Resources

1. The MFRC Deployment Support team has a wide variety of deployment related resources for children and adults. Available in English and French.

Resources for Adults

Resources for Children & Youth

2. The MFRC Newsletter is published monthly, and contains up-to-date information on what’s happening at home and overseas. Sign up for our e-mail distribution list, or download the MFRC newsletter.

Social Activities
The MFRC Deployment Support team organizes periodic activities for families of deployed soldiers. The primary purpose of these events is to provide you with an opportunity to get out, meet with other families, and share experiences/advice in a relaxed and fun setting. Check our important dates and our newsletter for the schedule of upcoming events.

Information Briefings
In partnership with the Units, the MFRC Deployment Support team will host regular update briefings for families. The intent of these regular briefings is to pass on the latest news regarding deployments, advise families of new support resources and/or activity opportunities in the Edmonton area, answer any questions, and provide a general forum for the exchange of advice and ideas. Please check important dates and our newsletter for a schedule of upcoming information briefings.

Parent Unit Family Support Cell
Many units at Edmonton Garrison have internal Family Support Cells, to provide families with an additional, local point of contact and source of support. The MFRC Deployment Support team works in close collaboration with the Unit Family Support Cells, to coordinate and provide deployment support programs for families.
The telephone numbers for all Unit Family Support Cells are found on the first page of this booklet. We strongly encourage you to stay in touch with your partner’s Parent Unit.
A CF member’s PARENT UNIT is the unit to which the member is posted. For example, an infantry member or a clerk from 1 PPCLI tasked to Op ATHENA is still 1 PPCLI because that is the unit to which they are posted. Conversely, the parent unit for a medic with 1 PPCLI or LdSH(RC), for example, is 1 Fd Amb because that is where they are posted.

Ops Unit Record Support (URS)
When a service member is deployed overseas, a Unit Records Section (URS) is designated in Canada to hold all of the member’s military records for the duration of the tour. The URS is responsible to provide administrative and financial support to personnel deployed on operations. The typical functions provided by a URS during a tour include ensuring that the member’s pay is correct, that arrangements for leave (including reimbursement of funds) are made, and that information regarding the member’s family address and/or Next of Kin is correct and current. It is important to understand that while the MFRC Deployment Support team can act as a local point of contact for assistance in dealing with administrative problems, the URS is the only agency that can take the physical action necessary to resolve it. Remember that you will need an approved power of attorney form to access your partner’s pay while they are overseas. This form can be obtained by the military member from the Unit Orderly Room and needs to be completed before your partner deploys.

Military Family Support Agencies
There are many organizations and people that are available to lend support to families during deployment. Some of these partners in support are listed below.

Garrison Social Work Office
The Garrison Social Work Office (GSWO) is comprised of military and civilian social workers well versed in the unique lifestyle of the military family. The staff is available to assist with individual, marital and family counseling. Other preventative services are also offered. Sometime just being able to talk about your concerns can help you overcome, or at least reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed by the demands of the military lifestyle. You can contact the GSWO by calling the Garrison Operator at 973-4011.

Chaplains
The military Chaplains are well versed in the issues facing the families of our military members. Both the Roman Catholic (RC) and Protestant Chaplains are located in Lancaster Park. Many of the Units have their own Chaplains. You can contact the unit to find out this information. During silent hours, a “duty chaplain” is always available to look after emergency situations. You can contact Pastoral care 24 hrs a day by calling the Garrison Operator at 973-4011.

Military Family Resource Centre
The Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) provides the Edmonton Garrison and its community with programs and services designed to enrich the quality of life and enhance the morale and well-being of its members. Contact the MFRC at 973-4011 ext. 6300

Programs and services offered by the MFRC are identified within the following five core areas:

Information and Referral
The Information and Referral (I & R) program makes every effort to provide information on both civilian and base services. Services offered include:

Prevention and Intervention
The Prevention and Intervention (P & I) program provides free and confidential services including:

Volunteer Services
Volunteering is a wonderful way to connect people with their community. The MFRC strives to provide a positive and supportive atmosphere where you can gain or develop skills, and be a part of the MFRC!

Please contact the MFRC, for more information on volunteer opportunities.

Quality of Life
Our Quality of Life (QOL) programs encompass a variety of services designed to strengthen the military family community, such as:

Children and Youth
The Children and Youth programs provide education and recreational activities and information for children up to the age of 17, including:

Deployment Childcare
The MFRC Deployment Childcare program is available at no cost to families with a parent deployed for more than four weeks, due to an exercise, training, course, or international or domestic operation.

Childcare sessions are offered at regular intervals during the month for children from age birth to 12 years. During each session, children are supervised by experienced, childcare providers in an environment appropriate to the child’s age and developmental stage. Children have the opportunity to participate in games, art activities, singing, story times and outdoor play. The Edge, the MFRC’s teen centre is available for school-aged children, to give them the opportunity to socialize while playing video games, foosball, or one of the may other activities in the centre.

Pre-registration for deployment childcare sessions is required. The registration for each session closes two business days before the scheduled date. For more information on upcoming deployment childcare dates, or to register, please call the MFRC at 973-4011 ext. 6300.

Emergency Childcare
The MFRC Emergency Childcare Service (ECS) exists firstly, to support the ability of CF members to be available for all types of duty, by ensuring parents access to childcare in time of an emergency. Secondly, ECS exists to provide a resource for parents who require childcare for work in general, by making them aware of all the options available in their community.

The ECS program will provide financial support for families during an emergency by paying for the childcare during the first 72 hours, and a portion of further childcare costs, if required, for up to seven days.

Emergencies may result due to:

Family Care Plan (FCP)
The FCP is an exchange of information between the member and the Unit. This exchange helps the Unit identify any potential difficulties in sending members away from home and causes the member to formally consider his/her family care arrangements in the event of an unexpected requirement to be deployed. It is administered by the Unit Orderly Room.

The Emergency Childcare Coordinator of the MFRC has information on community resources to complete a FCP.

Resources

The following is a list of helpful resources for families, to be found on the Internet

Deployment Preparation:
(These are U.S. links)

www.sgtmoms.com

www.afcrossroads.com

www.goacs.org

Deployment resources:

http://deploymentlink.osd.mil

www.mfrc-dodqol.org

DND Website: www.dnd.ca

Army Website: www.army.forces.gc.ca

CFPSA: www.cfpsa.com

LFWA Headquarters: http://www.army.dnd.ca/lfwa_hq/

Power of Attorney

www.legaldeeds.com www.justice.gov.ab.ca/dependent_adults/enduring_powers_of_attorney.aspx

Books

Pascoe, Robin. The wife’s guide to successful living abroad: coping with children anger and resentment an overseas career hosting parties boredom making friends domestic help. Times Books International, 1992.

General

Coping with Military Separations. A Canadian Forces Production. Duration: 22.15 minutes.