1. http://www.health.mil/blog/10-06-24/Family_Resiliency_Webinar.aspx.
This Week in MC&FP
May 2, 2011
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After many months of planning, the 2011 DoD-USDA Family Resilience Conference
Forging the Partnership, is complete. We hope you were able to join the nearly 2,000 attendees via
streaming media – we saw and appreciated your tweets and Facebook comments. Thank you to all who
helped make this important conference such a success!
This edition of “This Week” is an abbreviated version; we’ll see you again on Friday, May 6th.
Have a good week and take care.
Please note: Some hyperlinks in this text are lengthy, sometimes extending more than one line. For best
results, cut and paste the entire link into your Web browser.
From DoDEA
• Three DoDEA Students Named National Merit Scholarship Finalists
Three Department of Defense Education Activity students were named National Merit Scholarship
Finalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation The three finalists are: Cody J. Pumper,
Guam High School, in Guam; Benjamin A. Bigelow, Brussels American School, in Belgium; and
Maria A. Perry, SHAPE American High School, in Belgium.
See http://www.dodea.edu/pressroom/releasesDisplay.cfm?prId=20110426
• Webinar Highlights Importance of School, Family Collaboration
DoDEA's Educational Partnership Chief, Kathy Facon, presented information in a Webinar hosted
by the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury focused
on supporting military children in school settings. The Webinar addressed systemic issues and
highlighted the importance of school and family collaboration in supporting children. See
http://www.dcoe.health.mil/Training/MonthlyWebinars.aspx
From the Office of Family Policy/Children and Youth
“Forging the Partnership” – Now a wonderful memory
Thanks for participating! It’s over. The long awaited and much enjoyed DoD/USDA Family
Resilience Conference is now history.
Providing policy, tools, and resources to further enhance the quality of life of service members and their families.

2. This Week in MC&FP May 2, 2011
We met new people. We learned much. And we forged new partnerships. Let us know what you
liked and what you didn’t. You can tweet or email at cyf@umn.edu. The conference planners
would appreciate your feedback.
Were you a presenter? Please remember to send a copy of your presentation as requested (you were
provided a form with instructions at the time of your presentation). Don’t have the form? Just send
an email to cyf@umn.edu.
On approximately May 15th, the conference proceedings will be published online. Watch for
conference highlights and catch those parts you missed at http://www1.cyfernet.org/FRConf2011/.
• Military OneSource Webinars – May Schedule Focuses on Military Spouse Employment
Webinars are Web-based training sessions using teleconference audio and the Internet to deliver an
interactive seminar. All posted times are listed in Eastern Daylight Savings Time. For more
information, see http://www.militaryonesource.com/MOS/OnlineCommunity/Webinars.aspx
o The Spouse Career Center: Your Success Is Our Mission
Friday, May 20, 201, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time
Tuesday, May 24, 2011, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time
Achieving your career and educational goals when you move frequently can be a challenge.
Whether you're changing jobs because of PCS or starting a new career, we can help you and
your family prepare for the changes ahead. Let Military OneSource help smooth the way with
information about portable work options, flexible college options, licensing, and where to find
job postings.
Join us for an overview of the Military OneSource Spouse Career Center services. Learn about
who we serve, the assistance we can provide, and the benefits of working with a Spouse Career
Center consultant as you move ahead in your education and career goals.
o Business Opportunity, Employment, and Work-at-Home Scams
Thursday, May 26, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time
Make money in your bathrobe! Earn $100,000 a year in your spare time! Sound too good to be
true? Well, it is. In this webinar, Federal Trade Commission attorney Carol Kando-Pineda
shows you how to recognize scams that promise to find you a job, promise you’ll make money,
but end up costing you instead.
o On the Hunt: Exploring Employment Opportunities Through USA Jobs
Tuesday, May 31, 2011, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Savings Time
As a military spouse, you often find yourself living on or near installations that employ federal
civil servants. You, too, could be one and land a federally appropriated or non-appropriated job
through USA Jobs, the official job site for the United States Federal Government. Using your
Military Spouse Preference to get your foot in the door of Federal Civil Service Employment,
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3. This Week in MC&FP May 2, 2011
you could be eligible for priority placement and/or military spouse preference. Portability is of
key importance. If you work for the government, you might be able to transfer from your
present position to a position at your spouse's new duty station.
Join as we discuss navigating and exploring your employment opportunities at
http://www.USAJobs.com. USA Jobs contains listings for all available government jobs. You
can submit your resume and apply online.
For more information on these and other upcoming Webinars, see
http://www.militaryonesource.com/MOS/OnlineCommunity/Webinars.aspx
From the Resale and NAF Policy Office
• Commissary On-Site Sale Events
The Guard/Reserve On-site Sales Program provides the commissary benefit to deserving
Guard/Reserve members and their families who live in areas that aren’t close to an existing
commissary store. These sales are not only for the Guard and Reserve – they're for any authorized
shopper. Currently, there are no on-site sales for online ordering. For more information, visit
http://www.commissaries.com/guard_reserve_sales.cfm
In the next few weeks, DeCA will deliver the benefit:
May 6-7 Guard and Reserve Walla Walla, Wash.
May 7 Guard and Reserve Green Bay, Wisc.
May 13 Guard and Reserve Government Island, Alameda, Calif.
May 13-14 Army National Guard Camp Roberts, Calif.
May 14-15 Guard and Reserve Colchester, Vermont
May 20-21 Guard and Reserve Brandon, Mississippi
May 20-21 Utah National Guard Cedar City, Utah
May 28 Guard and Reserve Augusta, Maine
In the News
• From the American Forces Press Service – First Lady Aims to Improve Military Families Lives
First Lady Michelle Obama stood tall behind a podium in the White House’s East Room, her
husband close at hand, as she addressed a packed audience of high-ranking military and
government officials. Although it was a high-powered crowd, the first lady wasn’t there for the
officials or for the star-studded brass. She was there to speak for military families. See
http://www.defense.gov//News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=63668
• From the American Forces Press Service – Parents Help Children Prepare for Deployment
When Erin Hirvela was 2, her parents, Air Force Master Sgts. Gus and Danielle Hirvela, enlisted
Sesame Street’s Elmo to help their daughter understand why her daddy was going away for a while.
For service members and their families, preparing for an upcoming deployment is another of the
many challenges unique to military life. “When parents are having a conversation about their
deployment with their child, they should be as genuine as they can, but filter their communication
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4. This Week in MC&FP May 2, 2011
to the degree that’s appropriate for the age of their child,” said Kristy Hagar, a child psychologist
who has been working with children, adolescents, and young adults for 18 years. See
http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=63772
• From the American Forces Press Service – DoD, USDA Announce Family Support Partnership
The Defense and Agriculture departments formally recognized a 25-year working relationship
yesterday as well as a budding partnership aimed at improving military families’ lives.
Robert L. Gordon III, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and policy, and
Cathie E. Woteki, USDA’s chief scientist and undersecretary for research, education and
economics, signed a proclamation in recognition of the DOD and USDA Extension-Military
Partnership during the opening session of their joint 2011 Family Resilience Conference here. See
http://www.defense.gov//News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=63731
• From the USDA – USDA, DoD Officially Launch Military Extension Partnership
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) officially
launched the USDA/DoD Military Extension Partnership today to support military service members
and their families in their communities. A proclamation announcing the partnership was signed
today at the 2011 USDA/DoD Family Resilience Conference in Chicago, Ill.
See http://www.nifa.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2011news/04271_military_families.html
• From the American Forces Press Service – Enlisted Leaders Focus on Families
Building resilience in families and ensuring they have access to effective support programs are just
a few of the steps the services are taking to ensure a high quality of life for troops and their
families, the services’ senior enlisted leaders said during a town hall meeting here yesterday.
“At the end of the day, we as a nation don’t do well promoting resiliency … that ability to bounce
back,” Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III said. “If we can instill [resilience] in our
soldiers and in families … we believe we’re going to have a stronger force, and we need a stronger
force to get through these challenges.” See
http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=63746
• From the American Forces Press Service – Gordon Cites Need for Expanded Family Support
The Defense Department is working to expand and integrate its network of military and civilian
helping professionals to ensure military families receive the support and care they need for years to
come, the DOD official who oversees family programs said here today. “History has shown that
by combining our resources, we can meet any challenge, in any circumstance. … It’s our greatest
strength,” Robert L. Gordon III, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and
family policy, said. See http://www.defense.gov//News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=63712
• From the Family Matters Blog – Top Enlisted Leaders Talk Family Issues
The top enlisted leaders from each service led a packed town hall meeting yesterday to discuss
their family-focused programs and to field questions from family support professionals attending
the 2011 Family Resilience Conference in Chicago.
Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III, Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy Rick D.
West, Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Carlton W. Kent, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A.
Roy and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Coast Guard Michael P. Leavitt talked about the
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importance of leadership in family support efforts and the need for easy-to-access and effective
family programs. Their wives also attended the meeting, with the exception of West’s wife …. See
http://afps.dodlive.mil/
• From the Family Matters Blog – Blogger Interviews Conference Attendees
Earlier today, I asked several people attending the 2011 Family Resilience Conference to share the
highlights of their conference experience so far. I spoke to servicemembers as well as civilian
family support experts from the Defense and Agriculture departments. See http://afps.dodlive.mil/
• From the Family Matters Blog – Chaplains Discuss Spirituality, Resilience
Today, I had the opportunity to talk with two military chaplains following their panel on
“Connecting Spirituality and Family Resiliency” at the 2011 Family Resilience Conference in
Chicago. In this video, Army Maj. Quentin Collins of the National Guard and Navy Capt. Jack Lea
discuss the importance of spirituality to a person’s overall well-being and the positive impact it can
have on a family’s resilience.
See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZRjrNY91Zc&feature=relmfu
Tips of the Week
The “Tips of the Week” authors were busy supporting the Forging the Partnership conference last
week. “Tips” will return in the next edition, Friday, May 6th.
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