Posted on Apr 8, 2021
How long does a unit have to notify you of training for which you will have to activate your family care plan?
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I am slotted to go off to training on MONDAY it is Thursday and my command is aware that i need long term care for my child. This isn’t the first time this has happened I’ve been looking over the regulation since yesterday but I’m not sure if I’m passing it up but i don’t see anything about a time period. I was notified by a senior leader that it was two weeks
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
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1 minute.
Family Care plan is required to have a plan for "emergency care" precisely because sometimes plans change in the military with absolutely no notice. A GOOD family care plan will have transitions in place, as well. Emergency care person should be able to contact short term and/or long term care person and arrange a drop off. Short term should be able to contact long term.
Obviously, the more lead time we can give parents - be they single, dual military, or "standard" civilian spouse couples - the better. But there is no requirement to give any specific level or time period of notification.
Family Care plan is required to have a plan for "emergency care" precisely because sometimes plans change in the military with absolutely no notice. A GOOD family care plan will have transitions in place, as well. Emergency care person should be able to contact short term and/or long term care person and arrange a drop off. Short term should be able to contact long term.
Obviously, the more lead time we can give parents - be they single, dual military, or "standard" civilian spouse couples - the better. But there is no requirement to give any specific level or time period of notification.
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SFC Casey O'Mally
LTC Jason Mackay - Absolutely. But who ATTENDS the training is subject to change at the last minute. I was told on a Friday at about 1430 that I was going to PLDC on Sunday, because the guy who was slotted had taped over. I wasn't even on "standby" to go. I was told that I had been bumped from Main Body 3 to ADVON - and ADVON leaves tomorrow. Multiple times I have been told at 1600 that we weren't going home until at least 1900 due to this, that, or the other. Some of the time, I wasn't even told we were staying late, we just *did*.
Shit happens. It's WHY we require emergency care.
Shit happens. It's WHY we require emergency care.
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SFC Kelly Fuerhoff
There is no "short term" care anything in a Family Care Plan nor is there a requirement for that in the Family Care Plan. Nothing in the regulation. Nothing in the forms. At all.
When I do my FCP, yes I write up a Word document that lists my short term caregivers. But there's no requirement for it.
The FCP is supposed to be for things like deployments, TDY, long term absences. The FCP is NOT something for commanders or NCOs to try to use when it relates to short term care. At all. Like there were leaders trying to tell people to "use their FCP" when covid hit and daycares/schools closed. That's not what it's for.
I'm a single parent. My short term care is daycare and then I have a trusted person as a babysitter. I had two babysitters, but one PCSed with her husband. If both of those go down, I'm not just going to go find some random person to watch her.
For long term care, if it's less than 30 days, my dad is coming to stay with her. If it's 30+ days, she'll go back home and stay with my brother and SIL like she did when I was in SLC. Luckily for me, her dad didn't show up to the divorce so I got a default decree and parenting time is my discretion - and he's in and out of prison or rehab consistently. So I don't have to worry about that aspect. Some do have custody arrangements and a FCP doesn't overrule those.
Yeah last minute things happen but good leaders won't put soldiers in a crappy situation when it comes to childcare.
When I do my FCP, yes I write up a Word document that lists my short term caregivers. But there's no requirement for it.
The FCP is supposed to be for things like deployments, TDY, long term absences. The FCP is NOT something for commanders or NCOs to try to use when it relates to short term care. At all. Like there were leaders trying to tell people to "use their FCP" when covid hit and daycares/schools closed. That's not what it's for.
I'm a single parent. My short term care is daycare and then I have a trusted person as a babysitter. I had two babysitters, but one PCSed with her husband. If both of those go down, I'm not just going to go find some random person to watch her.
For long term care, if it's less than 30 days, my dad is coming to stay with her. If it's 30+ days, she'll go back home and stay with my brother and SIL like she did when I was in SLC. Luckily for me, her dad didn't show up to the divorce so I got a default decree and parenting time is my discretion - and he's in and out of prison or rehab consistently. So I don't have to worry about that aspect. Some do have custody arrangements and a FCP doesn't overrule those.
Yeah last minute things happen but good leaders won't put soldiers in a crappy situation when it comes to childcare.
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SFC Casey O'Mally
SFC Kelly Fuerhoff -
DA 5304:
C. I have been counseled on the importance of:
1. Selecting qualified, reliable, and stable guardians (temporary and long term)...
D. I understand that designated guardians must be able to assume responsibility for my family member(s) during.... emergencies or unexpected circumstances.
Yes, technically there is no short term and long term. It is TEMPORARY and long term.
And technically, there is no requirement for a separate emergency care provider, however there is a requirement for someone to assume responsibility in case of emergency.
Finally,
B. I understand that I must arrange for the care of my family member(s) so as to be:
(1) Available for duty when and where the needs of the Army dictate; (2) Able to perform my assigned military duties without interference of family responsibilities.
Everything you have said is not required is very clearly laid out and required in DA 5304. Now... that is a 2010 form, so if it has been superceded, you may be correct. But it was still the form we were operating off of in 2017 whern I retired.
FCP is to ensure maximum availability of the Soldier for the needs of the Army. Yes, it is important for deployment. But it is ALSO important for "we have to stay late at the office today, folks." FCP covers BOTH and is intended to cover both.
Obviously, when possible, good leaders will do what they can to help accommodate Soldiers picking up kids from day care / school / etc. They will do what they can to accommodate Soldiers taking care of a suddenly ill child (or spouse!), etc. But, at the end of the day, mission trumps everything else, and THAT is why FCPs are necessary. They shouldn't be abused by leaders, but they shouldn't be poorly crafted so the Soldier has a get-out-of-work-free card, either.
And yes, when COVID hit, FCP DID become relevant, in a big way and in a big hurry.
This is one of the reasons I always tried to have a live-in nanny (which obviously required extensive vetting, etc.) Because I knew that way I was covered no matter what the Army threw at me. I understand that isn't an option for everyone - probably not even for most people - but it was what worked for me.
DA 5304:
C. I have been counseled on the importance of:
1. Selecting qualified, reliable, and stable guardians (temporary and long term)...
D. I understand that designated guardians must be able to assume responsibility for my family member(s) during.... emergencies or unexpected circumstances.
Yes, technically there is no short term and long term. It is TEMPORARY and long term.
And technically, there is no requirement for a separate emergency care provider, however there is a requirement for someone to assume responsibility in case of emergency.
Finally,
B. I understand that I must arrange for the care of my family member(s) so as to be:
(1) Available for duty when and where the needs of the Army dictate; (2) Able to perform my assigned military duties without interference of family responsibilities.
Everything you have said is not required is very clearly laid out and required in DA 5304. Now... that is a 2010 form, so if it has been superceded, you may be correct. But it was still the form we were operating off of in 2017 whern I retired.
FCP is to ensure maximum availability of the Soldier for the needs of the Army. Yes, it is important for deployment. But it is ALSO important for "we have to stay late at the office today, folks." FCP covers BOTH and is intended to cover both.
Obviously, when possible, good leaders will do what they can to help accommodate Soldiers picking up kids from day care / school / etc. They will do what they can to accommodate Soldiers taking care of a suddenly ill child (or spouse!), etc. But, at the end of the day, mission trumps everything else, and THAT is why FCPs are necessary. They shouldn't be abused by leaders, but they shouldn't be poorly crafted so the Soldier has a get-out-of-work-free card, either.
And yes, when COVID hit, FCP DID become relevant, in a big way and in a big hurry.
This is one of the reasons I always tried to have a live-in nanny (which obviously required extensive vetting, etc.) Because I knew that way I was covered no matter what the Army threw at me. I understand that isn't an option for everyone - probably not even for most people - but it was what worked for me.
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The answer is listed in the Family Care Plan counseling itself. Moments notice, when and where the needs of the Army dictate.
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I was told on a Thursday afternoon that I had to be at FLW on Saturday morning and that I wouldn't be coming back for 18 months......
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SSG Carlos Madden
Thats messed up. A little off topic but I'm curious how you and your civilian employer manage that?
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