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![Text Box: Homefront in Focus: Support for IA Families – Yes, It Does Exist…
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The war has required the Navy, and all branches of the military, to look at staffing and deployments in a new way. This has led to a process of deploying individuals as opposed to units or commands, on TAD orders (Temporary Assigned Duty). Depending on the rate, rank (both officer and enlisted) and need of the Department of Defense these individuals, called Individual Augmentees or IA’s, are deployed for roughly 179 days (six months) to 455 days (15 months). This IA deployment is based on the skill set of the individual that is required by the military and offers the individual an opportunity to utilize and hone those skills, enhance their advancement opportunities and further serve our country. Those selected to serve as Individual Augmentees are sent to Fort Jackson, SC or other Army installation for roughly two weeks of intensive combat training they will need in Iraq, Afghanistan or Djibouti. Those selected for certain assignments will receive additional training prior to deployment.
As spouses, we need to be aware of the demands the war has placed on the Navy and this new staffing initiative. We need to be aware that sailors serving on shore duty or whose ship is in the yard period and not ready for eminent deployment may be called to serve as IA’s in other locations of the military’s mission throughout the world. As a result spouses must maintain a higher state of readiness, keeping our Powers of Attorney, Wills, ID’s, Decals and other documents up to date. Generally these IA orders have a relatively short notice, roughly 30 days advance notice.
Individual Augmentees, and their families, face a unique deployment and require unique support. A new command, the Expeditionary Command Readiness Center or ECRC stood up in October 2006 with responsibility to support IA’s and families. Their mission statement: “Train, equip, certify, deploy, provide oversight, reach-back and redeploy (return to sending command) Navy Individual Augmentees (IA), In Lieu Of (ILO) individuals and provisional units deploying for nontraditional expeditionary missions in support of the Global War on Terrorism” outlines their role.
Once a sailor receives IA orders the ECRC takes responsibility for the sailor. While this is a young command they have made considerable efforts and strides in streamlining and consolidating stops prior to and following deployment. This means less time in transit and more time at home for the sailor. They have established effective relationships with the Army to insure IA’s are well-trained for this unique deployment. It is important to note that the ECRC is responsible for all IA’s, both active duty and reservists.
The ECRC is located at the Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, VA but has detachments in Iraq, Kuwait and Afghanistan as well as liaison representatives at training stations such as Fort Jackson, SC. These detachments, accessible by service members 24/7, are tasked with supporting IA’s and assisting with issues that may arise during deployment, such as pay issues, emergency leave, even equipment or supply issues.
In a traditional deployment, with a unit or command, spouses are able to access information, support, communication and access to the command and their sailor through the Family Readiness Group and Ombudsman. The very nature of IA deployments, individuals versus units, means the spouse and family left behind is often isolated, without a communication stream or command support. Support, information and connection with others in the same situation may be difficult.
While the ECRC is responsible for training, equipping, deploying and redeploying (return to sending unit), your service member’s original command remains responsible for you and your service member. As such your Command Ombudsman has been trained and equipped with information and resources to offer you during this unique deployment. Please contact your Ombudsman as soon as your service member receives IA orders so they can provide you with information and support. If you do not know the contact info for your command your service member can get that for you from the Plan of the Week or call the FFSC.
The ECRC provides support for the service member but also serves as a conduit for information and support for families. As part of this support a hotline has been established for families and sailors. The toll free number, 877-364-4302, is manned 24/7 by a person. “We got it [the hotline] in place so families would be streamlined to a person who can help right away.” states CDR Mary Sadler, ECRC’s IA Family Readiness Officer. “The hotline is only forwarded to voice mail if the line is busy taking care of other family members.” Families accessing support through this hotline can also expect follow-up calls to ensure that situations and needs have been resolved. While neither the hotline nor command provides direct service it does serve as an ‘information and referral’ resource for families along with the ombudsman from your service member’s sending command. CDR Sadler adds the ECRC “is THE conduit that can help an IA family member access the programs and organizations out there and we are positioned to do that.”
Fleet and Family Service Centers as well as Counseling, Advocacy and Prevention Services throughout the fleet are also responding to the needs of families and service members. Many provide pre-deployment briefings specific to the IA deployment, sponsor IA Spouse Groups and counseling specific to the challenges of combat deployment including PTSD and combat stress.
The ECRC website, www.ecrc.navy.mil, is another resource for families and service members. The IA Sailor Handbook and The IA Family Handbook, both developed by CNIC and maintained by the ECRC are available for download from that site.. The ECRC is responsible for the content of these publications which will be reviewed and updated regularly.
Another resource is the Navy Knowledge Online (NKO) website for Individual Augmentees and their families. If you have not accessed the NKO website you can establish your own account as a spouse. Logon to www.nko.navy.mil and follow the tutorial to establish your account. You will find the IA Spouse Support page under the link entitled ‘Navy Family Community’. This site also provides an online forum for IA families to connect with other families throughout the Navy.
There are currently approximately 13,000 sailors deployed as Individual Augmentees in locations such as Kuwait, Afghanistan, Horn of Africa, GITMO and Iraq. This new command brings training, support, equipment and family support under one roof and that is good news for sailors and families.
I would like to recommend three additional resources for IA families. Military Spouse Support Network (www.militaryspousesupport.net) and LovingMySailor (www.lovinmysailor.com) are two online forum of spouses, parents and loved ones (including ‘significant others’) from all branches of the service. This network is a community of very supportive individuals who share the common challenges of deployment. You will find great support on these forums. Membership is free.
San Diego’s Fleet and Family Support Center website maintains a link from their website with tremendous resources for IA’s and their families. Check them out at www.navbasesd.navy.mil, click on Fleet & Family Support Center on the left, then click on the “IA’s – Individual Augmentee” link on the right.
Finally, CAPT Nowak, Family Readiness Officer from the ECRC appeared on Navy Homfront Talk!, an internet talk show for Navy spouses. The podcast of his 40 minute interview is available at www.homefrontinfocus.com. Click on the Talk Show link on the right then choose the “IA Families” broadcast. Homefront in Focus, parent of Navy Homefront Talk!, produces a free bi-monthly e-newsletter for IA Families. You can register for this free newsletter on the website.
While this deployment is very different from the traditional Navy deployment information and resources are the keys to families understanding the nature of the deployment and the support available to them. You are not alone in this unique deployment.
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