Prior planning for family care is essential to combat readiness.

Prior planning for family care is essential to combat readiness, by means of ensuring Sailors and their families are prepared for deployment and ready to consummate their military and professional duties.

To provide Sailors clear guidance for developing reliable family care plans and to assist commands in creating effective family care programs, the Navy lately revised the Family Care Policy instruction (OPNAVINST 17404B)

"The of the present day revision simplified and clarified many of the requirements of the policy," explained CAPT Carol Schmidt, branch head of Women's Policy in Washington, DC "We included a simple checklist to guide Sailors by means of the development of a plan."

Several topics included in the checklist are:

* Financial preparations, of the like kind as establishing allotments, fund transfers, and/or automatic bill pay.

* Logistical troubles such as family contacts, exercise arrangements, use of government services, etc

* Medical/Dental information, similar as location of records, names of providers, medication requirements.

* Legal provisions, as it is as wills, powers of attorney, ID Cards, social security numbers and insurance policies.

The instruction requires Sailors to arrange for support of their family members during deployment normal and reach forthed working hours, TAD [temporary assigned duty] assignments and weekend custom regardless of whether the Sailor is upon shore or sea duty.

"Advanced planning benefits one as well as the other the Navy and the Sailor according to ensuring care for family members is provided, easing stres in succession the Sailor and his or her command," wrote Chief of Naval Personnel VADM Gerry Hoewing in a newly come NAVADMIN.

The Navy Family Care policy applies to all Navy personnel active and withhold who are single parents or part of a dual military tie with custodial responsibility for family members. It also applies to Sailors who are the single caregiver of another person.

NAVADMIN 037/04 has more details and is available online at www.bupers.navy.mil/ navadmin/nav04/nav04037.txt.

For more information forward the Navy's Family Care Policy, please visit the Office of Women's Policy Web site at wwwbuper navy.mil/pers2/N134/.

LT Sarah Self-Kyler who is assigned to Chief of Naval Personnel Women's Policy Branch, Washington, DC

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