OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma National Guard Family Program Office provided remote relief for Florida National Guard Soldiers affected by Hurricane Helene by offering resource referral assistance.

Leadership with the Oklahoma National Guard’s Family Program Office arranged OKNG support by contacting more than 750 Florida National Guardsmen and their families who were affected by Hurricane Helene. The support lessened the burden of the Florida National Guard while enabling their Guardsmen to focus on responding to the devastation.

“This is a personal contact from an OKARNG Family Program member with a Florida Army National Guard Soldier to extend our support for resource assistance, provide a sense of care, concern and empathy to Soldiers,” said Warren Griffis, the lead soldier and family readiness specialist, and one of the 16 assigned callers.

The goal was to reach every Florida National Guard Soldier residing in Hillsborough County in Florida and offer resource referral assistance if affected by the hurricane.

“The process included calling Soldiers to determine the impact of Hurricane Helene,” Griffis said. “If contact was made, we informed them we were calling on behalf of the Florida Army National Guard Family Program Office and if they indicated they were affected, we gave them the FLARNG Family Program’s 1-800 number and assured the Soldier the FLARNG Soldier and Family Readiness personnel will assist them.”

Griffis stated that the FPO team takes great pride in supporting their counterparts by stepping in to handle Soldier and Family Readiness duties when resources are stretched thin. The team also reinforced the message that Soldiers are valued and remain a top priority for leadership across organizations.