TXARNG Family Support Services
Family Support Services is the umbrella organization for programs that provide a
continuum of care and support services to Texas Army National Guard Service Members
and their Families during deployment and sustainment operations.
• Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program
• Transition Assistance Advisors
• State Family Programs/Youth Programs
• Job Connection Education Program
• Resilience Program
• Survivor Outreach Services
• Strong Bonds
• Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve
• Sexual Assault and Prevention Response
• Legal and Tax Services
• TRICARE Services
• ID Card/DEERS & DA Photos
Yellow Ribbon Program
Goals:
PREPARE Service Members and their Families for mobilization
SUSTAIN Families during mobilization
REINTEGRATE Service Members and their Families after mobilization
Events and Phases:
Pre-Deployment Phase
- Event #1-Alert Packet Mailed to Families
- Event #2- One day event for Service Members and Families -Legal Readiness,
TRICARE, Financial Management
Deployment Phase
- Event #3-One day event for Families - Connections, Family Stressors
- Event #4-One day event for Families - Reconnecting/What to Expect
Post Deployment Phase
- Event #5- Two day event Service Members and Families - PTSD Signs, Communication,
Suicide Prevention
- Event #6- Two day event for Service Members and Families - Job fairs, Anger management,
Substance Abuse
State Family Program
State Family Program provides guidance, resources, support and training to Units, Service Members
and their Families in order to empower them to face the challenges of service in the National Guard in
state & national emergencies and through deployment phases. State Family Program personnel are
located throughout the state to reach geographically dispersed families in Texas.
Programs:
• Family Outreach and Assistance- Contact families of deployed service members monthly and provide assistance
in Crisis Intervention and Referral, Legal Resource/Information and Referral, Financial Resource/Information and
Referral, TRICARE Resource/Information and Referral, ID Card and DEERS/Information and Referral
• Family Readiness and Command Team Training- Provide Family Readiness Group Training to Commanders and
Family Readiness Group Volunteers
• Youth Program: Youth Leadership opportunities, support networks, Youth Camps, Symposiums, and Family Forums
• Brigade Family Readiness Teams (8) and Family Assistance Centers (17): provide Service Members and
Families assistance with quality of life issues and crisis intervention through comprehensive resource referral and
support
• Joint Family Support Assistance Program (JFSAP): Mobile team of Red Cross, Military OneSource (2), Military
Family Life Consultants (2), Personal Finance Counselor
• Survivor Outreach Services (SOS): The SOS Program is designed to embrace and reassure Survivors that they are
continually linked to the Military Family through a unified support program that enables them to remain an important
part of the Military for as long as they desire.
Youth Programs
The Youth Development Program serves children and youth ages 6-18 and
provides opportunities for youth to develop their physical, social, emotional and
cognitive abilities and to experience achievement, leadership, employment,
friendship and recognition. Activities include:

Operation Purple Camp
•
State Youth Camps
•
Teen Leadership Retreats
•
Teen Panels
•
Youth Symposiums
•
Operation Military Kids
•
Unit and community based specific activities
Resilience, Risk Reduction, Suicide
Prevention (R3SP)
The TXMF Resilience Team is comprised of several programs geared towards
building psychological hardiness and mitigation of at risk behaviors among TXMF
Service Members and Family members.
Resilience Programs:
• Peer to Peer Training
-Trains Soldiers to identify potential warning signs of mental distress, perform unit level intervention
& initiate referral management and the ongoing care processes for peer members within their
command & influence.
• Master Resilience Training/Resilience Training Assistants (MRT/RTA)
-Soldiers train their peers on the skill sets necessary to be more resilient, face adversity, and
become Army Strong for a life time.
• Yellow Ribbon Resilience Training
• Suicide Prevention Training/ASIST - prepares Soldiers to identify & prevent the immediate risk of
suicide, guide to safety and on to appropriate health treatment, & ensures appropriate suicide
prevention training occurs as necessary.
• Clinical and Therapeutic Service Referrals
• Director of Psychological Health
Strong Bonds
The Strong Bonds Program provides retreats for TXMF Service Members and Families,
tailored to enhance and sustain positive military family relationships.
Marriage Enrichment - Gives married couples tools to stay intimately connected through the
stresses and challenges of Army marriages.
Family Wellness - Teaches effective communication and listening skills to parents & children.
Single Soldiers - Establish relationship goals and learn how to chose a partner wisely.
Sexual Assault Prevention and Response
Through preventative education, civilian partnerships, bystander intervention, and victim
centered support, SAPR/SHARP empowers Service members to report incidents they’ve
experienced, and recognize when they or someone they know may be in a dangerous
situation. Each Unit within the TXARNG is designed to have a SHARP Specialist or Victim
Advocate to assist Service Members.
Programs and Services:
• Crisis Intervention
• Information on medical and counseling services
• Referrals to health and wellness providers
• Ongoing non-clinical support, Policy/Process guidance
• Victim support through investigations and court proceedings
• Assistance with Reporting Options for which the victim is eligible
• Help for as along as the victim requires it
Survivor Outreach Services
The SOS Program is designed to embrace and reassure Survivors that
they are continually linked to the Military Family through a unified
support program that enables them to remain an important part of the
Military for as long as they desire.
Services Provided:
• Support Group Coordination
• Survivor Advocacy and Outreach
• Information and Referrals on Benefits &
Entitlements
• Training for Service Members and Families
• Investment Education
• Financial Management training coordination
Texas Employer Support
of the Guard and Reserve
Mission: gain and sustain the active support of America’s employers for the men and
women serving in the Guard and Reserve by increasing awareness of federal and state
laws, promoting compliance through education, recognizing supportive employers with
an awards program, providing informal mediation services to resolve disputes related to
an employee’s military service obligation, and aid Guard and Reservists in obtaining
career employment opportunities.
* ESGR operates through a network of volunteers or Ombudsman.
Services Provided:
• Gain and maintain support from employers of Guard & Reserve Service Members
• Educate customers & stakeholders on Military Civilian Employment Rights (USERRA)
• Advocate for employer issues of military families
• Facilitate employment transitions relating to the continuum of military service
• Employment Counseling
• Informal mediation between Service members and their civilian employers
ESGR Boss Lift May 2011
Legal and Tax Assistance
The Legal and Tax Assistance Office assists Service Members and Families with
legal support outside of the realm of the JAG.
Services Provided
• Ministerial services
• Legal Counseling/Correspondence
• Legal negotiation
• Legal document preparation and filing
• Referrals for in court representation
Areas of Law Covered
• Family Law (Support Issues)
• Estates (Wills, Powers of Attorney)
Real Property (Landlord-Tenant)
• Personal Property (Contracts)
• Economic (Servicemen’s Civil Relief Act
• USSERA (Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act))
• Civilian Administrative (Immigration, Torts, Taxes, Civilian Criminal Matters)
• Military Administrative (OERs/NCOERs)
• Financial Liability Investigation of Property Loss
• Memorandums of Reprimand
ID Cards &
Defense Eligibility Enrollment Report System
DEERS maintains personnel and benefits information for Department of Defense (DoD)
employees and dependants including military members, civilian employees, contractors
and more. TXMF has ID Card/DEERS locations in Austin, Brownwood, Ft. Worth,
Houston, and Weslaco.
Services Provided:
• Validate & issue ID cards/CACs
• Update Defense Eligibility Enrollment Report System (DEERS)
• CAC Pin resets
DA PHOTO
The TXMF Photo Studio is located in Bldg 34 on Camp Mabry in Austin. We are equipped
to take and upload official DA photographs to DAPMIS. We also service all Active Duty,
Reserves, Marine, and Navy members. Studio hours are M-F 0900-1600.
Location
Address
Phone
DSN
Branches
Hours of
Operation
Remarks
Camp Mabry; 2200 W. 35th St.
Bldg 34,
Austin, TX 78703
Ft. Sam Houston Bldg 914,
TX 78234
512-782-1173/5314 954-1173/5314
ALL Branches
0800-1430
210-221-5453
ALL branches
0800-1600
*RELIABLE STUDIO TXARNG/TXANG
(Priority); Appts Only; 2 weeks in
advance
*RELIABLE STUDIO
Ft. Hood, TX
42d and Battalion Avenue Bldg 229,
Fort Hood, TX 76544
254-287-3909
ALL branches
0800-1600
*RELIABLE STUDIO
Ft. Bliss, TX
1023 Chaffee,
El Paso, TX 79916
915-563-3003
ALL branches
0730-1100
1230-1630
*RELIABLE STUDIO
*Texarkana, TX
Red River Army Depot,
Texarkana, TX 75507
903-334-4010
Active Army/TXARNG 0800-1600
(only)
Austin, TX
San Antonio, TX
Corpus Christi, TX 308 Crecy St, Mail Stop 14,
361-961-6550
Corpus Christi, TX 78419
*: Indicates inconsistent hours and/or harsh limitations
737-4960
861-6550
ALL branches
0800-1600
Appts. only; 2 months in advance;
Uniform must be within AR 670-1
standards or will be rescheduled
*RELIABLE STUDIO: Must call approx 2
weeks in advance for appointment.
Community Partnerships
FSS continually builds and maintains relationships with
Federal, State, and Local community partners to increase
services and resources to our geographically dispersed
Service Members and Families.
Family Support Services
Questions?
http://www.txfss.us/