Military life can be draining, especially when you don’t live near other military families. Guard your family by being prepared for whatever this life throws your way!
Guard Guide 101 is dedicated to providing resources and information for National Guard and Reserve families.
Events
The only event out there for National Guard, Reserve, and spouses not near a military installation!
We recognize that the daily life of a National Guard and Reserve spouse looks a little different than the active counterpart. The close-knit on-post community doesn’t always translate into the daily life of those that are geographically dispersed. This event is designed to take you through an interactive experience built with the Reserve component spouse in mind. You will have the chance to:
- Find impactful support
- Share coping tips and skills
- Create a support network of like-minded friends with similar experiences and challenges
Find an event near you and register for free. Don’t see an upcoming event near you? Reach out to us at spousetalks@homefrontunited.com to request us to come to your area!
Resources
After speaking with Guard and Reserve families, a numerous amount of research was compiled for this section. Families voiced their concerns about what information would be helpful. This section provides information on resources available to help Guard and Reserve families. If you know of a resource not on this list, please send it to info@homefrontunited.com.
5 Military Organizations That Actually Serve National Guard Families
New to the National Guard
The Role of the Army National Guard
The first thing you should know is that the National Guard answers to both state and Federal governments. This means that they can be called up by the governor of the state or by the President of the United States. They can be called to deploy overseas or to help their home state during a natural disaster or another type of emergency. Sometimes they get called in to help other states that need extra help.
Preparing yourself for any of these assignments is a good idea. Keeping the idea in mind will make it easier if it ever happens. You can’t exactly plan for this but you can be aware of the possibility.
Monthly Drills
Your service member will drill every month of the year. Sometimes they will have three weeks in between, other times a month, and even possibly six weeks between drills. They will receive a calendar ahead of time which is helpful, but the dates can also change. The calendar will allow you to plan ahead, but don’t forget that the dates could change. Some drills are just two days, some are three, and about twice a year they have only been one day on the weekend. You will see on the drill calendar either “Unit Training Assemblies” (UTA) or “Multiple Unit Training Assemblies” (MUTA).
A UTA is an evening drill or a half-day drill that lasts two to four hours. A MUTA refers to two or more UTAs that take place during one day or over the course of two or more days. No more than two training assemblies may be performed in one calendar day, meaning that a single-day MUTA will last a maximum of eight hours. Each time a National Guard member attends a UTA, he or she earns one retirement point. Thus, attending a MUTA that lasts one full day (eight hours) earns two retirement points. The National Guard offers a detailed explanation of the point and retirement system on its official website.
They will also be paid based on a number of days they have for a drill for the month. So the pay will be different monthly. You can figure out the exact pay using the Pay Calculator.
When you think of the National Guard, you hear the “One weekend a month, two weeks a year” slogan. So what is the “two weeks a year” all about? This is when they go to their Annual Training and are gone for two weeks. The location varies by state unit and is normally out of state for two weeks of training.
Deployment and Family
Be Prepared, Make a Readiness Folder
Contact Information:
Gather together key contact information from your spouse, the base website or anyone else you can get it from.
- Family Programs local
- Family Readiness Assistant
- Youth Programs
- Air Wing Family Programs Coordinator (or other branch Equivalent)
2. Support Services
- Military OneSource Consultant
- Transition Assistance Advisor
- ESGR (Employer Support Guard/Reserve)
- TriWest (for your area)
- ID Cards/DEERS
- Survivor Outreach Services
- American Red Cross
3. Wellness Team
- Director of Psychological Health
- Military Family Life Consultant (adult/family & child/youth)
- Chaplain
- Personal Finance Counselor
- Suicide Hotline (national (800) 273-TALK)
4. Yellow Ribbon Program contact info
5. Your local unit or operations group contacts
- Group Commander
- Squadron Commander
- Operations Support Commander
- Director of Operations
- First Sergeant
6. Track down the list of FRG or Key Spouses, or maybe your s/o’s buddy’s spouse or significant other. Finding a connection with another spouse, girlfriend or family member connected to your spouse is important, even if it’s just one.
Pre-deployment Information Form
Find one of these and fill it out before a deployment. This will have important information for the unit,; like deployment location and time information, who your family is, who your children are, emergency contacts, information about you so that you can be located, and specific concerns about the deployment. It is important that you are kept in the loop during a deployment.
Important Dates
Include an important dates section in your folder – drill schedules, special events, or local events that might be helpful to those stationed near you, and for those that are not. They may want to make the trek closer if there will be special base events or holiday events (especially for families). There is also usually a unit BBQ. For the National Guard, many states have a State Military Ball where all branches affiliated with the Guard and Reserves in the area are usually invited.
What My Family Should Know:
This is a guide for all the things you should know, your family should know. It is also a great way to get the conversation going about topics no one wants to talk about. Let’s face it, who really wants to have a conversation about funeral arrangements before anyone is actually passed on. Talking about those things is important none the less. Here’s a link to a packet if your unit doesn’t have one.
Support Sites
National Guard Bureau Family Program
Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Family Programs
National Center for PTSD, Returning from the War Zone: A Guide for Families of Military Members, 06
National Military Families Association
Mental Health Resources
Health Care Information
TRICARE
- TRICARE Region North – HealthNet Federal Services
- TRICARE Region South – Humana Military Healthcare Services
- TRICARE Region West – TriWest Healthcare Alliance
Employment Resources
Organizations/Financial Resources
Commissary Resources – Guard/Reserve Onsite Sales
Find An Installation
COAST GUARD
For a list of Coast Guard bases, please visit this site.
NATIONAL GUARD
For a list by state of the National Guard and Air National Guard headquarters and commands, please visit this site.
ARMY
Alabama
ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT
FORT RUCKER
REDSTONE ARSENAL
Alaska
FORT GREELY
FORT RICHARDSON
FORT WAINWRIGHT
Arizona
FORT HUACHUCA
YUMA PROVING GROUND
Arkansas
PINE BLUFF ARSENAL
California
DLI FLC PRESIDIO-MONTEREY
Colorado
FORT CARSON
District of Columbia
FORT MCNAIR
WALTER REED ARMY MEDICAL CENTER
Florida
HQ SOUTH COMM
Georgia
FORT BENNING
FORT GORDON
FORT STEWART
HUNTER ARMY AIRFIELD
Hawaii
SCHOFIELD/SHAFTER
Illinois
ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL
Indiana
CAMP ATTERBURY
Kansas
FORT LEVENWORTH
FORT RILEY
Kentucky
FORT CAMPBELL
FORT KNOX
US ARMY RECRUITING COMMAND
Louisiana
FORT POLK
Maryland
ABERDEEN TEST CENTER
FORT DETRICK
FORT MEADE
Massachusetts
FORT DEVENS
NATICK SOLIDER SYSTEMS CENTER
Missouri
FORT LEONARD WOOD
New Jersey
FORT DIX
PICATINNY ARSENAL
New York
FORT DRUM
FORT HAMILTON
USMA WEST POINT
WATERVLIET ARSENAL
North Carolina
FORT BRAGG
Oklahoma
FORT SILL
MCALESTER ARMY AMMUNITION PLANT
Pennsylvania
U.S. ARMY WAR COLLEGE
TOBYHANNA ARMY DEPOT
FORT INDIAN TOWN GAP
Puerto Rico
FORT BUCHANAN
South Carolina
FORT JACKSON
Texas
FORT BLISS
FORT HOOD
FORT SAM HOUSTON
RED RIVER ARMY DEPOT
Utah
DUGWAY PROVING GROUND
TOOELE ARMY DEPOT
Virginia
FORT BELVOIR
FORT EUSTIS
FORT LEE
JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL
FORT STORY
Washington
JOINT BASE LEWIS MCCHORD
Wisconsin
FORT MCCOY
Belgium
NATO-BRUSSELS
SHAPE-CHIEVRES
Germany
ANSBACH
BAD KREUZNACH
BAMBERG
BAUMHOLDER
DARMSTADT
FRIEDBERG
GARMISCH
GIEBELSTADT
GRAFENWOEHR
HEIDELBERG
HOHENFELS
ILLESHEIM
KAISERSLAUTERN
MANNHEIM
SCHWEINFURT
STUTTGART
VILSECK
WIESBADEN/MAINZ
Japan
CAMP ZAMA
TORII STATION
Korea
CAMP CASEY
CAMP HENRY
CAMP HUMPHREYS
CAMP YONGSAN
Netherlands
SCHINNEN
Puerto Rico
FORT BUCHANAN
AIR FORCE
Alabama
MAXWELL-GUNTER AIR FORCE BASE
Alaska
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE
ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE
Arizona
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE
Arkansas
LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE
California
BEALE AIR FORCE BASE
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE
LOS ANGELES AIR FORCE BASE
MARCH AIR FORCE BASE
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE
Colorado
BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE
SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE
Delaware
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE
District of Columbia
BOLLING AIR FORCE BASE
Florida
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE
HURLBURT AIR FORCE BASE
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE
PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE
Georgia
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE
Hawaii
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE
Idaho
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE
Illinois
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE
Indiana
GRISSOM AIR FORCE BASE
Kansas
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE
Louisiana
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE
Maryland
ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE
Massachusetts
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE
Mississippi
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE
KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE
Missouri
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE
Montana
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE
Nevada
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE
New Jersey
MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE
New Mexico
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE
North Carolina
POPE AIR FIELD
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE
North Dakota
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE
Ohio
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE
Oklahoma
ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE
TINKER AIR FORCE BASE
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE
South Carolina
CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE
South Dakota
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE
Tennessee
ARNOLD AIR FORCE BASE
Texas
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE
GOODFELLOW AIR FORCE BASE
LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE
RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE
Utah
HILL AIR FORCE BASE
Virginia
LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE
Washington
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE
Wyoming
FE WARREN AIR FORCE BASE
Germany
GEILENKIRCHEN AIR BASE
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE
Italy
AVIANO AIR BASE
Japan
KADENA AIR BASE
MISAWA AIR BASE
YOKOTA AIR BASE
Portugal
LAJES FIELD
South Korea
KUSAN AIR BASE
OSAN AIR BASE
Turkey
INCIRLIK AIR BASE
IZMIR AIR BASE
United Kingdom
RAF LAKENHEATH
RAF MILDENHALL
RAF MOLESWORTH
NAVY
California
NAVAL AIR WARFARE CENTER
NAVAL AIR STATION LEMOORE
NAVAL BASE VENTURA COUNTY POINT MUGU NAVAL AIR STATION
NAVAL AIR STATION NORTH ISLAND
NAVAL BASE CORONADO
NAVAL WEAPONS STATION SEAL BEACH
Connecticut
NAVY REGION NORTHEAST
NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE
Florida
NAVAL AIR STATION JACKSONVILLE
NAVAL AIR STATION KEY WEST
NAVAL AIR STATION PENSACOLA
NAVAL AIR STATION WHITING FIELD
NAVAL COASTAL SYSTEMS STATION
NAVAL STATION MAYPORT
NAVAL TECHNICAL TRAINING CENTER CORRY STATION
Georgia
NAVAL SUBMARINE BASE KINGS BAY
Hawaii
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKMAN
NAVAL STATION BARKING SANDS
Illinois
NAVAL TRAINING CENTER GREAT LAKES
Louisiana
NAVAL AIR STATION JRB NEW ORLEANS
NAVAL AIR STATION NEW ORLEANS
Maryland
NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER
NAVAL SECURITY GROUP ACTIVITY FT. MEADE
US NAVAL ACADEMY
Mississippi
NAVAL AIR STATION MERIDIAN
NAVAL CONSTRUCTION BATTALION CENTER GULFPORT
Nevada
NAVAL AIR STATION FALLON
New Hampshire
NAVAL SHIPYARD PORTSMOUTH
New Jersey
NAVAL AIR ENGINEERING STATION LAKEHURST
NAVAL WEAPONS STATION EARLE
New York
NAVAL SUPPORT UNIT SARATOGA SPRINGS
Rhode Island
NAVAL STATION NEWPORT
South Carolina
NAVAL WEAPONS STATION CHARLESTON
Tennessee
NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY MID-SOUTH
Texas
NAVAL AIR STATION CORPUS CHRISTI
NAVAL AIR STATION JRB FORT WORTH
NAVAL AIR STATION KINGSVILLE
Virginia
CDSA DAM NECK
NAVAL AMPHIBIOUS BASE LITTLE CREEK
NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA
NAVAL STATION NORFOLK
NSGA NORTHWEST
NSW DAHLGREN
NAVAL WEAPONS STATION YORKTOWN
SURFACE COMBAT SYSTEMS CENTER WALLOPS ISLAND
Washington
NAVAL AIR STATION WHIDBEY ISLAND
NAVAL STATION BREMERTON
NAVAL STATION EVERETT
NAVAL BASE KITSAP
Bahrain
NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY BAHRAIN
Cuba
NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY
Diego Garcia
NAVAL SUPPORT FACILITY DIEGO GARCIA
Greece
NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY SOUDA BAY
Italy
NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONNELLA
NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY GAETA
NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY NAPLES
Japan
FLTACT SASEBO
NAVAL AIR FACILITY ATSUGI
YOKOSUKA
South Korea
COMFLEACTS CHINHAE
Spain
NAVAL STATION ROTA
MARINE CORP
Arizona
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA
California
MARINE AIR GROUND TASK FORCE TRAINING COMMAND 29 PALMS
MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE-BARSTOW
CAMP PENDLETON
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR
MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPO-SAN DIEGO
MARINE CORPS MOUNTAIN WARFARE TRAINING CENTER
Georgia
MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE ALBANY
Hawaii
MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII
North Carolina
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE
South Carolina
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT
MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPO PARRIS ISLAND
Virginia
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO
Washington D.C.
8th & I
Japan
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION FUTENMA
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI
MARINE CORPS BASE JAPAN
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