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|   ![](media/image                                                     |
| 1.png){width="1.0409722222222222in"   **U.S. Department of Defense**\ |
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|                  Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public |
|                                                        Affairs)\      |
|                                                        News Release   |
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|   On the Web:\                                                        |
|                                                      Public contact:\ |
|   <http://www.defenselink.mil/Releases/Re                             |
| lease.aspx?ReleaseID=10398>\   <http://www.dod.mil/faq/comment.html>\ |
|   Media contact: +1 (703)                                             |
| 697-5131/697-5132                             or +1 (703) 428-0711 +1 |
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|   **IMMEDIATE RELEASE**               **No. 042-07\                |   |
|                                       January 16, 2007**           |   |
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| **Robust Support for Military Families On-Going**                     |
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| Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and         |
| Readiness Michael L. Dominguez stated at a meeting Thursday with      |
| military and community support organizations, "As additional forces   |
| deploy in support of the new strategies in Iraq, programs and         |
| policies at home will immediately respond to the needs of             |
| families. These families will need grassroots support as many are     |
| National Guard and Reserve and are distributed across many states     |
| rather than on or near military installations."                       |
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|             Dominguez made these comments as twenty-two of America's  |
| most prestigious military and community support organizations were    |
| here to discuss how to help military families impacted by the         |
| President's new strategy for the war in Iraq.                         |
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|             "We all know the important role military families play in |
| national security," Dominguez told key leaders.   "You (the support   |
| organizations) deliver services so essential and capture information  |
| about what needs to be done, I asked you to attend today to hear your |
| ideas."                                                               |
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| The Department of Defense has a strong bond with all of these         |
| grassroots organizations nationwide. A separate section of the        |
| Military OneSource Web-site now includes a page where community and   |
| military support organizations can post sponsored events to help      |
| connect families in their communities.                                |
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|             "Military families also serve. They have a patriotic and  |
| noble spirit," Dominguez said, "but their sacrifices are greater than |
| ever with change in deployments. We appreciate your steadfast         |
| support."                                                             |
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| Key activities under way in the Department of Defense to support      |
| military units impacted by the policy change will address families'   |
| needs, Dominguez said. Initial efforts will specifically target the   |
| needs of the units in the Minnesota National Guard, the first heavily |
| impacted state.                                                       |
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| A team of military family assistance counselors, requested by         |
| Minnesota's adjutant general, will provide on-going support to        |
| families in the months to come, Dominguez said. They will help        |
| coordinate local resources, identify needed services, conduct         |
| face-to-face counseling, teach classes and help families and children |
| develop coping strategies.                                            |
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| ** **                                                                 |
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| These programs are based on recent experiences with similar changes   |
| in rotations. Other family issues will address financial stability    |
| and emotional challenges. Particular attention will be paid to        |
| respite child-care and children\'s emotional well-being.              |
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|             Similar plans to support servicemembers and families of   |
| other affected units are under way by each of the military services;  |
| they are aggressively engaged. The Defense Department's robust        |
| Military OneSourcecentral location for assistance is available        |
| 24-hours-a-day, seven days-a-week. The Web site                       |
| http://www.militaryonesource.com and toll-free telephone number at    |
| (800) 342-9647 provide immediate access to a consultant for help with |
| problem solving -- no issue is too small.                             |
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|              "If ever there was a time to show that we care for our   |
| troops, it's now," one attendee said.                                 |
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|                                                                       |
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| Organizations present at the meeting were: Air Force Association,     |
| American Red Cross, American Legion, Armed Services YMCA, Army        |
| Emergency Relief, Association of the United States Army, Boys & Girls |
| Clubs of America, Enlisted Association of the National Guard, Fleet   |
| Reserve Association, Marine Corps Reserve Association, Marine Corps   |
| League, Military Officers Association of America, National            |
| Association for Uniformed Services, National Enlisted Reserve         |
| Association, National Guard Association of America, National Military |
| Family Association, Navy League of the United States, Navy Marine     |
| Corps Relief Society, Non-Commissioned Officers Association of the    |
| United States of America, Reserve Officers Association, United        |
| Services Organization, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.              |
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