Family care plans provide readiness for military families Published April 15, 2014 By Senior Airman Mary O'Dell 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE-Wash. -- For Air Force personnel, having an up-to-date family care plan ensures family members are taken care of in the case of a short-notice deployment, temporary duty, or overseas assignment with family-restricted areas. Family care plans are instructions developed by service members to identify caregivers who have agreed to take care of family members during the sponsor's absence. Three basic requirements of the plan include short-term care providers, long-term care providers and care provision details. "It's important, when taking the time to fill out the AF Form 357, members understand the difference between who they can put down as the short-term caregiver, the long-term caregiver, the alternate caregiver, and the temporary custody designee," said Master Sgt. Becky Hale, the 92nd Communications Squadron first sergeant. "It is even more important to know what each caregiver is responsible for." Hale also said it is the responsibility of the commander or first sergeant to counsel all members requiring a family care plan during their initial in-processing brief and annually thereafter. The first sergeant will review the family care plan for accuracy and maintain it within their office. The Air Force Personnel Center's special programs branch offered the following guidance for Airmen needing to develop their family care plans: · Assign a guardian for your family in a special Power of Attorney and make sure the guardian understands his or her responsibilities. · Obtain identification and commissary cards, register in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System, and check to make sure all ID cards have not expired. · Sign up for Servicemembers Group Life Insurance or a similar group life insurance, and update all beneficiary information. · Arrange for housing, food, transportation and emergency needs. · Inform your spouse or any caretakers about your financial matters. · Arrange for your guardian to have access to necessary funds. · Arrange for child care, education and medical care. · Arrange for necessary travel and an escort to transfer family members to their guardian. · Discuss your plans with your older children. Although all Airmen with family members are encouraged to develop a plan, others, such as: single parents, dual military couples with family members and members with civilian spouses who have unique family situations, as determined by the commander or first sergeant, will complete the family care plan per Air Force Instruction 36-2908, Family Care Plans. "As our members are tasked with deployments to often austere locations, they must develop sound and functional family care plans that allow them to fully focus on their deployed mission without worrying about their family," Chief Master Sgt. Lance Turner, 92nd Medical Group superintendent. Airmen and caregivers can see their first sergeant or contact the local Airman and Family Readiness Center if they need help developing their plan. The A&FRC provides readiness and pre-deployment briefings to ensure Airmen and caregivers are aware of services and have a comprehensive list of resources. "The day before leaving for a six month deployment is not the time to try and figure things out," said Turner. "Preparation is the key." For more information, members should contact their first sergeants or unit supervisors. [Editor's note: AFPC Public Affairs contributed to this article.]