I got this in an email the other day.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey Announces Stronger Support for Soldiers and Families U.S. Army commits to improving health care, housing, educational and employment opportunities for Soldiers and their families.

* Secretary of the Army Mr. Peter Geren and Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey put Army families center stage in remarks at the Association of the United States Army convention on Oct. 8, 2007 in Washington, D.C.

* Acknowledging the demands of extended deployments on Army families, Gen. Casey has launched 21 support initiatives that provide direct assistance to Soldiers and their families.

* Called the “Army Soldier-Family Action Plan,” (ASFAP) this effort will improve health care, Soldier and family housing, educational and employment opportunities.

* The Plan is backed by $100 million approved by Sec. Geren and Gen. Casey to expand and enhance more than 50 family programs, many already in existence. This commitment includes hiring 1,100 Family Readiness Support Assistants to act as liaisons between families and the Army.

* Additional programs that will strengthen the Army’s support of families include:

o The Residential Communities Initiative (RCI), dedicated to building quality residential communities for Soldiers and their families.

o The Army Integrated Family Support Network (AIFSN), providing a new support network for Soldiers and families regardless of their proximity to a military installation. These services include pre-deployment support, Tri-Care information, and child and youth resource referrals. Full implementation is expected in 2008.

o Virtual Family Readiness Groups (vFRG), providing a resource for communicating safely and quickly with families, no matter where they reside.

o Soldiers’ Benefit Services (SBS) offering a central online portal (available at http://myarmybenefits.us.army.mil ) for Soldier and family benefits information.

o Extended childcare and family services, including extended child care operating hours and reduced service fees to its families. In addition, the Army has grown its respite care and Army community service support capacity. Youth services and educational opportunities have been enhanced on and off post.

* The strategic focus on strengthening support for Army families was developed after listening to feedback from hundreds of Soldiers and families across commands and around the world. The Plan focuses on reinforcing current programs, increasing access to support and providing practical resources that improve the day-to-day lives of Army families.