Beyond the yellow ribbon - Your fort Minnesota
Fort Minnesota Express February 2010 Vol. I, No. 7
In This Issue
YR Employment Coach
34th ID Returns
Star of the North Award
Veterans Rest Camp
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 Events
Fort Minnesota Express is your family's link to what's going on Beyond the Yellow Ribbon.
 

reintegration

1-151 FRA
 Feb. 20, 2010
1-151 Family Readiness Academy at Century Community College.

 

34th ID MP's, STB & Band 30-Day

Mar. 6, 2010
Reintegration events for Soldiers and families of the 34th MP's, STB and Band at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

 

34th ID TAC & MCP 30-Day

Mar. 7, 2010
Reintegration events for Soldiers and families of 34th TAC and MCP at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

FRA

CBWTU Conference
Mar. 7, 2010

Community Based Warrior Transition Conference at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

reintegration2

1-151 FRA
Mar. 14, 2010

Family Readiness Academy for 1-151 families in Morris on Mar 13 and Marshall on Mar 14.

MIRT

34th ID 60 day/MIRT
Apr. 10-11, 2010

60 day event and MIRT for returning 34th ID Soldiers at the Minneapolis Convention Center. 

momandkid

FRPC
Apr. 16-18, 2010

Family Readiness Planning Conference in St. Cloud.

 

It Makes A Difference

Beyond the Yellow Ribbon has a program for military families called, "Parents as Teachers." Minnesota National Guard wife, Jennifer Marie Van Hecke says this program has been beneficial in helping their family stay connected during her husband's current deployment with the 204th Area Support Medical Company.
 
"Having Parent Educator Terri Konczak come to our home once a month to see our 19 month old daughter Lily grow and be a support person to our family while Eric is deployed has truly been a blessing.  It is easy to feel completely separated when we are here and Daddy is there, halfway around the world.  Terri shares ideas on how to stay connected.  For example, we have a video of Eric reading a story to Lily on DVD.  It is the best gift she/we could have ever received.  Every night we play Daddy's DVD and Lily kisses the TV and tells Daddy good night." 
 
Daddy, otherwise known as 1LT Eric Van Hecke, is a Physician Assistant with the 204th and is scheduled to return from Iraq July.
Yellow Ribbon employment coaches help veterans find jobs
by Spc. Miles Eakins

Handshake

You demonstrated your leadership, work ethic and skills during your deployment. If you are having trouble finding employment since you've been back a Yellow Ribbon employment coach may help improve your chances of finding a job.

Q: What does a Yellow Ribbon employment coach do?
A: They will establish a one-on-one relationship with you, providing motivation, guidance and help with skills to include interview skills, resumes and translating your military experience into terms a potential employer can understand.

Q: How does the program work?
A: Just as hockey or football coach is there for the team, your Yellow Ribbon Employment Coach will be there for you.  You have to commit, practice, and be open to advise.  Contact them, meet with them and let them guide and support you.  Their job is to use their knowledge and background to improve your employability; but success is up to you.

Q: How do I get assigned a Yellow Ribbon employment coach?
A: To find a Yellow Ribbon employment coach or to just find out more information visit, www.BeyondTheYellowRibbon.org.
34th ID Returns Home
34th ID Homecoming

More than 1,100 Minnesota National Guardsmen from the 34th Infantry Division returned home in January and February from a 12-month deployment to Iraq.

Before returning to Minnesota they began the demobilization process at Fort Lewis, Wash. At their, Initial Reintegration Event they got a refresher on driving from the state patrol and were informed about educational benefits from Minnesota State Colleges & Universities.

The Beyond the Yellow Ribbon program has been there for the Soldiers and their families since the Family Readiness Academy and will continue to support them through the reintegration process. A network of support from the youngest to the oldest member of a military family is available through Beyond the Yellow Ribbon. 

The Soldiers and their families will gather at the Minneapolis Convention Center for the 30-Day Reintegration Event on March 6-7 and 60-Day Reintegration Event on April 10-11. The events, ran by Beyond the Yellow Ribbon will offer the participants a variety of classes including, how to create an effective resume, coping with stress, improving relationships and children's workshops.
 
These classes are important to the Soldiers and their families as they them equip them with necessary reintegration skills and help them identify and cope with any issues they may have due to their deployment.
Rosemount FAC employees recieve Star of the North Award
Vern Award
Christina Rost and Vern Truax from the Rosemount Family Assistance Center recieved the Star of the North Award, a certificate of congressional recognition, at a ceremony last week. 
 
Rost and Truax's service and dedication to military families in Minnesota as part of the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon team, made them ideal candidates for the prestigous award.
 
The award was started after several people from Congressman John Kline's second district volunteered as part of the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.  The relief effort and other caring acts by Minnesotans within their communities made Kline realize that the volunteers needed to be recognized for their efforts.

The awards, handed out twice a year by Kline, are given to a varying number of recipients each ceremony and the recipients range from children to senior citizens.
 
In addition to Rost and Truax, 43 others were recognized for their efforts in the ceremony.
Disabled Veterans Rest Camp
by Spc. Thomas Keeler
Veterans rest Camp BBQ
For years, Kevin Lelle had heard about the Disabled Veterans Rest Camp, a Yellow Ribbon Company, through word of mouth, and had even driven past its location in rural Washington County on Big Marine Lake a few times.

"But I never got around to checking it out," he said.

Lelle, a retired 20-year veteran of the Air Force, figured the Disabled Veterans Rest Camp served injured veterans only. But in the fall, when he needed a location for a family picnic, his wife suggested he look into it.

Lelle found the park clean and quiet. The staff welcomed him and showed him some cabins. The price was reasonable, and Lelle took it.

Tom Ferris, general manager of the Disabled Veterans Rest Camp, estimates that anywhere from 8,000 to 10,000 veterans, including spouses and children, pass through the rest camp in a summer.

Located in May Township in Washington County, near Hugo, the camp was established for veterans in 1926 when the concern of the day was 'shell shock' and the casualty rates from war were much higher. Since then, the camp has served the veteran community continuously for more than 80 years.

 Disabled Veterans Rest Camp was proclaimed one of Minnesota's first Yellow Ribbon Companies on January 5, 2010. To learn how your company or community can become "Yellow Ribbon" and support military families visit, BeyondTheYellowRibbon.org.
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