PNG Service Member & Family Support Division

10/02/2026

Your retirement plan has four key checkpoints. 🏗️

This October, helps Service members actively manage the building blocks of their military retirement:

🏛️ Foundation: Understand how your pension and TSP work together.
🧱 Framing: Contribute every month and increase contributions over time.
📏 Measurements: Track your years of service, high-36 base pay, and projected growth.
🔍 Inspections: Review your TSP funds and align your investment mix with your timeline and risk tolerance.

Use free tools and courses, and meet with a no-cost personal financial manager or counselor. Take action today to avoid costly mistakes and start drafting your future. 🪖

Learn more at go.mil/finred.

https://www.dvidshub.net/video/1025151/design-your-dream-retirement

What does your ideal retirement look like? Achieving it starts with a solid foundation. Watch this quick overview to discover the immense value of active retirement planning and learn the essential steps to construct a personalized blueprint for your future.

10/02/2026

❤️🇺🇸 ON FRIDAYS, WE WEAR RED! 🇺🇸❤️

A simple color. A powerful message: We remember. We care. We stand with you.

RED stands for Remember Everyone Deployed. Each Friday, we wear red to honor our deployed Service members and remind them that, no matter the distance, they remain in our hearts.

And to the Families holding down the home front—we’ve got your six, too! We see the extra responsibilities, the missed moments, and the love that keeps you going. You are part of this mission, and your J9 team is here to support you. ❤️

📸 Let’s see your RED! Share a photo in the comments of you, your Family, or your Battle Buddies sporting red! 🔒 Before you post, remember OPSEC—Operations Security! Keep deployment dates, locations, movements, and unit details out of your photos and comments. Let’s show our support while protecting those we love!

For those serving far from home—and those keeping home strong—we wear RED. ❤️🇺🇸

10/02/2026

💚 STRONG MARRIAGES. STRONG FAMILIES. STRONG BONDS. 💚

Military life can bring some pretty incredible experiences—but it can also bring unique challenges. Between busy schedules, military commitments, time apart, deployments, and everything that comes with everyday life, sometimes couples simply need an opportunity to reconnect, recharge, and focus on each other. ❤️

That’s exactly what the Building Strong & Ready Teams (BSRT) Strong Bonds Couples Weekend Retreat is all about!

🇺🇸 PAARNG Chaplains invite you and your spouse to the BSRT Strong Bonds Couples Weekend Retreat. It’s our way of saying thank you for the sacrifices you and your family make every day as members of the Armed Forces and, because we understand the stresses of military life, we want to serve you through a Strong Bonds Weekend Retreat.

Attending the Strong Bonds Couples Weekend Retreat will help you gain skills to fortify your marriage while enjoying time for relaxation, recreation, fellowship, and FUN! 🫶

📅 FY27 COUPLES RETREAT DATES

📍 23–25 APRIL — Pittsburgh Area
📍 11–13 JUNE — Poconos Area

And Families, there’s even more good news…

👧🧸 CHILD CARE WILL BE PROVIDED FOR BOTH WEEKEND RETREATS!

Please note that Soldiers will be placed on orders for the event they attend. Authorization from the Soldier’s unit command is required. After submitting the initial registration, you will receive a command authorization form by email that is needed to complete your registration.

📲 READY TO REGISTER?
Scan the QR code on the flyer or register here: https://form.jotform.com/252654346405053

Register for the FY27 Strong Bonds Couples Weekend Retreat⁠

📧 Questions? Contact Chaplain David Boyles at [email protected]

Whether you’ve celebrated one anniversary or twenty, take a weekend to invest in your relationship, strengthen your connection, and enjoy some well-deserved time together. ❤️

Strong Bonds start with making time for one another. We hope to see you there! 🇺🇸💚

Locations are subject to change.

10/01/2026

🎃🍂 NO TRICKS—JUST RESOURCES! 🍂🎃

The October J9 Newsletter has arrived, and this month’s edition is packed with information, resources, training opportunities and support for our Pennsylvania National Guard Service members and Families! 🇺🇸

Grab your pumpkin spice ☕, settle in, and take a few minutes to see what’s happening across J9 this month!

Inside this October Edition:
💜 Domestic Violence Awareness Month — Awareness, support & resources
🧸 UPWARDS — Childcare support for eligible IDT weekends
📱 Soldier Support Resource App — Resources and contacts right at your fingertips
🤝 SFRG Virtual Trainings — Helping our SFRG teams stay informed, connected & ready
💻 VTT Webinar: Juggling Being a Military Family When Your Service Member is Deployed

🎃 Don’t let these resources GHOST you! 👻
Take a look, save what applies to your Family, share it with a Battle Buddy, and stay connected to the programs and resources available to support you.

Because whether you’re navigating deployment, preparing for drill weekend, supporting your SFRG, or simply looking for the right resource…

🍂 We are here to help keep Service members & Families informed, connected and ready—all season long! 🇺🇸🧡

10/01/2026

🇺🇸 NEW FISCAL YEAR. STRONG SFRGs. MISSION READY! 🇺🇸

As we step into a new Fiscal Year, your Military & Family Readiness Specialists are ready to help set our SFRG Command Teams and Volunteers up for success!

Strong Soldier & Family Readiness Groups start with strong leadership, dedicated Volunteers, and a team that understands the mission. Whether you are brand new to the SFRG, stepping into a new role, need a refresher, or simply want to learn more about how an SFRG works—we have training for you!

📣 Beginning in FY27, our scheduled SFRG trainings will be offered QUARTERLY:

🔵 SFRG Volunteer Training
First Tuesday of the quarter | 1:30–2:30 PM

🟢 SFRG Command & CFRR Training
First Wednesday of the quarter | 1:30–2:30 PM

But you don’t have to wait for a quarterly training date! 🙌

⭐ TRAINING IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON DEMAND! ⭐

Commanders, CFRRs, SFRG Volunteers—or ANYONE interested in learning more about the SFRG mission—can work directly with their local Military & Family Readiness Specialist to schedule training at a time that works for you and your team.

🎯 Training includes: understanding the SFRG mission; roles and responsibilities; working effectively as an SFRG team; strengthening Soldier & Family Readiness; Volunteer best practices; and the tools, resources, and knowledge you need to confidently fulfill your role.

Because a strong SFRG isn’t built by one person—it takes a TEAM. And your MFRS is here to Support. Educate. Empower. every step of the way. 🇺🇸

📲 Ready to tackle FY27 and strengthen your SFRG?
Contact your local Military & Family Readiness Specialist to register for an upcoming quarterly session or schedule an on-demand training for your team!

Let’s get back to the basics, build strong teams, and keep our Soldiers and Families informed, connected, and READY! 💪🇺🇸

09/30/2026

📲🇺🇸 SERVICE MEMBERS & FAMILIES—SUPPORT IS NOW JUST A TAP AWAY!

Looking for a resource? Need to know who to contact? Not sure where to start? There’s an app for that! 🙌
The Soldier Resource App provides Soldiers, Families, and leaders with a streamlined way to access current contact information and helpful information for support organizations throughout the Pennsylvania National Guard.

📱 And the best part?
The app is FREE, web-based, and does not require you to provide individual user data.

When you open the app for the first time, you’ll have the option to:
📲 Save it directly to your phone’s home screen or desktop
🔔 Opt in to push notifications to receive updates when resource information changes
🤝 Quickly connect with support organizations when you or someone you know needs assistance
Save it. Keep it handy. Share it with your Battle Buddies.
You may not need a resource today—but when you do, having the right contact information right at your fingertips can make all the difference. ❤️🤍💙

👉 Check out the Soldier Resource App:
https://app.jotform.com/261618384630156

Resources. Connections. Support. Right at your fingertips. 📲🇺🇸

09/29/2026

☕️🇺🇸 HAPPY NATIONAL COFFEE DAY! 🇺🇸☕️

Pennsylvania National Guard Families—we know a thing or two about coffee. 😂

Early morning drill? ☕️
Deployment schedule? ☕️☕️
Getting the kids out the door? ☕️☕️☕️
Trying to remember everything on the Family calendar? Just hand us the whole pot. 😂

But while your coffee is brewing… let’s talk about what else is brewing at J9! 👀☕️

Our J9 team is always working to keep Pennsylvania National Guard Service members and Families connected, informed, supported, and READY.

☕ Military & Family Readiness Specialists — Your first stop for personalized support, resource referrals, and assistance with navigating military and community programs.

☕ SFRG Support, Training & Volunteer Resources — Tools, training, and guidance to help strengthen unit connections, and empower Families.

☕ Personal Financial Counselors — Confidential support with budgeting, financial goals, debt management, credit, and preparing for major life changes.

☕ Child & Youth Resources — Programs, activities, and support designed to help children and youth connected to the Pennsylvania National Guard thrive.

☕ Education & Benefits Information — Guidance on education opportunities, benefits, and resources that can help Service members and Families reach their goals.

☕ Deployment Cycle Support — Resources and assistance for every stage of the deployment cycle, including preparation, separation, reintegration, and the Families holding down the home front.

☕ SAPR Program Support & Resources — Confidential support, advocacy, prevention education, and resources related to sexual assault prevention and response.

☕ Chaplain Support — Confidential care, counseling, spiritual support, and assistance for Service members and Families during both challenging and everyday moments.

☕ R3SP Program Resources — Support and resources to help Service members and Families build resilience, strengthen relationships, and navigate challenges.

☕ IPP Support & Resources — Information and assistance to help eligible Service members and Families access available programs, services, and support.

☕ Community Resources & Connections — Connections to trusted local, state, and national organizations that can provide additional support close to home.

☕ And plenty more brewing behind the scenes!

Bottom Line Up Front—BLUF:
You don’t have to wait until you’re in a bind to reach out. Sometimes the best time to learn about a resource is before you need it.

So grab your favorite cup today and tell us:

👇 What’s in your mug this morning?
☕ Hot coffee
🧊 Iced coffee
🎃 Pumpkin spice everything
⚡ Caffeine with absolutely no questions asked
😴 Or… “Please don’t talk to me until cup #2.”

And while you’re here, follow our page and stay connected. You never know when something we share might be exactly what you—or your Battle Buddy—needs.

☕️ Serving up resources, readiness & support… one post at a time! 🇺🇸

09/29/2026

🇺🇸 🫡PENNSYLVANIA NATIONAL GUARD FAMILIES—YOU HAVE A TEAM BEHIND YOU!

No matter where you are in your Military journey—preparing for a deployment, navigating one now, welcoming your Service member home, adjusting to a new unit, facing a challenge, or simply looking for information—support is here for you. ❤️

Your Pennsylvania National Guard Military & Family Readiness Specialists (MFRS) are here to help keep our Service members and Families connected, informed, supported and READY.

And you don’t have to wait until there’s a problem to reach out!

Our MFRS team serves as a conduit of information and connection between Service members, Families, Commands, military programs and community resources. If we don’t have the answer, our job is to help connect you with someone who does.

🪖 SUPPORTING OUR UNITS & SFRGs
• Hands-on assistance for Soldier & Family Readiness Groups (SFRGs)
• Orientation and training for SFRG Volunteers, Commanders and Command Family Readiness Representatives (CFRRs)
• Briefings for SFRGs, Commands, Leadership and Units
• Subject-matter expertise in Soldier & Family Readiness
• Support to Commanders in strengthening mission and Family readiness
• Unit, Soldier and Family readiness support and outreach

🤝 SUPPORTING OUR SOLDIERS & FAMILIES
Our team can provide information, resources and referrals for:
• ID Cards & DEERS
• TRICARE
• Financial Readiness
• Legal Resources
• Crisis Intervention
• Emergency Family Assistance Center (EFAC)
• Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP)
• Community Information & Outreach
• Military, Veteran & Retiree Benefits for all branches
• Deployment Cycle Support & Outreach
• Education Programs
• Employment & Career Services
• Behavioral & Mental Health Resources
• Household & Property Resources
• Child & Youth Services & Events
• Regional Military Share Food Distributions
• And so much more!

💚 Sometimes you know exactly what you need. Sometimes you just know you need a little help figuring out where to start. Either way—we’re here.

📍 Not sure who your Military & Family Readiness Specialist is?
Check out our contact map below to find the MFRS who supports your area.

You are never expected to know every program, benefit or resource available to you—that’s what your Military & Family Readiness team is here for.

Connecting Soldiers. Supporting Families. Strengthening Readiness. 🇺🇸

Because readiness doesn’t begin when orders arrive—and support doesn’t end when a deployment does. ❤️

09/27/2026

🍂 Rise and shine Families!
Family IDT— Home Front Station Drill Day 2 is underway—and before anyone goes AWOL for a pumpkin spice latte ☕😂, we’ve still got training to complete! 🍁 SUNDAY —DAY 2: KNOW YOUR SUPPORT

📢 FIRST FORMATION—accountability time—🙋🏼‍♀️👋Let us know in the comments that you made it!

🏃‍♀️ FAMILY PT — DAY 2, LET’S MOVE! 💪🍂
We’ve got a lot of ground to cover today, so let’s get those bodies moving!👀 Miss something during yesterday’s PT/PMCS perimeter check? No worries—use today’s PT to take another lap around your area of operation and finish inspecting those areas you may have missed. ✅ All caught up? Grab your squad, take a BIG stretch, and get moving! Take a walk, go for a jog, hop on your bikes, or choose your Family’s favorite way to get those bodies moving.
No formation run required. 😂 Just move together, get those steps in, and get ready for another day of Family IDT! 🫡🇺🇸 Stretch it out. Squad up. Let’s move!

🔐 SENSITIVE ITEMS INVENTORY — EMERGENCY EDITION

THIS month, Sensitive Items Inventory becomes especially relevant.
📑 Birth certificates
📑 Marriage documents
📑 Insurance policies
📑 Vehicle/home information
📑 Important military documents
💊 Medication information
📱 Emergency contacts
📸 Photos/documentation of valuable property

Questions for Families:
Do you know where these are?
Could all adults access them?
Are they protected?
Could you get to the information if you had to leave your home quickly?

Speaking of emergencies—this brings us to the meat and potatoes of today’s IDT:🥩🥔 MANDATORY TRAINING:
⛑️ KNOW YOUR BATTLE BUDDY: AMERICAN RED CROSS

The American Red Cross is today’s resource spotlight! Today the focus is on their Service to the Armed Forces / Hero Care Network!

This is something Families should know before an emergency happens.

The Red Cross Hero Care Network provides 24/7/365 emergency communication support. During a qualifying Family emergency or significant life event, it can verify the situation and notify military commands. It’s important to know that the commander—not the Red Cross—makes emergency-leave decisions. The Hero Care Center number is 877-272-7337.

3 Primary situations that the American Red Cross will process into an emergency notification:

1️⃣Death
2️⃣Acute/current medical issue
3️⃣Other emergencies (examples: legal, financial issues, breakdown in child’s family care plan or when a family faces other emergencies that the family has no other means of contacting the Service member)

✏️ Information that you will need to provide the American Red Cross to initiate the message:
-Full name of Service member
-Social Security Number
-Rank/title
-Branch of Service
-Unit Name/Designation
-Military Address/Location of Training
-Copy of Orders

🎯Bottom Line Up Front-- BLUF — WHY FAMILIES SHOULD KNOW:
An emergency is NOT the time to figure out who to call. Save the American Red Cross Hero Care Center number NOW: 877-272-7337. Knowing the process before you need it is part of being a mission-ready military Family. 🪖❤️ Hero Care also has a FREE App that Families can download!

The Red Cross also provides military Families with information/referral support and connections to community resources, while its Service to the Armed Forces programs include deployment support and access to military aid-society assistance in eligible emergency situations.

🧹 FINAL CLEAN-UP — “POLICE CALL: FALL EDITION” 🍂

Alright Home Front Station—the training isn’t over until the area is squared away and you finish with your AAR — After Action Review!
We know our Service members conduct an AAR after training to look at what went well, what could be improved, and what they can do differently next time to make the team and mission even strong!

So let’s ask our Family:
What did we learn?
What preparedness gap did we find?
What is ONE thing our Family will fix this week?

🍁 HOME FRONT STATION — TRAINING COMPLETE! 🫡
The leaves may be changing, the temperatures may be dropping, but one thing stays the same: READINESS STARTS AT HOME.

Stay ready. Stay connected. Take care of your Battle Buddies.
FAMILY IDT — DISMISSED! 🇺🇸🍂

09/26/2026

🫡Families—it’s time to report for duty for this month’s 🍁 FAMILY IDT: HOME FRONT STATION!!

OPERATION: FALL In & Prepare!
September’s Training Focus: Family Emergency Preparedness 🚨

The leaves may be falling, but our readiness standards aren’t! 😉🍂 Pennsylvania’s cooler weather is coming, daylight is getting shorter, and National Preparedness Month gives us the perfect opportunity to make sure the Home Front is ready!

🍂 SATURDAY — DRILL DAY 1: PREPARE THE HOME FRONT

📢 FIRST FORMATION —🍁 FALL is in the air…so FALL IN, Families! First Formation is officially underway at Home Front Station!
(And YES, we have to play on FALL IN this month. 😂) 🙋🏼‍♀️Sound off in the comments when you are present!!⬇️⬇️

🏃 FAMILY PT —This month’s PT challenge: Get out and moving! Families lace up those sneakers and take this month’s PT outside. September’s challenge comes with a little bonus—we’re knocking out some PT and Preventive Maintenance Checks and Services (PMCS) at the same time! ✌️DOUBLE PMCS DAY!! Take a walk around your home and yard. While you’re getting those steps in, give your Home Front Station a good once over before Pennsylvania’s cooler weather moves in!

While you walk, take a look around👀:
🍁 Are the gutters clear, or are leaves starting to pile up?
🏠 Any shingles missing, loose, or damaged?
💧 What about outdoor water spigots—do they need shut off, drained, or covered before freezing temperatures arrive?
🍂 Is there leaf or yard cleanup that needs tackled?
🔧 See anything else that should be repaired, secured, cleaned up, or winterized?

You don’t have to fix it all today! Make a mental note—or start a Fall Home Front punch list—of anything that needs attention before colder weather turns a small problem into a bigger one.

Today’s mission: Get moving. Get outside. Walk the perimeter. Inspect your area of operations. 👀🍁

Because PT keeps YOU mission ready…and PMCS helps keep your Home Front Station mission ready, too! 🏡💪

While we have that momentum going—lets move to our 🚗 Preventive Maintenance Checks and Services (PMCS) — FALL VEHICLE CHECK
🛞 Check tire pressure/tread
💡 Headlights, brake lights & turn signals
🧴 Windshield washer fluid/wipers
🛢️ Oil & fluids
🔋 Battery awareness
📄 Registration, inspection & insurance dates
🧥 Begin thinking about seasonal emergency items for the vehicle

🍂 BLUF — Don’t wait until zero-dark-thirty on the first freezing morning to discover your Family vehicle isn’t mission capable! (tires and batteries can give big problems once it gets cold!)

Now it’s time to dive into the meat and potatoes of our Family IDT…🥩🥔 MANDATORY TRAINING: BUILD YOUR FAMILY EMERGENCY PLAN

Ready.gov currently emphasizes that preparedness starts at home—so let’s prepare our Home Front!
Go over these great discussion points with your Family:

🏠 Where will we go if we need to leave home?
📱 How will we communicate if cell service is disrupted?
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Who is our out-of-area contact?
🐶 What’s the plan for pets?

🚨 THIS MONTH’S HOME FRONT PCC
PRE-COMBAT CHECKS: EMERGENCY KIT EDITION! 🎒✅
Families, you might be able to talk the talk and say, “Yeahhhh…we have an emergency kit somewhere!” 😂 But this month’s PCC is about making sure you can walk the walk, too!

It’s time to actually find that kit, open it up, and CHECK IT! 👀
🎒 What’s actually in there?
📅 Has anything expired?
🔋 Do the batteries still work?
💧 Is your water supply still good?
🥫 Do you have enough nonperishable food?
💊 Do medications or first-aid supplies need replaced?
🔦 Does that flashlight actually turn on?
➕ What’s missing that your Family would need during an emergency?

Inventory it. Test it. Replace it. Restock it. ✅
Because having an emergency kit somewhere and having a mission-ready emergency kit are two very different things!

🫡 Your Home Front PCC: Locate your kit. Lay it out. Check every item. Make a list of what needs replaced or added.
Don’t just say you’re prepared—PCC it and KNOW you’re prepared! 🇺🇸🏡🎒

🧹 CLEAN UP & RELEASE: Service members don’t finish training and just head for the door—first comes clean up, accountability, and then RELEASE! 🫡

Same goes for our Home Front Station! Before you call Saturday’s Family IDT complete, take a few minutes to clean up from today’s missions. Put away those emergency kit supplies, tackle a little of that yard cleanup you spotted during your PT/PMCS perimeter walk, and make sure your area of opperation is squared away. 🍂🏡

Police your area. Secure your gear. Complete the mission.

Then… YOU’RE RELEASED! 🫡🇺🇸
Enjoy the rest of your Saturday, Families—you earned it!