DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
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OFFICE SYMBOL                                                                                      Date

MEMORANDUM FOR SEE DISTRIBUTION

SUBJECT: Battalion/Brigade Policy Memorandum #26 - Utilization of eArmy Family Messaging System (eAFMS)

1.	References.

a.	Army FRG User Guide, eArmy Family Messaging System (eAFMS), July 2014.

b.	Virtual Family Readiness Group System, eArmy Family Messaging System Business Rules, V 3.0, October 22, 2014.

2.	Purpose. The intent of this memorandum is to establish guidance on the utilization of the eAFMS secure web-based communications tool. This is necessary to allow commanders the ability to reach Soldiers and Family members that are geographically dispersed. The eAFMS allows unit staff members to broadcast messages from any computer to their unit by phone calls, emails, text messages (SMS), and pager messages. The eAFMS delivers the messages to multiple devices simultaneously in real time. The eAFMS also offers commanders and unit staff members reporting results for all messages sent to the unit.

3.	Access to eAFMS is through Army Family Readiness Group. Therefore, you or your parent unit must have a site on Army FRG. The Army FRG policy is that companies are to be taken care of by their parent battalion. However, the way eAFMS is set up, companies should have their own sites. Therefore, if you are a company and wish to have access to eAFMS, your parent battalion must have a site on Army FRG. If your battalion does not have a site, you will need to coordinate with them to establish a site on Army FRG first. Likewise, a brigade would need to have established a site on Army FRG before a battalion could apply.

4.	All units are required to participate and maintain their unit's access to eAFMS by adhering to the following guidelines.

a.	Company level units must have at least one person receiving messages. Higher units may not necessarily have specific individuals receiving messages.

b.	Battalion/Brigade level units must have at least one administrative user for the site. Lower-level units may not necessarily have any administrative users.

c.	Units must have at least one message sent to recipients in the chain within the last three months.

d.	Units should continue to utilize eAFMS as their main tool to disseminate unit information.

i.	Battalion/Brigade policy directs units to update distribution lists the first month of every quarter.

ii.	If the site has not had a Sponsor Database uploaded on Army FRG (which is necessary for eAFMS) within the past two months, a notice will be sent to the administrators and the registered commander of the site indicating that unless the site is updated, access to Army FRG and eAFMS will be revoked.

iii.	If the site has not had a sponsor database upload on Army FRG (which is necessary for eAFMS) within the past three months, the Army FRG and eAFMS sites will be deleted and a notice will be sent to the administrators and the registered commander for the site indicating that access to Army FRG and eAFMS has been revoked.

e.	Recipients will be contacted quarterly via a broadcast message to verify that they are still interested in receiving messages from eAFMS.

i.	Battalion/Brigade policy directs the message to be sent the third month of every quarter.

ii.	Replies must be received within 30 days or the recipient will be deleted from the system. Additionally, eAFMS will send a reminder for responses after 2 weeks from the original message.

iii.	If the recipient replies they are not interested in receiving messages they will be deleted from the system.

f.	Units must maintain use of eAFMS.

i.	Battalion/Brigade policy is to send a message at least once per month.

ii.	If a message has not been sent in the last two months, a notice will be sent to the administrators of the site indicating that unless a message is sent within the next 30 days, access to eAFMS will be revoked.

iii.	If a message has not been sent in the last three months, the eAFMS site will be deleted and a notice will be sent to the administrators indicating that access to eAFMS has been revoked.

5.	Training can be coordinated through the Family Readiness Support Assistant at 706-791-4040.

6.	Point of contact for this memorandum is the Family Readiness Support Assistant who can be contacted at first.m.last.mil@mail.mil or (123) 456-7890. 

FIRST M. LAST 
XXX, XX
Commanding

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