CRYSTAL CITY, Va.Aca,!" Family Readiness Group leaders from various U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) units across the nation assembled today, Oct. 4, at the Crystal City Hyatt here for the 2009 FORSCOM Family Readiness Group Training Symposium.

After completion of conference registration, FORSCOM Well-being officials hosted an orientation session to ensure participants were aware of all developmental opportunities available to them during the next four days, to provide guidance on how to enhance their effectiveness of engaging with Army leaders and to answer any questions concerning the symposium agenda.

Aca,!A"Part of the growth for the FRG leaders during this week will come from meeting and greeting with Army leadership,Aca,!A? FORSCOM Well-being Program Manager GiGi Linder said. Aca,!A"I encourage all participants to share best practices with each other. Information sharing is a practice I think works well within the Army community.Aca,!A?

Linder also stressed to attendees the importance of timely arrivals to scheduled sessions and of using correct protocol when addressing general officers and promoted information sharing of lessons learned among themselves.

The FORSCOM FRG symposium will begin Wednesday evening during an official opening ceremony. The symposium is designed to provide professional development and networking opportunities for FORSCOM FRG leaders while serving as a pipeline for information concerning the introduction of newAca,!"and updates for existingAca,!"programs and services established to support Soldiers and Family members.

Also during the orientation session, FRG leaders expressed their eagerness for the experience and developmental opportunities theyAca,!a,,cll have during this weekAca,!a,,cs scheduled activities and events.

Aca,!A"I look forward to receiving more information on how to enhance our support Soldiers and Families,Aca,!A? said Robin Gordon-Munoz, an FRG Leader from Fort Sill, Okla. Aca,!A"I am also excited to hear from our Army Senior leaders.

Kristina Polosky, an FRG leader from Fort Campbell, Ky., said she looks forward to networking with her colleagues, and recieving knowledge during the symposium that is important to strengthening FRG effectiveness.

Aca,!A"A conference such as this one helps to instill confidence in the FRG system and the U.S. Army as a whole,Aca,!A? Polosky said.

Leading up to the symposiumAca,!a,,cs commencement, FORSCOM FRG leaders will participate in the Association of the United States Army's Family Forum sessions at the Washington Convention Center located in the nationAca,!a,,cs capital.