Guard, Reserve family readiness groups honored at Pentagon

  • Published
  • National Guard Bureau
ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) --  Unit family readiness group members, representing all of the military reserve components, were recognized for their outstanding family support programs Feb. 18 during a ceremony in the Pentagon.

Dennis M. McCarthy, the assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs, hosted the 2011 Department of Defense Reserve Family Readiness Awards presentation, and each of the recognized units received a plaque, certificate of appreciation and cash award from officials of the Military Officers Association of America to be put towards furthering their family support programs.

Winners include:

** The Air Force Reserve Command's 439th Airlift Wing, Westover Air Reserve Base, Mass.

** The New Hampshire Air National Guard's 157th Air Refueling Wing, Pease Air National Guard Base, N.H.

** The Marine Corps Reserve's 3rd Battalion, 24th Marines, Bridgeton, Mo.

** The Army Reserve's 354th Military Police Company, St. Louis, Mo.

** The Ohio Army National Guard's 148th Transportation Company, Akron, Ohio

** The Coast Guard Reserve's Maritime Safety and Security Team 91103, Los Angeles, Calif.

** The Navy Reserve's SEAL Team 18, Virginia Beach, Va.

The Reserve Family Readiness Award ceremony receives support and sponsorship from members of the MOAA.

"Our members our proud to express our thanks and all that you do for our nation," said retired Navy Vice Adm. Norb Ryan, MOAA president. "We want to do whatever it takes to be able to help you get the mission done, so being able to recognize the families is so important to our (organization's) membership.

"We hear you say that when you are overseas, knowing that your family is taken care of helps you to do the mission, and that's what these family readiness groups are doing, keeping the family in mind," he said.

The Reserve Family Readiness Award program was established in 2000 and recognizes the top unit in each reserve component that demonstrated superior family readiness and outstanding mission readiness.

(Courtesy of the National Guard Bureau news service)