Brad Kemp Kevin Stacey, a member of the National Speakers Association, talks Saturday to an audience of Louisiana National Guard members and their families at Hilton Lafayette.

LAFAYETTE - Men and women in the military aren't the only ones affected by the prospect of war. What about the families left behind?

National Guard volunteers and family members from across Louisiana gathered at Hilton Lafayette on Saturday for a workshop dedicated to easing the tension associated with a military lifestyle for the families of soldiers.

The Associated Press reported Saturday that the military force the Pentagon is amassing in the Persian Gulf could be ready to attack Iraq in mid- to late February. The deployment could exceed 150,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines - some of them from Louisiana.

Kevin Stacey, a professional speaker and member of the National Speakers Association, spoke at the Family Program Workshop about the mental readiness required of soldiers and their families.

According to Stacey, the most important thing for a soldier is being focused on the mission at hand, and he says that's not possible when that soldier is constantly worrying about family.

"We think over 50,000 thoughts a day, and studies have shown that more than 77 percent of them are negative," Stacey said. "I'll be giving them tools on how to focus on how they want it to turn out, rather than how they fear it will."

Stacey said that the most important thing for family members to do is to keep their thoughts positive and to know the right departments to call for information regarding the whereabouts of their loved ones overseas.

The ultimate goals of the workshop are to get the soldier prepared to do the job and to teach families how to deal with the separation, said Capt. Donna Jones of the Louisiana National Guard.

The program is run almost entirely by volunteer unit commanders who come from all across Louisiana.

"Volunteers are the link in sustaining the family program," Jones said.

According to Louisiana National Guard Maj. Ed Bush, the volunteers are important.

"The Louisiana National Guard is the second-largest employer in Louisi-ana," Bush said. "It's silly to think that we wouldn't do these type of things."

Stacey, who served six years in the U.S. Army reserves, said that his military experience helps him to better understand the needs of the families.

"There are many professional speakers out there, but not many with the military experience I have," Stacey said.

Stacey has performed more than 200 professional speaking engagements for more than 5,000 audience members throughout the United States, as well as internationally.