Military & Family Readiness Center implements expanded reintegration program Published July 28, 2026 By Senior Airman Emma Teel 319th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The 319th Force Support Squadron’s Military and Family Readiness Center implemented their expanded reintegration program to strengthen home station support for returning deployers and their families. The updated program includes three phases that include touch points before, immediately after and a few weeks after airmen return home. The phases are as follows: Phase 1: Pre-Return Preparation Before airmen return to Grand Forks AFB, unit leadership will receive targeted training to better support their returning personnel. This phase will focus on identifying the different kinds and levels of stress, the emotional cycles experienced during deployment, normalizing reactions to combat exposure, ways to be supportive and an overview of available resources for airmen and their families. Phase 2: Immediate Return Upon return, and before taking leave, airmen are required to attend an in-person reintegration briefing with the M&FRC, and their families are encouraged to join. This briefing provides a list of in-processing items, an overview of the emotional cycles of deployment for both airmen and families, a healthy communications training from the Military and Family Life Counselor and airmen are scheduled for an in-person check-in with the M&FRC following rest and recuperation leave. Phase 3: Post Leave Check-In Following rest and recuperation leave, airmen will attend a second in-person reintegration briefing alongside fellow returnees. The second reintegration briefing will address healthy communications, stress management, moral injury and will include a small group lunch and bowling session. Briefers will include the Military and Family Life Counselor, the 319th Medical Group’s health promotions flight chief and a Chaplain. “The reintegration process is essential for our airmen coming back from deployment,” said Tech. Sgt. Matthew Richardson, M&FRC non-commissioned officer in charge for the 319th FSS. “It helps airmen who are trying to find their new normal, likely in a place where the environment they knew has changed. Their units might have a different culture and the friends they left behind might have deployed or moved on from here.” Family members are highly encouraged to take advantage of available support from the M&FRC, which offers information and resources through workshops, one-on-one counselings and group events. If the M&FRC doesn’t offer that support in-house, airmen and their families can be connected or referred to outside organizations and resources who can assist. “We are always trying to make sure families are in the know when it comes to pre- and post-deployment information,” said Richardson. “No matter what phase you are in or who you are – whether it be military members, families or single airmen, we want people to know what resources are available to them and we want to support them through it.” Dr. Deirdre Moriarty, the installation Military and Family Life Counselor, is located at the M&FRC and offers free, non-clinical counseling services for military members and adult family members. “Transitions can create difficult situations,” said Dr. Moriarty. “For a while, when people come back from deployment it’s like they are stuck on fast forward and everyone else is stuck in slow motion, it takes a while to adjust back to normal.” Dr. Moriarty said the first six months after deployment is considered the adjustment period, and rest and relaxation is required. Airmen and their families are encouraged to reach out for support when they first start to experience friction as many airmen don’t realize they have triggers or event-related stress until after they’ve sought help. A full list of resources and upcoming deployment-related briefings and events are available at the Grand Forks AFB website: https://www.grandforks.af.mil/Deployment-and-Reintegration/ Airmen and their families may also reach out directly to the M&FRC at (701) 727-3241 for more information.