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Text Box: Individual Augmentee Family Support Group Kickoff   A few months ago I wrote about the Navy’s new initiative in support of the Global War on Terrorism. This initiative provides for individual Sailors, as opposed to commands, to be deployed based on their skills. Both officer and enlisted Sailors are being sent on TAD orders to places such as GITMO (Guantanamo Bay), Cuba, Afghanistan, Iraq and other locations. These Individual Augmentee, or IA deployments are six, nine or twelve months in duration. Often these orders are cut very quickly leaving the family little time to prepare and adjust.   Recognizing the sacrifice and challenge these deployments require of the Sailor, spouses and families the region has looked to provide support for those affected. CAPS, Counselling, Advocacy and Prevention Services, developed a pre-deployment program to prepare Sailors for these unique and often challenging deployments. Likewise, they have also developed a post-deployment program to support successful return and reunion with families and their sponsoring command.   Partnering with CAPS, Naval Base Kitsap has also developed a support initiative for the families of our IA Sailors during deployment. Because individuals are deployed from many commands it makes sense to provide this support on a base-wide level as opposed to the command level.   Captain Reid Tanaka will host the kickoff Dessert & Coffee Reception for the families of deployed Individual Augmentees of Naval Base Kitsap Thursday, Nov 3, 2005. This event, held at the Jackson Park Community Center at 6:30pm, will kickoff the monthly IA Support Group. Reservations are required, please RSVP to Gretchen Childcare will be provided free of charge for children ten and under. Reservations are required for child care.   This IA Support Group will differ from traditional Family Support Groups as this will not be purely a social organization nor is it command specific. Rather, this support group is for all IA families located at Naval Base Kitsap regardless of command. The IA support group will focus on providing valuable information and support for you, the spouse and family members of our Individual Augmentees. There will be no fund-raising, however there are plans for fun nights as well as information and support.   The IA Support Group will meet monthly. Each meeting has a theme, whether workshop, informational or recreational, to offer you opportunities to gain valuable information and support. In addition, there will be information and support offered to you for your teens and children.   A team has been assembled for your support and assistance during your service member’s deployment and reunion. Each brings experience and commitment to serve you as your Sailor serves our country. In addition, you will have the opportunity to meet your ombudsman and other spouses of IA Sailors.   For those spouses of IA deployed Sailors from Whidbey Island, keep posted as this same support group will be coming soon to NASWI. If you are interested in attending please NASWI Command Ombudsman Carrie Villegas at 360-720-2045. For those at Everett, please contact the Chaplain’s Office at 425-304-3342 for their IA Support Group.   The Navy’s Individual Augmentee initiative looks to be with us for some time. We should maintain a higher state of deployment readiness as a result. Determine to keep all documents up to date as well as ID’s, decals and your deployment support plan.   Regardless of how long IA Deployments will be with us a support program will remain in place to offer the service member and their families support throughout their experience.   To RSVP for the Naval Base Kitsap IA Support Group Kickoff or register your children for childcare, please contact Beth Wiruth at 360-621-4917 or Gretchen Bryan at 360-627-4000. We look forward to meeting you at there. All Rights Reserved Homefront in Focus 2007 ª SOS Hotline

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