Posted on Aug 5, 2019
Family Care Plan Regulation. Is there a group I can reach out to?
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I am a soldier married to a civilian. The understanding I had was that a family care plan is usually only required for dual military parents and for soldiers married to individuals who cannot look later themselves. I don't fit into either category. I also understand it's at the commanders discretion meaning I have no recourse. I am struggling to find someone to fill the short term care provider as it is just myself and my husband out here. I was advised I cannot use another soldier from another unit, which I did not see outlined in the regulation. Can I get recommendations on where to go to find a short term care provider and what is the definition of short term care. Is it a day, a week, a month? I am reaching out to a few individuals that I trust, who are also married to civilians, but I feel like a burden asking. Thank you for any responses that are provided in advance.
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Have you tried googling "Family Care Plan Regulation"? The answer is right there. In fact, if you google Army Family Care Plan you can find any number of example FCP packets provided by installations.
As for your care provider, your husband is perfectly allowed to be your child's provider unless he's incapable of being the provider (not around, frequently gone, disabled, etc). In fact, he would have to sign off on you designating someone else as a temporary guardian, which is not something that any commander has the ability to direct.
When a commander designates an FCP, it's just a plan for when you have to stay late or are deploying and has all your necessary documents. For instance, signed POA's, signed ID Card forms, or anything else. Your spouse would usually be the primary care provider, and no commander can dictate who your provider will be, or demand that you/your spouse allow for someone else to be a legal guardian, even temporarily.
As for your care provider, your husband is perfectly allowed to be your child's provider unless he's incapable of being the provider (not around, frequently gone, disabled, etc). In fact, he would have to sign off on you designating someone else as a temporary guardian, which is not something that any commander has the ability to direct.
When a commander designates an FCP, it's just a plan for when you have to stay late or are deploying and has all your necessary documents. For instance, signed POA's, signed ID Card forms, or anything else. Your spouse would usually be the primary care provider, and no commander can dictate who your provider will be, or demand that you/your spouse allow for someone else to be a legal guardian, even temporarily.
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SFC (Join to see)
SFC Christopher Smith I imagine it's either some overzealous commander, or the spouse wasn't able to drop everything and take care of the child when the Army kept the SM late or initiated a recall. Some commanders seem to forget that spouses have lives too, jobs that pay the bills, and equally important responsibilities as the SM; that spouses aren't just there to support the SM.
I'm very lucky that every leader I've worked under as a single parent was understanding and gave me plenty of heads up for training. But I've seen other unit's leaders initiate recalls at 2200 on a Friday night because of a DUI and when the SM spouse is working and can't be immediately available to watch the children, that command team will default to, "You should have an FCP".
I'm very lucky that every leader I've worked under as a single parent was understanding and gave me plenty of heads up for training. But I've seen other unit's leaders initiate recalls at 2200 on a Friday night because of a DUI and when the SM spouse is working and can't be immediately available to watch the children, that command team will default to, "You should have an FCP".
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SFC (Join to see) that's not the case. My husband is a stay at home daddy. Bills are tight because I choose to ensure I'm able to provide a parent dedicated to my children. When we looked at him getting a job I said it's not feasible while I'm in the army. There are too many last minute details, late nights, field training exercises and things of that nature. They wrote on my counselling statement that I appear not to trust my husband for extended periods if time because I work hard to go home every morning when I can between PT and first work call to feed and change my kids along with take a quick shower so my husband can sleep in. He's up all night taking care of the babies. An 18 month old and a four month old are up lots of strange hours. I know he sleeps through their crying sometimes because he's exhausted from taking care of them at night so I can try to get some sleep.
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Your spouse is considered a dependent and not a Civilian. I always used a relative.
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I feel like I’m missing something here. Unless you’ve had a history of not being able to perform duty or field problems, then I’m not understanding why you would have to have a family care plan if your spouse is a civilian.
When I was a dependent spouse, my ex never had to do a family care plan. Did I miss something? Are you dual military because I’m not understanding why you would need one. The regulation states who and what situations required a FCP....
When I was a dependent spouse, my ex never had to do a family care plan. Did I miss something? Are you dual military because I’m not understanding why you would need one. The regulation states who and what situations required a FCP....
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I have not. I have been very persistent about them following the breastfeeding policy and allowing me to pump. As they are not able to meet some of the accommodations required by the policy letters I have not been able to do some of the activities they want me to do. I do go home every morning that I can between post partum pt and first call to check on my kids. I was told it appears that I don't trust my husband to care for the babies over extended periods of time. I believe that's why they are requiring it.
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