FORT MCPHERSON, Ga. (Oct. 5, 2009) - U.S. Army Forces Command Deputy Commanding General Lt. Gen. Joseph F. Peterson recently approved a one-year pilot program to assist corps- and division-level commanders identify and address emerging Family readiness needs within their commands.

The Family Readiness Program Coordinator Pilot Program affords FORSCOM commanders the opportunity to hire a Family Readiness Program Coordinator. FRPCs serve as the commander's advisor on Family readiness issues within their commands, said Ronna Rowe Garrett, FORSCOM Human Resource Division director.

"This pilot program is focused on augmenting the capability of our senior commanders to monitor and enhance the well-being of the Soldiers and Families within their commands," FORSCOM G-1 Brig. Gen. Eric Porter said. "These division and corps family coordinators will help promote and educate Family Readiness Group leaders on the Army Family Covenant and work with Army Community Service to prioritize the delivery of family programs to meet Army Force Generation requirements."

FORSCOM's senior leaders believe that commanders should be involved in Family readiness throughout their commands, according to Garrett.

"Commanders identified the establishment of program coordinator positions as a significant need, and these positions are expected to negate the requirement for additional family readiness support assistants for the corps and divisions," she said.

The primary role of the FRSAs is to provide administrative and logistical support to volunteer Family Readiness Group leaders, commanders, and rear detachment commanders; however FRPCs are the commander's technical advisor for the FRSA program, and they perform a variety of Family readiness administrative and analytical duties in support of the program, the commander and the volunteer FRG leaders.

"It is important to note that these positions within the pilot program do not supervise FRSAs in subordinate units," Garrett said.

According to the position descriptions, corps-level program coordinators are compensated at the GS-9 pay grade, and division-level program coordinators are at the GS-7 pay grade.

The pilot program was developed in response to requests from various FORSCOM commanders who acknowledge the need to meet this personnel requirement. The HRD team traveled more than a year ago to the corps and some divisions within FORSCOM to survey subordinate G-1 officials' for their perspective on how FRPC personnel should be used.

"We have continuously vetted the job description to get it right," Garrett said. "We are excited to see the results of the pilot. We wanted to ensure that the requirements for this position did not duplicate any existing programs."

Members of the HRD team will provide FORSCOM-specific training to individuals hired in these positions, and the HRD team is slated to conduct an evaluation of the pilot program about one year from its commencement.

"The team of evaluators will assess it to see if the outlined duties of the FRPC are meeting the requirements of FORSCOM commanders," Garrett said. "This process is also to ensure we are not duplicating any installation-level services a commander can receive through their garrison."

The pilot program has been approved for implementation at FORSCOM's three corps and 16 division-level units.