Beyond the yellow ribbon
Beyond the Yellow Ribbon
Monthly News 
 

 

 

 

 February 2012

Vol. IV, No. 5 

In This Issue
Soldier Greeted by YRN
FRSA R3SP Training
Tax Season Update
Eagan Churches Unite
Educator's Toolkit
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Events
Kickoff1

Clearwater Yellow

Ribbon Kickoff
Feb. 8, 2012

Clearwater American Legion

 

couple eating

Strong Bonds

Couples Retreat
Feb. 10-12, 2012
Metro Area

Register here.

YR_crowd_at_event

C 1-171 FSMC, 

NTM-A and 45th BCT Augmentees FRA
Feb. 11, 2012
Metro Area

Family Readiness Academy.

Valentine's Day
Feb. 14, 2012

 

President's Day
Feb. 20, 2012

 

Man and Servicemember at YR Booth

B 2-211,

107th TMDE and

NTMA Advon 60-Day
Feb. 25, 2012
Metro Area

Reintegration event.

Military family poses for a picture

BCT FRA
March 3, 2012

Owatonna

Family Readiness Academy.

Welcome Home

BCT FRA
March 4, 2012

Worthington

Family Readiness Academy.

welcome home girl

BCT FRA
March 10, 2012

Brainerd

Family Readiness Academy.

BCT FRA
March 11, 2012

Metro Area

Family Readiness Academy.

Operation Welcome Home
March 30 - April 1, 2012

Ironwood Springs

Retreat for spouses of deployed military personnel.

Soldier and Lady eating

45th BCT Augmentees

30-day/MIRT
March 31, 2012

Metro Area

Reintegration event.

Happy Couple2

Strong Bonds

Couples Retreat
June 22-24, 2012
Metro Area

Register here.

happy couple

Strong Bonds

Couples Retreat
July 27-29, 2012
Metro Area

Register here.

Zandlo Family

Strong Bonds

Couples Retreat
Aug. 24-26, 2012
Brainerd

Register here.

Strong Bonds

Single Soldier

Retreat

Sep. 7-9, 2012
Brainerd

Register here.

IGH goes above and beyond

Last month, Sara Martin, of the Inver Grove Heights Yellow Ribbon Network, helped to make one Servicemember's return home something special. By working with local resources and keeping in touch with family members of deployed personnel, Sara went Beyond the Yellow Ribbon. In her words:

 

I was in contact with a returning Soldier's wife and knew when he was coming home.  He is Army Reserve so I knew there was not going to be a "welcome home" ceremony here in Minnesota (his demobilization was at Fort Dix, N.J.).  I contacted the Chief of the Inver Grove Heights Fire Department, and she worked with the FD to pull together a little "welcome home" at their house.

FRSAs get trained up on resilience

Earlier this week, Minnesota Army National Guard Family Readiness Support Assistants from across Minnesota met at Camp Ripley to undergo special training to better support Soldiers. That training, Master Resilience Training, is a condensed, four-day course designed to teach influencers how to be more self aware and increase resilience to stressors.

 

The highest levels of leadership, from both the state and nation, are directing a multitude of resources to Servicemembers who are at risk of succumbing to stress. 

 

Since November, leaders in Servicemember-support roles have received Master Resilience Training as part of the Resilience, Risk Reduction and Suicide Prevention, or R3SP, initiative. Last fall Family Assistance Center specialists took the course to help them care for Servicemembers during non-duty hours. Now, FRSAs will also have an understanding of what it takes to help Soldiers bounce back from adversity.

 

"The Minnesota National Guard has all of these programs for Soldiers," said Maj. Richard Brummond, R3SP coordinator and officer in command of Beyond the Yellow Ribbon's Advocacy office. "We only have Soldiers for two days a month, and the best way to cover them the other 28 days is to train their families and partner with other Deployment Cycle Support offices to do just that."

 

The resilience course, typically a two-week school conducted as a joint initiative between the United States Army and the University of Pennsylvania, was designed to enhance the Soldier's effectiveness and well-being and develop leadership potential. The course's core competencies are self regulation, mental agility, strengths of character, being self aware, optimism and connection. The lessons are designed to stop counterproductive thinking, take other perspectives and build strong relationships by mastering positive and effective communication.

 

"What's Your Yellow Ribbon Story?" is a new Beyond the Yellow Ribbon campaign focused on sharing stories about the amazing things Yellow Ribbon Networks across the state are accomplishing. It's an opportunity for Servicemembers, military families and volunteers to tell their stories.

 

Click on the "What's Your Yellow Ribbon Story?" banner above to read the first three stories.

 

If you share your Yellow Ribbon Story with Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, we'll be sure to tell your story on Facebook! You can submit your 200-300 word story and photo by email.

Before you file...

Tax season has arrived. This year, before you tackle your W-2s, be sure to know the rules and benefits applicable to Servicemembers and their military families.

 

There are several scenarios that qualify Servicemembers for an Extension of Deadline. Consult your tax preparer or see the IRS Publication (link below) for more information on Extension of Deadline.

 

Enlisted members, warrant officers and commissioned warrant officers can exclude much of their pay and benefits after having served in a combat zone. Exclusions include active duty pay, imminent danger/hostile fire pay, re-enlistment bonuses, student loan repayments, and others.

 

Power of attorney may be used to file and sign a return for a deployed Servicemember. If your spouse is overseas on military duty, the IRS allows flexibility in filing a joint return, especially if the Servicemember is in a combat zone or otherwise incapable of signing a return.

 

There are several other exclusions that Servicemembers may qualify for, including costs associated with re-employment after a deployment and upkeep of uniforms. Additionally, the First-Time Homebuyer Credit, an $8,000 credit for first-time buyers, may be claimed if a narrow set of criteria have been met.

 

Many options are available for Servicemembers and their families to receive tax help and filing services - some tax resources are even offered at no charge! Find those resources by visiting Beyond the Yellow Ribbon's Tax Information page here.

 

Read the IRS Publication pertaining to Servicemembers and their families here.

 

Find the Minnesota Department of Revenue's webpage for military personnel here.

Eagan churches unite

Guest columnist Denise Kadrlik, vice chair of Beyond the Yellow Ribbon South of the River

 

What started as six members of the military ministry at St. Michael Church in Prior Lake just a few short years ago, has turned into more than 100 members and is now known as Beyond the Yellow Ribbon South of the River. Our co-liaisons from the faith community at St. Michael have actively worked to share our story. We hosted our first faith community informational gathering last year, inviting churches within Scott County to attend. We've since outgrown the small meeting room where it all began, and have become a Scott County-wide, non-profit organization with people from many different faith communities and cities.

 

One of our regular volunteer activities is cooking an evening meal one day per month at the Fisher House. The Fisher House is the Ronald McDonald House for the military.

 

We had the pleasure of meeting one Soldier when we cooked at the Fisher House in December. This young man enlisted and departed for Basic Combat Training within a week of his high school graduation. At 20 years old he survived an IED attack - losing a leg and basically one-half of his skull. We listened to both him and his family talk, and learned he was a week away from having a metal plate put in place to reshape his skull. He was also a few short weeks from receiving his prosthesis, which will allow him to walk one day.

 

The Fisher House made it possible for his family to stay close and take part in the healing process. We listened to every word this young Marine had to say and were touched by his courageous battle.  

 

Our 2012 goals include doubling our membership and opening a military support center which will be manned by volunteers from our group. The level of excitement surrounding our action plan for this year is explosive, and our enthusiasm contagious and unstoppable.

 

I would like to take a moment to thank each and every one of you who have served or supported a family member who has served this great nation.

 

Networking event for Yellow Ribbon Network volunteers at Cragun's Resort in Brainerd, Feb. 24-26, 2012.

 

Reservations are required. Call 800-CRAGUNS, or click the above image for the event flyer.

 

 MMRH Ad

 

Thousands of children receiving support

Children of military families need support and guidance throughout the deployment cycle. Often times the remaining parent or guardian does not know how to offer the support they need. It's estimated that there are more than 20,000 military families in Minnesota. Within all of these families, thousands of military children are in need of direction and encouragement.

 

The Military Kids Toolkit is a new tool to support military children. The Toolkit is an electronic resource that includes a six-lesson curriculum and can be implemented in a small group or classroom style setting. The curriculum focuses on ways children can cope with their parents' deployment and handle stress. The Toolkit also explains how to resume normal roles once the parent returns.

 

"Family Programs developed this curriculum to support all military children in elementary, middle and high school levels," said Cpt. Marian Belinski, State Family Programs director. "As military children can be hard to locate, the educational goals of the lessons are to identify military youth within schools and to foster resilience in military connected youth through a peer support group led by an educational professional."

 

Currently, a pilot version of the Military Kids Toolkit is implemented in six schools in Minnesota. This Toolkit is the first structured program offered to help educators support military children. The Military Kids Toolkit is free of charge and will be available for the 2012-13 school years.

 

Click here to request the Military Kids Toolkit online.

 

Make A Difference

Holes for Heroes a huge hit

On the first weekend in February, Fishing for Life hosted its annual "Holes for Heroes" Armed Forces Ice Fishing Festival. The three-hour event, simulcast to active military members stationed overseas, was a hit with individuals "brave" enough to conquer the ice this balmy winter season. Janet Ward took a moment to send a thank you note to Beyond the Yellow Ribbon:

 

I would like to thank everyone who was involved in the Holes for Heroes fishing. What a wonderful day. We had a wonderful time and I hope to receive the flyer on it again next year! Thanks again - especially for all the prizes that I won!

 

Janet won the Clam Ice House for catching the largest perch - just one of many prizes offered for catching the largest and smallest species, first and last fish and most fish caught, to name a few. Janet swore that the fish Spc. Taryn Ward and Diana Kempenich proudly showed-off for the camera was not bait.

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