Workgroups refine, prioritize 15 issues at FY15 AFAP conference

By Mr. Stephen Baack (IMCOM)October 17, 2014

Workgroups refine, prioritize 15 issues at FY15 AFAP conference
1 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – ANSBACH, Germany (Oct. 17, 2014) -- Col. Christopher M. Benson, U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach commander, speaks Oct. 7 at USAG Ansbach's Army Family Action Plan conference kickoff at the Von Steuben Community Center. The annual conference brought togeth... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Workgroups refine, prioritize 15 issues at FY15 AFAP conference
2 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – ANSBACH, Germany (Oct. 17, 2014) -- At the start of this year's Army Family Action Plan conference, members of Group 2 engage in a team-building exercise before tackling the issues they would soon define, prioritize and make recommendations on during... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Workgroups refine, prioritize 15 issues at FY15 AFAP conference
3 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – ANSBACH, Germany (Oct. 17, 2014) -- Group facilitator Andrea Russell, standing at right, leads Group 1 through ground rules, group protocol and introductions at the start of Day 1 of the U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach's Army Family Action Plan conference... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Workgroups refine, prioritize 15 issues at FY15 AFAP conference
4 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – ANSBACH, Germany (Oct. 17, 2014) -- Group facilitators Andrea Russell, standing at right, and Amber Crozier lead Group 1 in the process of selecting a name to promote cohesion and to familiarize the members with the process of coming to a consensus, ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Workgroups refine, prioritize 15 issues at FY15 AFAP conference
5 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – ANSBACH, Germany (Oct. 17, 2014) -- Group facilitator Carolin Carson, far left, leads Group 2 through an issue on Day 1 of the U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach's Army Family Action Plan conference for fiscal 2015. The conference was held at the Von Steuben... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Workgroups refine, prioritize 15 issues at FY15 AFAP conference
6 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – ANSBACH, Germany (Oct. 17, 2014) -- Ashley Muller, a volunteer delegate with Group 1, briefs subject-matter experts and fellow delegates during the report-out session on the last day of this year's Army Family Action Plan conference, held Oct. 7 thro... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Workgroups refine, prioritize 15 issues at FY15 AFAP conference
7 / 7 Show Caption + Hide Caption – ANSBACH, Germany (Oct. 17, 2014) -- Nessa Anderson, a volunteer delegate with Group 2, briefs subject-matter experts and fellow delegates during the report-out session on the last day of this year's Army Family Action Plan conference, held Oct. 7 thr... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

ANSBACH, Germany (Oct. 17, 2014) -- Twenty-two volunteers gathered Oct. 7 through 9 for this year's Army Family Action Plan conference to define, prioritize and make recommendations on 15 issues that affect the U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach and 12th Combat Aviation Brigade community.

The conference, which took place at the Von Steuben Community Center, is part of the Army's grassroots effort to prioritize the top quality-of-life and readiness issues that face community members. Volunteers, or delegates, define those issues for closer scrutiny and resolution at the levels of Installation Management Command and, possibly, the Army and even the Department of Defense.

The purpose of AFAP is to provide "a way for you to let Army leadership know what works, what doesn't, and how you think problems should be resolved," according to the Army OneSource Army Family Action Plan Issue Management System.

Col. Christopher M. Benson, USAG Ansbach commander, opened up the first day of the conference here by outlining the benefits of AFAP and telling the volunteers just how much power they have to make change.

"AFAP is about improving programs and services, changing policies and regulations, amending laws and pursuing solutions," Benson told the delegates and other volunteers during the Oct. 7 kickoff. "Each AFAP success story originated as an idea that someone decided to pursue here at this level. Though the Army is the only branch of the Department of Defense that has such a program, many of AFAP's improvements have impacted quality of life for all services."

Benson expounded on some of the changes that are the result of Army-wide AFAP efforts. The changes he cited included quality-of-life improvements like free online tutoring for military students, the distribution of GI Bill benefits to family members, the Military Thrift Savings Plan, minimum standards for Army child care and Servicemembers Group Life Insurance increases.

For the length of the conference, the 22 delegates were divided into two work groups to examine this year's issues, which had been compiled from across the USAG Ansbach community throughout the year and submitted to the quarterly AFAP conference steering committee and a non-advisory council.

Like years prior, the workgroups themselves consist of volunteers who represent a variety of demographics including junior- and senior-enlisted Soldiers, officers, spouses of Soldiers, warriors in transition, retirees and civilians. AFAP also draws from dual-military and single-parent families.

Depending on a group's identified knowledge base and demographics, its members may focus on specific topics like benefits and entitlements, transportation issues or medical concerns. Then the facilitator, with the help of a recorder and an issue support and room manager, guides the work group to a consensus. These are known as FRTI teams.

Danielle O'Donnell, AFAP program manager for USAG Ansbach, led and organized the conferences. She expressed her satisfaction with the conference and praised the volunteers.

"I think once they had an idea of what the process was and what their role was, the rest was gravy," said O'Donnell. "They just went through the process, and we kept them on task. It's all about having a good team, first and foremost. If you don't have a good team, you're not going to be successful. The FRTI teams came to the forefront and ensured that their groups were on task and were doing what they needed to do. Overall, we hit our objectives. We were very successful."

Part of that success was bringing important issues to the table, one of which concerned the Exceptional Family Member Program screening process.

"The EFMP issue -- that's a serious issue," said O'Donnell, who explained that Soldiers are being placed on assignment in Germany with incomplete Exceptional Family Member Program screenings for their family members. If the right care is unavailable here, it causes undue stress because it can mean an early return of dependents or the process of a compassionate reassignment request.

The recommendation from Group 2, who handled that issue, is to implement mandatory EFMP screenings during the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System process to avoid the issue and to streamline the assignment process.

Vital to the effort of the delegates in making educated recommendations on these issues were all the supporting agencies and people behind the scenes, particularly the subject-matter experts -- or SMEs.

"I would make a phone call, and I'd get a SME on the phone," O'Donnell said. "The support was outstanding. … Everyone understood what was going on this week, and they were really accommodating to the process."

At the end of the conference, a representative from each workgroup presented their issues to the room of delegates and SMEs. Each issue included a carefully crafted scope and recommendations for each problem.

Organized by workgroup, the top issues this year included the following:

Workgroup 1

-- Department of Defense Education Activity Sure Start application process

-- USAG Ansbach Child Development Center staff background check completion process

Workgroup 2

-- Incomplete Exceptional Family Member Program screenings prior to Soldier assignment and/or permanent change of station

-- Installation access in Germany for retired reservists younger than age 60

The presenters also reported their picks of five most valuable programs and services in USAG Ansbach; as well as the top mobilization and deployment strengths and weaknesses.

During the close-out meeting, Benson presented certificates of achievement to all the volunteers and said some final words:

"As we depart this forum and we go about our business, I hope what you take away from this is that we as a community can come together and solve problems here, internally, and make an impact throughout the Army as well. Like I've always said, together we can do anything. But it takes participation in the community, and it takes communication."

To learn more, visit "Army Family Action Plan" in the "Related Links" section above.

Related Links:

USAG Ansbach Official Homepage

USAG Ansbach Community Facebook Page

Army Family Action Plan