the official charity of the  Air Force and Space Force. AFAS's purpose is to help Airmen and Guardians when they need it most. Various types of assistance provided include emergency assistance, educational support and community programs

  • School Liaison: School Liaisons are located at each installation and are the central point of contact for commanders, military families, and local school systems on school-related matters for grades Pre-K-12. The School Liaison Office (SLO) advocate, advise, and build alliances to help address education concerns, challenges or issues of the Total Force and offer a network, to educate and provide information or referral for both military families and school districts. Services provided but are not limited to: Transition Support (School Districts & Boundaries), Alternative Schooling Options/Support (Private, Parochial, Charter, Virtual School, and Homeschool), Deployment Support, College, Career & Military Readiness, Scholarship & Grant Resources, Parent Workshops, School District Professional Development and Military Interstate Compact Compliance Support. School Liaisons build, sustain and are the continuity in education - community partnerships.

  • Voters Assistance: The M&FRC serves as the Installation Voter Assistance (IVA) Office. The IVA Office provides uniformed Service members, their Family members and overseas citizens with information and assistance on how to request an absentee ballot and vote absentee.

Additional Information

Air Force’s Personnel Center:
https://www.afpc.af.mil/Airman-and-Family/

DAFI 36-3009, Airman and Family Readiness Centers:
https://static.e-publishing.af.mil/production/1/af_a1/publication/dafi36-3009/dafi36-3009.pdf

Air Force Aid Society:
https://afas.org

Transition Assistance Program for Military Personnel , DoDI 1332.35:
https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/133235p.pdf

DoD TAP, Transition Assistance Program
https://www.dodtap.mil/dodtap/app/home

Document Review Date: 16 October 2023