The Vets4Warriors peer support helpline (1-855-VET-TALK) provides easy access to supportive, non-attributional conversations with trained veteran peers representing all branches of the military. This team of veteran peers has immediate access to mental health clinicians to respond to potentially emergent issues and can offer referrals to local community services, military veteran centers, and military healthcare providers based upon the needs of the Service member.

The Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program provides funding for the Vets4Warriors program and its efforts to promote individual resilience, risk reduction, and coping skills through peer support and referrals to community-based services. Vets4Warriors promotes the growth of these self-development skills without the potential stigma that some Service members may associate with help-seeking behavior.

In its Fiscal Year 2011 Annual Report to Congress, the YRRP takes a look back at the efforts and accomplishments of the last year and lays the groundwork for the future. The Report covers a multitude of topics, including YRRP's event support efforts, funding, and the Center for Excellence's work on event measurement and analysis, promising practices and outreach.

The success of the YRRP is attributed to the individuals at the local level who work the program every day. National Guard and Reserve, federal and state employees, volunteers and non-profits work tirelessly to ensure our Service members and those who support them have access to resources as they transition back into their communities. View the YRRP FY 2011 Annual Report.

The YRRP Center for Excellence (CfE) provides National Guard and Reserve support staff, program managers and event planners with tools, briefings and documents to help them deliver tailored, dynamic and relevant information to Guard and Reserve members and those who support them at Yellow Ribbon events nationwide. Currently, the CfE contains Policy & Guidance, Event Curriculum, Event Planning Tools, Videos and other useful YRRP resources.

Over the coming months, the CfE will undergo of series of enhancements, including new and expanded content and an improved user interface for more intuitive navigation. Stay tuned for more details about these upcoming enhancements.

  

In May 2011, First Lady Michelle Obama joined the President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (PCFSN) to announce a new fitness industry effort to support our military families, particularly National Guard and Reserve families, to further the goals of both of the First Lady's initiatives, "Let's Move!" and "Joining Forces." PCFSN is collaborating with the Department of Defense's Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program to distribute free fitness benefits to National Guard and Reserve families at Yellow Ribbon reintegration events throughout the country.

The American Council on Exercise ® (ACE ®), through its vast network of fitness professionals, is committing to a goal of providing at least 1 million hours of personal training and fitness instruction to family members of deployed reservists and National Guard members. Service members and their families can learn more about this effort and find participating fitness instruction in their area online at (www.acefitness.org/joiningforces).

Members of the International Health Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) offer free memberships to immediate family members (ages 13 and older, where applicable) of deployed reservists and National Guard members. Clubs may also provide additional benefits such as childcare, children's programming, group classes, discounts for veterans, and discounts for active duty families. Spouses and teen-age children can find participating clubs in their area online at www.healthclubs.com. The website also offers a free digital subscription to Get Active! Magazine, a publication dedicated to promoting healthy living through exercise.

For more information about Joining Forces and how military families can lead healthier and more active lifestyles, visit www.fitness.gov/about-us/key-initiatives/joining-forces/.

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of Defense agency, is now accepting nominations for the 2012 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. The Freedom Award is DoD’s highest award for civilian employers supporting Guard and Reserve members.

The DoD encourages all Guard and Reserve members to nominate employers who have provided exceptional support of their military service. Nominations may be submitted by service members, or a family member acting on their behalf, at www.FreedomAward.mil through January 16, 2012.



The tear-streaked face of a child buried in the uniformed shoulder of his or her parent as the parent returns from war. That's the image, which, to many, says "the end." The parent made it home safely, so that's it... right? As far as Congress was concerned, it wasn't.

As part of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, Congress mandated implementation of the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program (YRRP). The Secretary of Defense was directed to establish the program and provide Reserve members and their families with sufficient information, services, referrals and proactive outreach opportunities throughout an entire deployment cycle.

In 2010, the Coast Guard established the YRRP to ensure deploying Coast Guard members, families and others connect with local resources before, during, and after deployments.





National Guard Soldiers, Airmen and their family members can now receive online tutoring and homework assistance from Tutor.com at no charge.

The free service is now available to all Guardsmen and Guard and reserve members' families, regardless of duty status, said the assistant secretary of defense David McGinnis earlier this week. Prior to the program's enhancement, Guard and reserve families could only access the service while on Title 10 duty.

The availability of the program is the result of a collaborative effort between the Department of Defense Morale, Welfare and Recreation Library Program and the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program.

The program allows kindergarten through high school students as well as adult students the opportunity to interact with a live tutor online anytime for help with homework, exam preparation, and other academic assistance.

Sgt. 1st Class Jesse Snedden of the 1/221st Cavalry, who is also an algebra and geometry teacher at Wooster High School in Reno, perused the web site with his seventh-grade son and wife, who is also a teacher.

"The program was great," Snedden said. "I tried the site with questions I give in my geometry class. I was worried that the tutors would just do the problem for you and not really teach you how to do it, but they didn't. The tutor would guide you with questions to the answer."

Students using Tutor.com are matched with an expert in their respective field. These experts include certified teachers, college professors, graduate students and other professionals.

Ed. Note: Cross-posted from 152nd Airlift Wing.