By MOAA Staff
A new report based on a recent forum hosted by MOAA and the Reserve Officers Association (ROA) details solutions to key problems facing National Guard and Reserve Families, as well as what you can do to help.
The June 26 National Guard and Reserve Family Forum was designed to identify the unique challenges of National Guard and Reserve families. Panels of experts spoke on issues related to children’s education and well-being, pay and benefits, and community programs.
An After Action Report of the meeting, which can be downloaded here, offers several key takeaways, including plans for:
- Improving pay systems and educating employers to accommodate servicemembers and reduce disruptions as they transition through all duty statuses.
- Ensuring continuity of health care during times of duty status transition.
- Expanding resources and programming to support National Guard and Reserve-connected children through key points of contact such as schools, parents, and medical providers.
- Implementing and leveraging new and existing military and nonmilitary community resources to bolster support for National Guard and Reserve families living in nonmilitary communities.
- Keeping servicemembers and their families informed on the appropriate benefits or entitlements for each duty status.
- Reducing the high suicide rate in the National Guard and Reserve population, which is amplified by geographic separation from military community support and mental health resources.
The report details solutions to these needs and highlights calls to action for everyone from community leaders to military-friendly organizations. Share this report, online at www.moaa.org/ngr-forum-report, with your members of Congress, local community leaders, and other key stakeholders.
