HEIDELBERG, Germany - Looking back at her years spent tackling barracks administrative issues as a first sergeant, Installation Management Command-Europe Command Sgt. Major Tracey Anbiya said she wished the First Sergeant's Barracks Initiative happened a long time ago.
"FSBI is an outstanding initiative from every perspective because it alleviates the requirements for commanders to have their Soldiers doing barracks tasks and their first sergeants from performing administrative duties. It also systemizes upkeep and maintenance of our barracks," she said. "By creating a structure for the IMCOM-Europe garrison workforce to perform barracks duties, FSBI frees up Soldiers to focus on leadership, training and Soldiering issues."
Reflecting on earlier years in her career as a first sergeant, Anbiya said she remembered when it seemed tending to Soldier barracks room assignments and maintenance issues took as much of her time as providing leadership, mentoring and training to Soldiers.
"Taking care of the Soldier is a top priority for first sergeants on and off duty. So when someone needed a room, someone had a maintenance issue, or any other situation in the barracks came up, first sergeants needed to focus on those situations. Meanwhile, they've still got the operational mission - the training, leadership and Soldiering duties - to take care of," said Anbiya. "There never seemed to be enough hours in the day. I believe FSBI will free-up commanders and first sergeant to focus on the Soldiering side of our mission."
Lee Machen, IMCOM-Europe DPW FSBI program manager and housing specialist, explained that FSBI is designed to move the responsibility of maintaining daily operations away from assigned units, and puts it on garrison staff in a style similar to property and apartment management offices. In essence, Single Soldier Housing will make checking into the barracks nearly as easy as checking into a hotel room for single or unaccompanied Soldiers.
"FSBI is a very good thing for commanders and Soldiers," said Machen. "FSBI creates civilian positions at garrisons to oversee the administrative tasks associated with assigning and maintaining barracks. That, in turn, frees up the unit first sergeants, who traditionally handled these types of issues, and lets that first sergeant focus on other Soldiering priorities."
Anbiya said one of her missions is to dispel some negative feedback she received from Soldiers who have "historically run things" in the barracks, who view "civilian ownership" of barracks negatively.
"I heard some Soldiers say they think FSBI will hurt unit integrity, and how FSBI will take leadership out of the barracks. Let me be clear: FSBI alleviates us from administrative tasks so we can spend more time focusing on Soldiers issues. First sergeants and other leaders still have disciplinary responsibilities, still have access to barracks, etc.," she said. "The main difference with FSBI is that Single Soldier Housing Offices will perform administrative duties for Soldiers. Unit integrity issues will continue to be considered, and first sergeants will be involved when issues arise where entire units cannot be assigned together."
Anbiya said she believes that FSBI will prove itself to be a great initiative for Soldiers.
"I can't tell you the number of times when I wished we had some civilian office doing things so I could go home and have a warm supper.' I see FSBI as an answer to that wish," she said.
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