This writing will provide general information about military assistance programs and the Top 15 Soldier & Family Assistance Centers in US army installation.
Military Assistance Programs and their Benefits
If you are moving to a new military base, it is crucial to use Relocation Assistance Programs & Services (RAPS) to help you prepare for and transition to your new life. By utilizing resources like the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), you can ensure that your family’s needs are met during the relocation process. Whether you need help with housing, financial assistance, or finding a new job, RAPS will provide essential support during your move.
What are Military Benefits?
Joining the military brings highly competitive benefits and pay rather than civilian sectors.
Apart from the tangible benefit of pay and bonus, military officers and veterans can receive many valuable benefits such as education, job training, life insurance, housing, health benefits, retirement, travel benefits not only for the individual themselves but also for their families.
Thus joining the U.S. military brings you tangible and intangible benefits to promote the soldiers’ resilience that, in turn, reinforces their readiness to defend the nation.
Military Assistance Programs
There are four main military assistance programs offered to military members or veterans, including:
Milconnect is a self-service portal to manage the personal benefits and records of military members and veterans;
National Resource Directory to bring local support in different fields such as jobs, health, homelessness, housing, and caregiver support to the military members;
Financial assistance program provided by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to improve the money management skills of military members and veteran as well as to avoid scams targeting them;
Military OneSource counsels military members and their families in different aspects of military life. These include financial and legal assistance, job and education for military spouses, parenting, childcare assistance, military health and moving assistance, and more.
National Family Assistance Program
Family Army programs offer a wide range of programs to maintain soldiers and their families’ readiness that aims to provide comprehensive, responsive, and coordinated services to promote resilience and stability of soldiers’ person and their families.
These programs include Army Family Action Plan, Employment Readiness, Financial Readiness, Relocation Services, Army Family Team Building, Exceptional Family Member Program, Family Advocacy Program, Soldier and Family Assistance Center, Survivor Outreach Services, Mobilization, Deployment & Stability Support Operations.
Those family programs aim to maximize the military member’s growth through specialized training and caring about their family, thus, in turn, to reinforce their readiness to defend the nation.
This writing will focus on what you need to know about the Soldier and Family Assistance Center (SFAC) to assist soldiers in the transition back to their duty or civilian life.
In addition to this, it also provides the list of Soldier and Family Assistance Center in 15 installations provided for military members and veterans’ reference.
Soldier and Family Assistance Center
The Soldier and Family Assistance Center (SFAC) is established to provide the best care from the U.S. Army to the wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers and their families attached and assigned to Warrior Transition Unit.
In each installation, SFAC equips and assists wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers and their families with the necessary support during their decision making process to transit back to on duty or civilian life.
SFAC facilities provide a warm environment so that soldiers and their families can gather for mental and physical healing.
Functions of Soldier and Family Assistance Center
SFAC coordinates a wide range of services such as military personnel services, legal and pastries services, and Army Reserve, National Guard, and government Agencies.
Also, SFAC provides financial counseling, childcare referral, lodging resources, the education plan of family members, benefits review, career information, and a Transition Assistance Program to support mandatory Transition requirements and services.
Finally, SFAC helps provide referral information that military members and veterans need support on the correct service provider on lodging, installation access, or other warrior support services.
Now not all installations have their soldier and family assistance centers. Some plants have the SFAC under Army Community Services, which provides coordinated and responsive services to support soldiers’ readiness and their families during their stay at the Warrior Transition Unit.
Top 15 Soldier & Family Assistance Centers
Fort Hood Soldier and Family Assistance Center
Belong to Army Community Service, Fort Hood Soldier, and Family Assistance Center provides different army community services concerning Soldier and Family Assistance Center.
Besides, army members and veterans can call hotlines of similar functions offered by the Soldier and Family Assistance Center, such as domestic violence, family advocacy programs, exceptional family member programs, etc.
Address: 62nd Street, Bldg. 36051 Google Map
Tel: +1(254)287-9593
https://hood.armymwr.com/programs/soldier-and-family-assistance-center
Fort hood also has Oveta Culp Hobby Soldier & Family Readiness Center (OCHSFRC), which is a Soldier & Family Readiness Branch. It is located at Battalion Avenue Bldg. 18000 and their contact number is Tel: +1 (254)287-9274 or +1 (254)287-9793.
Its army community service offers help for their service members, soldiers, family members, retirees, and commoners. Their goal is to assist the members in succeeding challenges adapting military life.
They offer meeting rooms, computer room, family room, kitchen, and child care. For reservation, you can contact them two weeks before the meeting.
Here is their email: [email protected] and website: https://hood.armymwr.com/programs/oveta-culp-hobby-soldier-and-family-readiness-center
If you’re settling to a new area, it’s important to be aware of the Relocation Assistance Programs & Services available for military families. The program offers a variety of resources, ranging from information about your new community, things to do and essential settling in steps.
Fort Bliss Soldier and Family Assistance Center
At Fort Bliss installation, military members and veterans can participate in various programs belonging to its center of Soldier and Family Assistance.
For example, the installation has Army Career Alumni Program, Army Wounded Warrior Program, education, benefits, and financial counseling, social services assistance, Child, Youth and School Services, Chaplain services, as well as a resource library offered to military members and veterans in the transition period.
Address: 250 Club Rd, Fort Bliss
Tel:+1 (915)568-6879
Military DSN Tel: (312)978-6879
https://bliss.armymwr.com/programs/soldier-and-family-assistance-center
Fort Bragg Army Community Services
At Fort Bragg installation, Soldier and Family Assistance Center lie in the Army Community Services programs and services to provide assistance to Warriors in Transition and their Families with their specific needs during their transition process either to back to duty or civilian life.
Address: 3rd Floor, Soldier Support Center, Bldg. 4-2843, Normandy Drive
Tel: 396-8682/8683 or 800-958-4759
https://bragg.armymwr.com/programs/acs
Fort Carson Army Community Service (ACS) Soldier & Family Assistance Center (SFAC)
Fort Carson Army Community Service ( Family Nurturing Center & Soldier and Family Assistance Center )
At Fort Carson, Army Community Service (ACS) Soldier & Family Assistance Center (SFAC) and partner agencies provide support based on a one-on-one for Soldiers and their families to enhance resilience during their transition from the army and return to their duty.
Here, soldiers and their families can find support from ACS SFAC on education, employment, veteran health administration, financial advisors, as well as the ongoing Soldier for Life or Wounded Warrior projects.
Address: 1481 Titus Blvd Building 7492 Fort Carson, Colorado 80913
SFAC Phone Number: 719-526-5807
https://carson.armymwr.com/programs/soldier-family-assistance-center
Hawaii Soldier & Family Assistance Center
At Hawaii installation, the Soldier and Family Assistance Center provides a similar function in the same system function of the Soldier and Family Assistance Center in the U.S. The army is to help, support, and provide guidance and advice to military members and veterans during the transition process, either back to duty or civilian life.
Address: 371 Brannon Road, Bldg. 663
Tel:+1 (808)655-7171
Military DSN Tel: (315)455-7171
https://hawaii.armymwr.com/programs/soldier-and-family-assistance-center
Fort Benning Army Community Services
At the Fort Benning installation, Soldier and Family Assistance Center lies under Army Community Services.
It provides comprehensive services to Warriors in Transition, and their families include Financial Assistance, Social Services, Education Services, Information and referral services, Human Resources, Outreach Services, ACAP Services, Pastoral Services, CYSS Services.
Address: Building 9257, 7919 Marne Road, Fort Benning, Georgia 31905
Tel: (706) 544-5702/5703
https://benning.armymwr.com/programs/army-community-services
Fort Drum Soldier and Family Assistance Center
Soldier and Family Assistance Center of Fort Drum installation provides support to Warriors in Transition and their Families with their specific needs. More details, please contact SFAC at the following address:
Address: 11042 Mt Belvedere Blvd, Fort Drum, NY 13602
Tel: 315-772-6556
https://drum.armymwr.com/programs/soldier-and-family-assistance-center
Fort Belvoir Soldier and Family Assistance Center
Fort Belvoir Soldier and Family Assistance Center provide customized services to the Soldiers in transition and their families with education, financial counseling, human resources, and social services assistance.
In particular, SFAC of Fort Belvoir installation has information and the referral coordinator as the first point of contact to provide information on installation and the correct service provider to service members and their families.
SFAC coordinator has a proactive role in updating SFAC events and maintaining the Facebook page of the center.
Finally, SFAC provides customized partner services concerning the Soldier for Life program, Vocational Rehabilitation, Social Security Administration, and Military Family and Life counseling.
Address: 5965 6th Street Bldg 1263, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060
Tel: +1(571)231-7012
https://belvoir.armymwr.com/programs/soldier-and-family-assistance-center
For those who need assistance with their family matters, the Military Child and Youth Services (CYS) provides exceptional care to military dependent children. They have a great track record of providing effective services such as before-and-after school care, camps for children, and youth sports. This will allow you to have peace of mind knowing that your children are in good hands while you’re at work.
Fort McCoy Soldier and Family Assistance Center
Soldier and Family Assistance Center of Fort McCoy lies in the program and services provided by Army Community Services with hotline supported by Army Emergency Relief, Sexual Harassment/assault response and prevention ( SHARP), and Family Action Plan.
Address: 2111 South 8th Ave, Bldg. 2111
Tel: +1 (608)388-3505
Military DSN Tel: (312)240-3505
https://mccoy.armymwr.com/programs/soldier-and-family-assistance-center
Fort Detrick Army Community Services
At Fort Detrick installation, the Soldier and Family Assistance Center is co-located with the Warrior Transition Unit under the Army Community Services.
Fort Detrick Soldier and Family Assistance Center lie in the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) to assist Warriors in Transition who are attached to WRNMMC WTB and their families with specific administrative and personal needs during transition processes.
Soldier and Family Assistance Center here provides full services support related to social service assistance and information and referral services, financial and education counseling services, social security administration, Chaplain service, SFAC Computer Lab and much more to offer
Address: 8901 Wisconsin Avenue, Building 62, 2nd Floor, Bethesda, MD 20889
Military DSN Tel: +1 (312)343-2197
https://detrick.armymwr.com/programs/army
Walter Reed Bethesda Warrior Transition Brigade Soldier and Family Assistance Center
Here the Soldier and Family Assistance Center provides customized support services and acts as a clearinghouse of information for Wounded, Ill, and Injured Warriors in Transition and their family to equip them in making decisions as they transit back to duty or civilian life.
While waiting for a counselor, soldiers and their families can enjoy a comfortable and friendly, family-like atmosphere with sofa, games, T.V.s, and computers.
Address: 8901 Wisconsin Ave, Bethesda MD 20889
https://www.wwcc.capmed.mil/WTB/SitePages/WRNMMC/SFAC_WTB.aspx
Fort Campbell Soldier and Family Assistance Center
At Fort Campbell, the Soldier and Family Assistance Center provides customized support services and acts as an information broker for Wounded, Ill, and Injured Warriors in Transition and their family to equip them in making decisions as they transit back to duty or civilian life.
Address: 2433 Indiana Ave.
24/7 Hotline 270-498-4319
If you are looking for resources to support your family during military life, check out Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers near Fort Hood. They can provide information and assistance for federal civilian employees and their families. For military families, Military Child and Youth Services (CYS) offer support programs, including Parent Central, to help you navigate the unique challenges associated with military life.
Joint Base Lewis-McChord Service Member & Family Assistance Center
Joint Base Lewis-McChord Service Member & Family Assistance Center
Service Member & Family Assistance Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord provides support for all wounded, ill and injured personnel and their families with comprehensive services.
These include Information and referral services, outreach services, child and youth services, education services, military personnel services, employment and financial readiness, social services assistance, life insurance, veteran services, vocational rehabilitation, and employment program.
Address: SFAC, 9059, Gardner Lp.
Tel: +1(253)966-8433
Military DSN Tel: (312)347-8433
https://jblm.armymwr.com/programs/service-member-family-assistance-center
Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) Fort Sam Houston Transition Assistance Program (TAP)
Different from the Soldier and Family Assistance Center, there is the Soldier for Life Transition Assistance Program provided at JBSA FortSam Houston installation. The program provides information to eligible Soldiers in the transition process to back to their duty or civilian life. Such a program aims to ensure the soldiers and their spouses leave their services successfully.
Address: Joint Transition Readiness Center
3931 Okubo Barracks, Bldg. 3639
Email: [email protected]
Tel: (210) 916-7322, 916-6089
https://www.jbsa.mil/Resources/Military-Family-Readiness/
Fort Gordon Army Community Services
Since December 2007, Fort Gordon SFAC has been in operation and has tirelessly provided support to the wounded, ill, and injured Soldiers and their families. The SFAC, which served as a centralized office, offers a wide range of services to support Soldiers and their families.
They are attached to the Warrior in transition with administrative and personal needs.
Several services include education, financial, and personnel services, transition services, family assistance, and support programs, with access to Army programs.
However, since August 1, 2015, the changes at Warrior Transition Unit Force Structure will be implemented at Fort Gordon that it will not be an activate installation. Thus SFAC activities will be performed at the Fort Gordon Army Community Services to ensure that Soldiers and families will not receive degradation of services.
Address: Darling Hall, Bldg. 33720, the intersection of Chamberlain Avenue and Rice Road
Tel: (706) 791-3579
https://www.fortgordonnews.com/articles/soldier-and-family-assistance-center-relocates/
References
https://wct.army.mil/modules/family%20and%20caregivers/f6-assistance.html
https://www.armymwr.com/programs-and-services/personal-assistance/solderfamily-assistance-cent
