HOHENFELS, Germany -- Volunteers spent two days this week reviewing 31 issues submitted by Hohenfels community members during this year's Army Family Action Plan conference and presented their recommendations for solutions to U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria representatives at a briefing in Hohenfels , Dec. 17.
AFAP is the Army's grassroots process for identifying quality-of-life issues impacting Soldiers, families and DOD civilians, and bringing them to senior leaders for action. The conference brings community representatives together as delegates, facilitators, recorders and experts. They prioritize, discuss and offer recommendations on issues both at an installation level and an Army-wide level.
Issues that are beyond the scope of the garrison may be submitted to the IMCOM-Europe AFAP conference, and can even reach the Department of the Army conference.
In the 30 years since its inception, the AFAP program has dealt with 692 issue, 520 of which have been completed, 128 deemed unattainable and 14 still active. Ninety percent of all issues are worked at the local level.
Hohenfels delegates, consisting of an eclectic mix of Soldiers, spouses, civilians and youths, presented their top three issues during the conference.
This year's top issue focused on the inadequate availability of hourly child care at the Child Development Center during certain 'peak' hours. Delegates suggested establishing more effective communication with the community about availability of childcare options as well as implementing additional hourly care options during peak hours.
The number two issue concerned Survivor Outreach Services (SOS.) According to current Department of the Army (DA) policy, SOS is not required to seek out survivors, only to advertise the program's existence. In addition, SOS personnel change frequently and without notice at Army installations and the positions are left vacant for an extended period of time leading to a loss of valuable information and access to services.
The delegates suggested a change in DA policy which would require SOS personnel to establish and maintain communication with survivors, including when the position or local contact changes.
The final issue presented at the conference involved the Depart of Defense Education Activity discipline policy and family counseling requirements.
"This is where we really benefited by having youth delegates," said Kendra Gunter, delegation spokesperson. "That had experience and first hand insight to this issue and allowed our group to have a different perspective."
The current discipline policy does not mandate family counseling for discipline issues, it merely recommends it and only as part of an expulsion hearing. The delegation recommended DoDEA implement mandatory family counseling after the initial verbal warning for discipline issues to prevent escalation, suspension or expulsion.
Mike Haney, USAG Bavaria-Hohenfels manager, thanked everyone involved with the conference for their efforts, and said this was just the type of feedback the Army needs.
"We want to hear the voice of our customers," he said. "Sometimes there are some challenges with resources or personnel, but we have very competent people here at the garrison that will look at these issues very seriously and try to do what we can to provide those quality of life, front door services to our Soldiers and families and civilians."
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