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I am the new FRG Leader for my H's unit. I have zero experience with FRGs other than attending a few meetings years ago. The previous leader left and didn't give me much info. I have no idea what I'm doing and feel so lost. Any suggestions/tips/ideas? I'm meeting with the first sgt on Monday, but don't have any idea what questions to ask. Help!

I wish I could give you more help this this, but its all I got.

Be kind to the girlfriends and fiance's that may call/email you. We know that we are not allowed the same rights as well as the wives and husbands are, but we care just as much.

XH was overseas while we were dating and the FRG at that time was SUPER sweet to me and another military girlfriend that I meet on base.

We didn't get as much information, but we were never left totally in the dark either. She was very respectful of us and didn't talk down to us or anything like that.

Without her, I would have never have known XH actual return date - and would have missed him walking in and the first hugs and all of that. It was so meaningful.

This was all 11 years ago, so things may have changed, but it mattered so much to me.

Make sure you are in constant contact with the Cdr, 1SG, and unit Chaplain.

Keep you other command ladies (1SG's wife, Cdr's wife, XO's wife, Platoon Sgts wives, etc.) abreast of everything you learn and pump them too!

Do NOT violate OPSEC, big no no.

How long have you been a spouse to military?

I've been an Army wife for 7.5 years and was in the Army before that, although not for long. I have no idea how to run an FRG. How often should I have meetings? What do I talk about? How in the world do I get people to volunteer? Right now it's just myself and the treasurer, whom I haven't met yet. We've only been with this unit for 8 months and I don't know anyone. I was volunteered for this by the CO and 1SG and they've both said they expect a lot from me because my H is the "best NCO they've worked with" and so they expect I'll "be awesome." No pressure there. Like I don't have enough going on in my life. I'm frustrated and really unsure of myself. I'm not a social person and am dreading the public speaking parts of the job.

[This message edited by frigidfire86 at 2:14 PM, January 24th (Friday)]

Lots of bake sales, car washes. Really, this can be turned around to your advantage.

My SIL was the FRG leader.

She did a lot of BBQs, but not always at her house. The spouses, men too, would go out 2X a month for drinks at the local brewery restaurant. They would get group rates at spas for facials, mani pedis, etc.

They all made it fun. Sometimes they would just do potluck meetings at different memebers' houses with babysitters for the kids.

They would get boxes together for things to send to the military spouses deployed.

I'll ask her to give me some more pointers.

Oh, and you can usually get the social roster from the Cdr's secretary. It should have names, birthdays, emails, phone numbers.

Call ACS. Your ACS should have a representative that will attend your FRG meetings and keep your group aware of resources and events. They coordinate with other FRG leaders so if you tell them you are a new FRG Leader looking for help they should be happy to offer you considerable assistance.

At least at the ACS I recently worked for we would bend over backward to accommodate any request for help.

Offering free food at the meetings usually gets people to show up. When the husband first joined and we finally got to the first duty station the frg leader took me out for coffee and gave me a run down on everything. Things like what going to the field meant, the upcoming training schedule, where to go if I needed help and he wasnt there. She did that with all the newbie wives and it was extremely helpful.