Family Readiness Audit

What Family Readiness Covers

Beyond the Marine's individual readiness, family readiness covers.

• Family Care Plans for sole-parent and dual-military Marines.
• RED-S (Record of Emergency Data) contact information current.
• Dependent enrollment in DEERS current.
• Spouse contact for unit communications.
• Special needs (EFMP) coordination.
• Deployment readiness briefings.

Gaps surface when the deployment alert drops or a casualty notification fires.

Family Care Plan Audit

Per MCO 1754.9AMCO 1754.9A, sole-parent and dual-military Marines maintain a current Family Care Plan. MCO 1754.9A

• Identify sole-parent and dual-military Marines in the section.
• Verify Family Care Plan on file with S-1.
• Verify the plan is current (annual review).
• Verify guardian and alternate guardian designated.
• Verify financial provisions documented.

A Family Care Plan that has not been reviewed in two years is a plan that has not survived life changes.

RED-S Currency

Every Marine has a Record of Emergency Data. The Marine owns the data accuracy.

• Primary next of kin.
• Secondary next of kin.
• Beneficiary designations (SGLI separate).
• Emergency contact information.

Section coaches Marines to update RED-S after.

• Marriage.
• Divorce.
• Death of a designated contact.
• Move of designated contact.
• Birth or adoption.

Stale RED-S surfaces during casualty notification or emergency leave processing. By then, the gap costs the family.

Spouse and Family Contact

Maintain a section-level family contact roster.

• Spouse name and contact information.
• Children names and ages.
• Special situations (deployed parent, ill family member, custody arrangements).

The roster supports unit communications, deployment briefings, and family readiness events. Coordinate with the Family Readiness Officer.

EFMP Coordination

Marines with Exceptional Family Member Program enrollment require additional coordination.

• Verify enrollment current.
• Verify duty station appropriateness for family needs.
• Coordinate with EFMP coordinator for upcoming PCS.
• Coordinate with the unit on assignment limitations.

EFMP gaps surface late and PCS cycles can be derailed by misalignment.

Deployment Briefings

Family briefings before deployment cover.

• Communication plans.
• Pay and allotment continuity.
• DEERS and ID card validity through the deployment.
• Power of attorney if needed.
• Family Readiness Officer contact.
• Resource referrals (chaplain, MFLC, MCCS).

Coordinate with the Family Readiness Officer on the briefing schedule.

Section Tracker

Annual audit, with trigger-based updates after life events.

Common Family Readiness Failures

• Family Care Plan deferred year after year.
• RED-S last updated before a marriage ended.
• DEERS gap discovered at TRICARE appointment, not at the section.
• EFMP not surfaced until PCS orders cannot be executed.
• Family deployment briefing skipped, communications break down.

Where to Go Next

• RED-S currency for the personal data side.
• Pre-deployment section readiness for the deployment-driven audit.
• Life events coaching for the trigger-based updates.