Family Readiness Groups, known to many military families simply as the "FRG" is what holds the families together during times of deployment and trainings. FRGs are equipped sometimes with staff, but mostly with volunteers to provide family events, seminars and more to keep the morale of families up.

Active branches are not the only areas to have FRGs. In fact, they are available in Reserve branches, too. LenDa Rosmaryn, whose husband, Steve, currently serves in the Army Reserves stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, recently attended the 200th MP FRG training in San Diego, California.

Her husband has been in the Army for two years and it was her very first time attending a training like this. "He was in the Coast Guard for nine years before that, then decided to switch to the Army," she recalls. LenDa attended the training with her co-leader Marcella Garcia, the FRL Terril Stewart, as well as her three children, who, according to LenDa, were able to have lunch with a two-star general, his wife and a wife of a four-star general.

"I learned about what the FRG is all about, got a thick manual on proper procedure to run a family day and getting people in the unit connected with each other," she said. She also learned techniques on keeping families connected through deployments, reintegration techniques when the deployed servicemember returns, and learned protocol dos and dont's for sharing information on social media platforms.

There is usually a cloud of mystery and misconceptions surrounding what an FRG actually does, but LenDa quickly learned that there is more to an FRG than just planning family events. For one, FRGs are not just for officer's wives. "My husband is only an E-5. I first thought FRG was for officer's wives, but it is for anyone who wants to make a difference in the unit. Just sign up," she urges.

LenDa wants to debunk the stereotype that surrounds FRGs. "The Army does care and wants to get everyone connected. It is not just about a bunch of females getting together. It is bigger than that. FRGs help the commander of a unit connect everyone and helps them get acclimated to military life. It is important to have a good FRG to make spouses feel like they are part of something."

According to LenDa, there is little difference between the Reserve FRG and the active-duty FRG, although she said she "wished they provided a better explanation of how the reservists fit into the active-duty scheme. They went over a lot of different things they expected us to know. My husband is 315 CID MP detachment and that somehow falls under the 200th MP, which has a lot of other units, brigades and detachments under it. I wish they would have provided a better explanation because I'm still confused about it."

FRGs can provide a wealth of knowledge and support. "I think the one thing I learned most was that the military and FRG wants to be part of your family and wants everyone to be a team," she said. "Also there is a lot of resources out there for families, and the FRG just needs a way to get it to the spouses."

LenDa urges others to join their local FRGs. "Being a part of FRG will make your spouse's unit a better place. I truly believe that."