Good news for National Guard Families

I was thrilled the other day when I saw the news that the YMCA, and DOD joined forces for National Guard families.

31-million initiative provides military families with access to
youth development, family strengthening, and health and well-being
programs at America's YMCAs

WASHINGTON DC, September 18, 2008-The Armed
Services YMCA (ASYMCA) today announced a new $31-million initiative
with the Department of Defense (DoD) to provide eligible military
families and active duty personnel with access to youth development,
family strengthening, and health and well-being programs through
memberships at community YMCAs nationwide. Membership fees will be
underwritten by the DoD and administered through Military OneSource.
YMCA of the USA, the national resource office for America's 2,686
YMCAs, will help launch the initiative at Ys across the country. 

The ASYMCA-DoD Outreach Initiative responds to a provision in the
National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, which requires the
Secretary of Defense to develop a plan to support military family
readiness and to ensure that military family readiness programs and
activities are available to all military families, including those of
the National Guard and Military Reservists.

"YMCA of the USA is proud to partner with ASYMCA and DoD to ensure
that our nation's military and their families have access to some of
the best youth development, family strengthening, and health and
well-being programs available at YMCAs in communities across this
country," said Neil Nicoll, president and CEO of the YMCA of the USA.
"Our YMCAs have the unique capability to provide families of deployed
military service members with support that is generally only available
to families who live near a military base."

The  program is expected to serve more than 27,000 military families and active duty  members.

"The YMCA and ASYMCA have a history of commitment to developing
innovative programs that help military families lead healthy lives,
improve personal and family relationships, become better leaders,
strengthen positive values, and develop specific skills, while at the
same time building a sense of community," said Frank Gallo, Rear
Admiral, USN (Ret), national executive director for the ASYMCA. "Seldom
has our support been as critical as it is today with active duty
soldiers, National Guard, members of the reserve and their families
under more strain than at nearly any time in our history."

Eligible  participants can sign up by identifying a participating local YMCA on www.ymca.net
during the month of October, providing proof of eligibility by showing
a military identification card and a copy of deployment orders, and
completing an eligibility verification form. Eligibility forms can be
found at www.militaryonesource.com .

Those  eligible to participate in the new initiative include:

• All       interested families of joint deployed National Guard and Reserves;


• Active
  Duty families assigned to newly established Joint Bases created by the
  Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process;


• Active       Duty Independent Duty station personnel (single or family members); and


• Relocated       spouses and family members of deployed Active Duty personnel.

"There is no question - deployed soldiers who know their families
are well taken care of during deployment are better equipped to deal
with its pressures," added Gallo. "This partnership between the DoD,
YMCA of the USA and ASYMCA seeks to provide this support."

More  information about the ASYMCA-DoD Outreach Initiative can be found by visiting www.asymca.org. For information about  participating YMCAs, please visit www.ymca.net after Oct. 1.