EventPLUS Orientation Webinars are designed for Reserve Component Event Planners and Staff who utilize the tool to support YRRP events. The sessions will provide an overview of YRRP's new event planning tool and will teach participants how to use the tool's event management and reporting features.

Eligible participants may register for the May 2012 EventPLUS Orientation Webinars now by clicking on the available sessions below.

• Thursday May 24, 2012 (2:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET)

• Wednesday May 30, 2012 (12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET)

Eligibility: The above sessions may only be attended by those who support the Army Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve and Coast Guard Reserve. Instructions for joining the webinar sessions will be provided in the registration confirmation e-mail.

DoD YRRP has launched EventPLUS, a new and improved online event planning tool. EventPLUS is a YRRP-focused tool that enables Reserve Component Event Planners and Staff who support the Army Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, and Coast Guard Reserve, to manage and report on YRRP events. It also allows Service members, their families and other eligible participants to locate and register for upcoming events.

EventPLUS was designed following a comprehensive evaluation of the JSS Event Planning Tool (EPT), YRRP's original event planning system, and a thorough analysis of Service feedback. EventPLUS provides visitors with improved layout and functionality, Service-specific customization, regularly scheduled enhancements and robust technical support.

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.

The President's Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (PCFSN) is collaborating with YRRP to encourage National Guard and Reserve families to reduce deployment stress by leading healthier lifestyles. In support of this effort, PCFSN is providing engaging council members to speak at YRRP events across the country about ways to adopt regular physical activity and good nutrition. Additionally, PCFSN and its partners are distributing free fitness benefits for National Guard and Reserve families, including free personal training hours and free six month gym memberships.

To request a council member to speak at one of your upcoming YRRP events, complete a PCFSN speaking engagement request form today.

YRRP Event Webinar Sessions are designed for Reserve Component Event Coordinators and staff who utilize the Event Planner portal to support YRRP events. Eligible participants may register for April 2012 YRRP Event Webinar sessions now by clicking on the session titles below.

• Event Planner Overview (Tuesday April 3, 2012, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM ET) Participants will learn how to search and register for YRRP events; sign up for an Event Planner user account; setup program-specific events; and view event management tools.

• Managing Event Registrations in the Event Planner (Wednesday April 4, 2012, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET) Participants will learn how to search and register for events; review and approve registrants; and view and use registration reports.

• Creating and Uploading Event Evaluations in the Event Planner (Wednesday April 11, 2012, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET) Participants will learn how to produce standard and custom YRRP break-out class evaluations; how to scan and upload evaluation forms; and tips for ensuring the successful processing of uploaded evaluation forms.

Eligibility: The above sessions may only be attended by those who support the Army Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Navy Reserve, and Coast Guard Reserve. Instructions for joining the webinar sessions will be provided in the registration confirmation e-mail.

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.

Military OneSource is a free non-medical DoD counseling program for Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve Service members and their families. The counseling is designed to empower participants to anticipate and resolve a broad range of challenges associated with the military lifestyle, such as: stress management; decision making; financial management; communication; grief; family issues; and parenting-skills issues. Counseling services are conducted in-person, over the phone, or online via instant messaging.

Military OneSource counseling services may be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling (800) 342-9647 or by visiting www.militaryonesource.com.

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.

The Walter E. Washington Convention Center

801 Mount Vernon Place NW, Washington, D.C.

January 13, 2012

8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m

As part of the "Hiring our Heroes" program, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and its partners are hosting the nation's largest career forum and hiring fair dedicated exclusively to military spouses. For more information or to register for this free event, job seekers and employers can go to hoh.greatjob.net. Registration closes January 10, 2012.

About "Hiring our Heroes": In March of 2011, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce launched its Hiring our Heroes program, a year-long nationwide effort to help veterans and their spouses find meaningful employment. The Chamber started the program in partnership with the Department of Labor Veterans Employment and Training Service (DOL VETS), to improve public-private sector coordination in local communities, where veterans and their families are returning every day. Working with an extensive network of state and local chambers, DOL VETS, the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), and other strategic partners, Hiring our Heroes matches veteran talent with career opportunities in the private sector.



In December 2011, DoD Reserve Affairs introduced its Hero2Hired (H2H) website (www.H2H.jobs) to connect job-seeking Reserve Component Service members and veterans with employers. Established in conjunction with YRRP, H2H.jobs is a free online search engine and community that enables job seekers to search for jobs using military specialties and other criteria, take a career assessment to match skills and interests with careers, learn about different industries, and find a wealth of training and informational resources to assist in seeking a job.

"Hero2Hired is a powerful, comprehensive employment program designed to serve the unique and specific needs of the Reserve Component. It's unlike any other Service member or veteran employment assistance program currently out there" says David L. McGinnis, acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs.

H2H.jobs includes a mobile application for smartphones and tablets, and a search tool for military units to use inside their own Facebook and Twitter sites. H2H will also conduct numerous in-person and virtual H2H job fairs and will use its H2H mobile job resource center and trained representatives to support 200 event days around the country in areas with high RC unemployment. Visit H2H.jobs today!



  

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/.

The Department of Defense (DoD) recently published the 2011 DoD Compensation and Benefits Handbook, a comprehensive resource guide describing compensation and other benefits service members and their families would be entitled to upon separation or retirement as a result of serious injury or illness.

“The intent of the Handbook is to give seriously ill and injured service members and their families a quick reference guide to information, covering everything they may need during recovery, rehabilitation and reintegration,” said Mr. John R. Campbell, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Office of Wounded Warrior Care and Transition Policy (WWCTP).

The Handbook was designed to answer questions in the order in which they are most likely to arise, including chapters on:

• Recovery resources
• Medical care
• DoD pay and allowances
• Disability Evaluation System
• Compensation and benefits
• Reintegration into civilian life

The Handbook was compiled in cooperation with the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and the Social Security Administration, along with the military services. It also provides references to assistance provided by other governmental and non-governmental agencies and organizations.

Many of the answers to specific questions will depend on the Service member's personal circumstances. Service members should take advantage of the assistance of their Recovery Care Coordinator (RCC), Army Wounded Warrior Program (AW2) Advocate, Navy Safe Harbor Non-Medical Care Manager (NMCM) or Federal Recovery Coordinator (FRC) to help find the answers to questions or contact the appropriate experts.

Ed. Note: Cross-posted from Office Of Wounded Warrior Care and Transition Policy.



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.

More than 750 Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen and Coast Guard members and their families made history when they attended the country's first multi-Service Yellow Ribbon Reintegration event in Dallas-Ft Worth on August 26 to 28.

The Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program was initiated by Congress in 2008, and offers access to information, resources and benefits to National Guard and Reserve service members and their families before, during and after deployments.

"Less than one percent of the American population wears a military uniform, so you are among heroes," said Army Maj. Gen. Charles Luckey, assistant to the chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff for Reserve matters, during opening ceremonies. "The wars we've been fighting have been on the shoulders of our armed forces and their families. This Yellow Ribbon event is how we take care of each other and prepare for the future because we don't know what is in store."

More than 800,000 Guard and Reserve members have been activated since 2001, and more than 92,000 are currently activated in support of military operations. The impact of ten years of war has leaders at all levels concerned about the effects on service members and their families, particularly when it comes to topics like combat stress, financial management, employment and health care. The Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program addresses these issues.

Ed. Note: Cross-posted from 301st Fighter Wing

At the 2011 Department of Defense/Veterans Affairs Annual Suicide Prevention Conference, Dr. Jonathan Woodson, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs said a key to preventing suicide is reducing the stigma associated with mental health care. "We have to change the attitudes that all too often keep people from getting the right care at the right time," Woodson said. He stressed that seeking mental health care is a sign of strength, not a sign of weakness adding that, "Getting help is what real warriors do."

Ed. Note: Cross-posted from Military Health System

Geographic transitions are an integral part of military life. They afford an opportunity for growth and reward. Yet they can complicate difficult health care issues by breaking continuity between providers. When transitions include deployment or return to civilian life, it’s important to ensure our nation’s warriors have the right support systems in place. For guardsmen and reservists who are receiving treatment for psychological health concerns, the inTransition program offers coaching support as they move between health care systems or providers. “For some individuals, behavioral health care may be a life-long process, following them from their Department of Defense service through transition to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA),” says Capt. Paul S. Hammer, Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Director. “Psychological health and well-being are key components of a healthy, fit force. For this reason, the Military Health System is committed to providing continuous care to service members, veterans and their families – anytime, anywhere.”

How Does inTransition Provide Coaching and Support?
inTransition Transitional Support Coaches (TSCs) are specially trained volunteers that support warriors who are concerned about continuity of their mental health treatment during relocation or return to civilian life. TSCs have access to numerous community resources to provide location specific information and support individuals as they move between health care systems or providers throughout the transition period.

This video was a joint venture with the L.A. Film School and the 63rd RSC Yellow Ribbon Program to showcase the depth and real value of the Yellow Ribbon Program.

There are many challenges facing service members when they deploy, but female service members may face different challenges than those of their male counterparts. To address those challenges, the Navy Reserve has taken the initiative to now provide separate sessions to address women warrior issues and concerns at Pre-Deployment Family Readiness Conferences and Returning Warrior Workshops.

Women Warrior breakout sessions are facilitated by women veterans and supported by counselors from the Navy Psychological Health Outreach Program, Veterans Affairs, and Vet Centers. The sessions are held in a comfortable environment where women can openly discuss their concerns and issues that typically are not addressed in other sessions. Facilitators encourage the women participating to drive the discussion and offer techniques to cope with common stressors of deployment. The Navy Reserve also hosts sessions for family and loved ones of deploying female service members. These sessions provide a venue to share concerns, learn about resources, and build a support network while their service member is deployed.