Family Assistance Center reaches out to retirees, military family members

By Jackie Ayres

Like many spouses, Tina Cook will be raising her 14-year-old son alone until her husband Jesse gets home from serving his country.

Deployed Dec. 5 with 500 other local soldiers, Jesse has already completed one tour in Iraq, and instilled a true understanding of military life into his family.

The wife of a once-again deployed soldier, Tina is now a specialist in the Family Assistance Center in the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Glen Jean.

Created in 2003, FACs, or resource referral-based systems, are established in times of mobilization and large-scale deployment to provide support and assistance to help military members and their families when they need it.

After Jesse’s first deployment, Tina said she volunteered with anything she could, which ultimately led her to accepting the position in 2004.

“I really got started when my husband got deployed the first time in October 2003. I remember it like it was yesterday. I started volunteering and got involved in the local family support group.”

As a specialist, Tina spends her days helping families of deployed soldiers, veterans and retirees in all branches of the military.

“When someone calls us, regardless of what the issue might be, we help locate the resources in their area to help them fix whatever it may be,” said Tina.

“We do a little bit of everything — roof repair, cars that break down, grass mowing, answer insurance questions, child care assistance, education for spouses ... .”

Although she’s stationed in Glen Jean, Tina says her center will assist anyone who reaches out to them for help.

“We help everybody in West Virginia. I’ve even taken care of people in Alaska, Germany, Hawaii, Florida, wherever,” said Tina.

Part of Tina’s job at the FAC is to make monthly calls to deployed units’ families to see if they need assistance while the soldier in their family is overseas.

Although her husband is deployed as well, Tina says she’s able to do her job knowing that she’s giving back to others.

“We have our good days and bad days,” she said.

“Sometimes it’s emotional. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s hard. But it helps to know that I’ve actually given back to somebody else,” said Tina.

Tina says the biggest thing is the fact that these soldiers and their families selflessly sacrifice their own time together to serve.

“It’s a huge sacrifice for these families. A military family is like no other. It’s a bond that I don’t think will ever be broken,” she said.

Judy Reed, state FAC coordinator in Charleston, says Tina is “very compassionate and knowledgeable about the military. Being personally tied with the military, she comes from that background of what families go through and what families need.”

Reed says to do Tina’s job, “you have to have a caring heart and a love for people, and Tina has that.”

Tina’s husband has been stationed in Fort Pickett, Va., with the rest of the local group that was deployed Dec. 5.

The military brought the troops back to West Virginia to spend Christmas at home for about a week and shortly after, the men will be likely sent off to Iraq.

Although she’s not a solider, Tina’s bravery and goodwill is clear.

Saying goodbye to her husband was emotional, she said, but the most important thing to her is the fact that somebody else is coming home when she says that goodbye.

“I know when he goes, it’s our turn, and another family gets to have their soldier home. When he’s going, he’s going to do his job. He knows his job very well,” Tina says.

“Good or bad, God will take care of us, and we really believe that,” said Tina.

Numerous programs are available to military families. “I’m sure there are branches of the service that don’t realize we’re here for them, as well; we’re not just here for the National Guard,” said Tina.

If you’re a veteran or retiree or have a family member currently serving the military, and you need assistance, contact the Family Assistance Center in Glen Jean toll-free at 866-379-6837. The center is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Charleston FAC is open 24/7 and can be reached at 866-986-4326.

— E-mail: jayres@register-herald.com