The number, 1-800-833-6622,

is for use by family members of soldiers on active duty as well as those

in the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve called to active duty.

The hotline will remain in operation indefinitely.

The call is free from the continental

United States, Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico, Guam and the Virgin Islands.

Hotline staff takes calls from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EDT to answer family support-related

questions. Emergency assistance is provided between the hours of 8 p.m.

and 8 a.m. EST.

While the hotline staff cannot

give out information about a soldier's specific location, status, or mailing

address, the staff has been instrumental in linking thousands of extended

family members to the family support groups and rear detachments at the

soldier's unit.

In addition to local and Army

level assistance via telephone, family members can find answers to many

routine questions about family readiness, Army Community Service, and

deployment support resources online at the ACS Web site, www.goacs.org,

and at the Army Family Liaison Office Web site, www.aflo.org. Information

about Operation Iraqi Freedom is at www.army.mil.

The Army National Guard and

the Army Reserve state and regional support commands also operate assistance

lines, though they may not always be toll-free. Information is available

at www.guardfamily.org and www.army.mil/usar.

The U.S. Army Community and

Family Support Center is the headquarters Department of the Army agency

responsible for morale, welfare and recreation programs the Army provides

soldiers and families worldwide.