I just pulled the title of this post from Center for Army Lessons Learned: Frequently Asked Questions onRear Detachment Operations. I was trying to look up information re: communication between Company Commander and FRG Leaders. I think this is a key issue in many of the groups in which I've participated, whether the FRG Leader was married to the Commander or not.
I've seen FRG Leaders discouraged when they don't feel appreciated, when communication is bad between them and their unit commanders. How should they be communicating? Daily or weekly? This is very different during deployments and down time. I've always recommended at least a weekly email update from each to the other, when possible. The Commander and FRG Leader could pass info on how the unit is doing, current family issues in the unit, training calendar changes (OPSEC, of course), you name it. Communication is key to building and maintianing a strong team. A good FRG is an integral part of the unit's teamwork, even when the families are holding things down on the homefront. Open lines of communication need to be maintained to keep the team running smoothly.
From CompanyCommand: Command-FRG Leader Teams--
“You enlist the soldier. You reenlist the family.” Great leaders understand the power of this maxim. In a high-OPTEMPO Army, the importance of the Family Readiness Group (FRG) cannot be overstated. A resourceful, motivated FRG leader can make all the difference to the spouses and children left behind when a unit deploys.
Commanders and their FRG leaders work together as teams, and so do their respective forums—Company-Command and FRG Leader. Listen in as experienced company commanders and FRG leaders talk about working together to make a difference for Soldiers and their families.
I strongly encourage you to read through these stories, an hope you'll share some of your own here, too. ;)
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