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Events
Fort Minnesota Express is your family's link to what's going on Beyond the Yellow Ribbon.
Watch for regular updates about Family
and Reintegration
events, Yellow
Ribbon Community news and fantastic opportunities for Servicemembers and their families.
Click on the, "join now" button to sign up for e-alerts on special happenings for job opportunities, youth activities and more. Welcome to the Fort Minnesota Express!
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Governor's Yellow Ribbon Summit Jan. 5, 2010 |
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Governor Pawlenty's proclamation of new Yellow Ribbon entities and workshops on how to support servicemembers at the local level at Century College.
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1 year reintegration Jan. 9, 2010 |
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One year reintegration event in Roseville for 147th PSB, 347 BSD and 247th Finance
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OMLT 30-60 day event & MIRT
Jan. 9-10, 2010 |
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Reintegration training at Metro State University for Soldiers who were unable to attend their units reintegration
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Initial Demobilization Training
Jan. 18 - Feb. 6, 2010 |
| 34th ID training at Fort Lewis, Wash.
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| Family Reintegration Academy
Feb. 20, 2010 |
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1-151 FRA in the Twin Cities
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34th ID 30 day event
Mar. 6, 2010 |
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Reintegration event for Soldiers and families in the Twin Cities
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| December Family Readiness Academy |
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Family members of the 34th ID gathered together this month for their Family Readiness Academy. In a unique twist, families from 1-151 FA and 204th AMSC joined them at the River Centre in St. Paul for their Mid Tour Conference.
Chaplain Mark Thompson (CPT) opened the general session with a message about sharing the Christmas spirit all year round. Motivational speaker, and laugh expert, Scotty Scott spoke of the importance of laughter in your life.
The day included break-out workshops with pannel discussions, giving participants the opportunity to hear what reintergration was like for others, and allowing them to ask questions of those who've been through it.
FRG Holiday lunches were surprised with a special visit from Santa and Miss Teen Minnesota. |
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| Spreading the message |
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While families ate steak in St. Paul and spoke with their soldiers in Iraq and Kuwait during the 7th Serving our Troops dinner, Beyond the Yellow Ribbon leaders were sharing Minnesota's program with National and International leaders.
Secretary Dennis M. McCarthy, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, a three member Croatian leadership delegation and Adjutant General Larry Shellito listened to an update about the Yellow Ribbon Community Campaign from volunteers working to spread the message of supporting troops at the local level.
Senator Kathy Saltzman spoke about Washington County's Yellow Ribbon Network, and their passion in getting all cities within their county involved. Hugo city council member Chuck Haas spoke of their Yellow Ribbon network success in helping a military family get a swing set put in their yard. 3M Executive and Gold Star Mom, Sandy Martenson spoke of 3M's new appreciation of servicemembers and veterans. Lisa Baskfield, of Baskfield Associates, spoke of how she volunteers her time to assist deploying servicemembers.
The Yellow Ribbon Campaign is spreading to counties, cities, companies, churches and campuses one relationship at a time.
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| Parents as Teachers |
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The Heroes at Home Program, put on by Parents as Teachers, is helping Minnesota children learn, grow and develop to realize their full potential. Certified parent educators Terri Konczak and April Olson joined the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon team last fall and have already developed their program to the point of playgroups!
At a playgroup in November at the Edina Library, toddlers got the opportunity for educationally enriched play with kids their own age. While Moms got the opportunity to meet someone who knew what it was like to have a husband in the service.
Koncazk says they are putting the finishing touches on plans for playgroups in Duluth, Becker-St. Cloud, and the Twin Cities area for January, February and March. They'll have 4-6 play groups per month. A complete schedule will be available at www.BeyondTheYellowRibbon.org, in the Family Events page. Additionally both Konczak and Olson accept clients for home visits. At these personal visits, they as parent educators, share age-appropriate child development and parenting information to help Moms and Dads observe their child's growth.
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| Soldier to appear in commercial |
Spc. Elizabeth Briggs, mother of three and member of the 834th ASB was chosen to be in a commercial for the used childrens clothing retailer Once Upon a Child.
Briggs and her eight year old son, Haydin, as well as the producers daughter were in the commercial which aimed to show the retailer's support for parents in the military.
Briggs, a regular shopper at Once Upon A Child, said she enjoyed being in the commercial. When asked if she would like to keep acting she said, "It was fun, but too much for me."
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| Guard gives back |
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With frequent deployments and generous communities, the Minnesota National Guard knows all to well the heartfelt donations of time and money from strangers.
Now it's our turn to give back. Soldiers and families of the 34th CAB are helping out with the Salvation Army Toy Shop at the Cedar Street Training and Community Center this weekend. They also collected toys the first two weeks of December to help disadvantaged families provide Christmas presents to their children. |
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| VA smoking cessation |
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), "Approximately 70% of all smokers say they want to quit, but even the most motivated may try to quit 5 or 6 times before they are able to quit. Over 3 million Americans successfully quit smoking every year."
Quitting smoking may be one of the toughest things you will ever do, but the VA can help. Talk to a VA health care provider to get help quitting smoking, including getting medication, counseling, testing and other programs to improve your chances of quitting.
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| Sexual Assault Response Coordinator |
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The Minnesota National Guard Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) provides essential support, liaison services, care, guidance, and advisement to all victims of sexual assault.
The Joint Force Headquarters SARC, SMSgt. Kelly Wilkinson, is the program manager of victim support services and oversees the local implementation and execution of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program. This includes ensuring sexual assault awareness, prevention, training, and victim advocacy is available to all military members.
SMSgt. Wilkinson ensures all victims are treated with dignity, fairness, respect and that everysexual assault report is taken seriously by following proper guidelines. Sexual Assault is an unfortunate problem not only in our society but the military as well.
All Soldiers and Airmen are encouraged to disclose a sexual assault with complete confidentiality. Resources are available to victims who are either on- or off-duty at the time of the assault; to include family members of military members.
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SMSgt. Wilkinson can be reached at 612-208-5299, 24 hours a day. |
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