ANG Strong Bonds is a Chaplain Corps-led program for commanders which builds relationship resiliency. The Strong Bonds mission is to increase Airmen and Family readiness and resiliency through relationship education and skills training. “A People Maintenance Program…”

The ANG Strong Bonds Program helps Single-Airmen, Couples and Families to thrive in the turbulence of the military environment; we are also beginning to focus on those who are “single parents”.

Attendees voluntarily participate in a Strong Bonds Offsite Training “retreat format” designed to maximize the relationship training impact. The training event or “get away” provides an emotionally safe and secure training environment in which to address the effect of military lifestyle stressors in a non-attribution and confidential counseling environment.

The ANG continues to provide relationship training tools and make them available to Airmen and their respective families throughout the National Guard, active duty and reserve forces as available.  Since Fiscal Year 2008, we conducted over 1430 events and trained nearly 26,000 participants in concert with our ARNG brethren.  Our goals for 2017 and beyond are to continue to touch Airmen and their respective families in need throughout our National Guard (ARNG and ANG).   Also we plan to expand our curriculum to include those providing tools and skill sets for “Single Parents”, “Divorcees”, and “Dating Couples” while ensuring we always meet the needs of our National Guard and our American Warriors and their families everywhere.  

We are in the business of “People Maintenance” which ensures healthy relationships and contribute to a healthy ANG and a secure future force.  With increasing demands placed on our Airmen and their families by frequent deployments, mission changes and duty relocations intimate relationships are fully tested.  

Research shows that training in communication skills, intimacy, and conflict management increases marital satisfaction and reduces rates of Family violence.

Building Airmen Family resiliency is part of a strategic approach to cope with the high operational demand placed on today’s Air Force. 

ANG Strong Bonds for the TAG, Wing Commander and Guard Families  

Recognizing the importance of National Guard Families, the ANG Chaplain Corps Strong Bonds Support Teams help build resilient relationships and healthier marriages by facilitating Strong Bonds events across States, Wings and Units.  ANG Strong Bonds has grown and developed into a sharply focused and prevention-oriented Commanders program available to active duty, Guard and Reserve Soldiers and Airmen and their Families.  

 
Let ANG Strong Bonds help you support your Airmen by: 

• Enhancing the relationships of married Airmen.  
• Assisting your single Airmen in developing healthy relationships.  
• Promoting life skills for all of your Families.  
• Preparing your Wings for AEF deployments or every day/month challenges. 

                             ANG Strong Bonds builds solid family foundations  
                                    and more mission-focused Airmen. 

Four Specialized Programs to Meet Your Unit’s Needs 

1. ANG Strong Bonds Single Airmen:  Focuses on relationship skills for partner selection and building a great respectful relationship with others to include co-workers and supervisors.    
2. ANG Strong Bonds Couples:  Strengthens the marital bond, giving couples the tools and information they need for better communication and relationship building.  
3. ANG Strong Bonds Family:  Provides family members with tools to ensure the Airmen family nucleus stays in tack during trying and difficult times.  
4. ANG Strong Bonds Pre- and Re-Deployment:  Provides the tools to enable Airmen and Families to stay close during deployments and to reintegrate after long separations. 

Ten Compelling Reasons to Plan a Strong Bonds Event 

1. ANG Strong Bonds enables Airmen to stay focused on the mission, improving readiness and retention.  
2. ANG Strong Bonds helps to demonstrate the American Airmen commitment to its’ Airmen and Families.  
3. ANG Strong Bonds strengthens family bonds by building trust and integrity, just as the Warrior Ethos unites the team.  
4. ANG Strong Bonds is cost-effective: retaining one first-term Airmen saves $60,000 in recruitment and training costs.  
5. ANG Strong Bonds is easy to implement: The Chaplain Corps Strong Bonds Support Team members work with commanders and unit members to create awareness and program support.  
6. ANG Strong Bonds training creates a support group for Airmen and Families that share deployment cycles.  
7. ANG Strong Bonds renews Airmen and Families with an off-site weekend training retreat.  
8. ANG Strong Bonds assesses the health and well-being of Airmen relationships.  
9. ANG Strong Bonds promotes access to community resources to prevent crisis and to preserve relationships. 
10. ANG Strong Bonds ensures Air Guard children grow up in healthy Air Guard Families. 

Strong Bonds is a key program for Commanders and should be incorporated as part of Airmen readiness, retention initiatives and Resiliency for Human Factors.

The NGB/HC is the proponent for the ANG Strong Bonds Program. It is a preventative skills-based relationship building program, led by ANG Strong Bonds Support Team Members (Chaplains, Chaplain Assistants and A&FRPMs) designed to assist commanders in building, strengthening, preserving and restoring resiliency within Air Guard Families.

ANG Strong Bonds Support Team members including Chaplains, Chaplain Assistants, A&FRPMs and Spouses are eligible to facilitate certified Strong Bonds curriculum as noted in Annex A:  ANG Strong Bonds Curriculum and Instructional Requirements