The Family Support office provides a range of services to contribute to readiness and retention in the Air National Guard and to enhance the quality of life for all guard members, their families, and the communities in which they live. 

Family Readiness Group

An FRG is an organization made of family members, volunteers, service members and civilian employees. The FRG belongs to a unit and provides an avenue of mutual support and serves as a network of communication among the family members, the chain of command, and community resources. The basic goal is to provide opportunities for members to meet and communicate in order to alleviate problems and better cope with common issues. 

The FRG meets monthly on the Thursday prior to drill at 1800.

Key Volunteer Program 

This program was designed as a communication tool for the unit and other members. It is a confidential program composed of spouses of the unit members who have volunteered to be a point of contact. There are some exciting things happening with these volunteers. If you would like to sign-up please contact the Family Support Office or the First Sergeant for your unit.

The 190th Wing Family Readiness Program has been a part of the 190th long before it was an "official office." Its value was proven in 1990 during Operation Desert Shield/Storm when the unit deployed following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.

Its conversion into a fully funded program began in late 2001 with the hiring of a full time staff member, the Wing Family Program Coordinator.

Family Readiness

Readiness for families encompasses more than just the preparation for their sponsor's deployment. It includes responsibility for preparing for natural disasters, evacuation of home incidental to disasters and accounting for personal, financial and legal affairs of their sponsor in the event of an emergency or fatality. Through involvement in the program and self-learning via on-line resources such as www.guardfamily.org, the National Guard Bureau Family Program hopes to develop 21st century National Guard families into resilient and resourceful and prepared families. Examples of readiness agencies are: Family Readiness Office, Legal Office (JAG), Employer Support to Guard & Reserve (ESGR), TriCare/TriWest, United Concordia, VA Healthcare, benefits and services, military pay and the Chaplain's Ofice.

Family Support

Examples of known family support activities initiated by families in their local unit were hosting meet & greet gatherings, creating deployment "goodie bags" and coordinating a deployment send off reception or homecoming reception. However, the needs of the National Guard Bureau with respect to their goal of building strong resilient and resourceful families necessitated developing a different mindset for families that directed their focus to actively preparing for deployment year round. "Operation: Ready Families" and the term family "readiness" officially replaced the term family support in favor of developing a lifestyle that puts them in tune with their sponsor's commitment for maintaining a "ready state" for deployment.

Volunteer Opportunities

The role you play in our FRG is your choice. There are many projects to involve yourself in and each is important. Opportunities are available with communication, newsletters, hospitality, social functions, materials preparation and there are many training programs available. Additionally, recruitment for these positions are not confined to family members. Veterans, retirees and private citizens from the community who desire to support our local service members and their families are welcome!