WIESBADEN, Germany - Some 90 visionaries gathered at Wiesbaden's Community Activity Center Oct. 27-28 to plan strategically for the future.
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Key garrison directors, primary staff and mission partners met to discuss fiscal year 2011 strategic goals, develop milestones and measures to support strategic goals, follow-on requirements for fiscal year success and ultimately establish a comprehensive garrison strategic plan.
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"Due to the high optempo we tend to stay in a reactionary state," said Lorie Khatod, strategic planner for U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden. "This conference allows us to take the time to review our current situation, look forward into the future to see where we want to be and plan how we are going to get there."
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The garrison's second Strategic Planning Conference brought leaders and representatives from throughout the Wiesbaden military community, U.S. Army Europe, the Installation Management Command-Europe and local units to discuss, plan and chart ways to improve processes, save resources and better serve and support Soldiers, families and civilians.
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Using the strategic planning process model established last year, garrison leaders ensure the strategic plan is worked on in an orderly and pragmatic way, Khatod said, explaining that the strategic planning process relies on two fundamental conferences - a Transition Offsite and the Strategic Planning Conference.
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Led by garrison commander Col. Jeffrey Dill and facilitated by the PAIO staff, the two-day conference addressed six major, so-called, Lines of Effort, correlated with the IMCOM Campaign Plan, including:
A-A aEUR Soldier, Family and Civilian Readiness - Army Force Generation and Comprehensive Community Fitness;
A-A aEUR Soldier, Family and Civilian Well-Being;
A-A aEUR Leader and Workforce Development;
A-A aEUR Installation Readiness;
A-A aEUR Safety; and
A-A aEUR Energy Efficiency and Security.
With each LOE team led by a team champion, individuals worked together to develop action plans to address goals, milestones and measures to support the strategic goals.
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"We received really strong support from our mission partners and community leaders as evidenced by our cross-functional teams, including 5th Signal Command, 66th Military Intelligence Brigade, 421st Multifunctional Medical Battalion, 1st Armored Division, USAREUR, IMCOM-Europe, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, Spouses Club and retirees, among others," said Khatod.
Khatod said that with a direct stake in how the garrison plans and executes its operations, "it's in everyone's best interest to support one another in planning for our future."
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While major planning objectives addressed everything from the U.S. Army Europe Headquarters move to Wiesbaden to 1st Armored Division's relocation to Fort Bliss, Texas, teams also looked at ways to promote excellence among school and youth programs, modernize support services, heighten safety awareness, increase energy and water efficiency, and refinement of the Comprehensive Community Fitness program.
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A central factor to accomplishing our new garrison goals is to "continue to improve our customer support and service as we enter a period of great change and challenge in both Wiesbaden and across the Army," said Dill. "We must also play a leading role in transformation of the community and ensure that we facilitate the smooth integration of the numerous newcomers into our community."
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Strategic planning has been a learning process for the workforce, Khatod added, with employees expressing a better understanding of the process in consecutive surveys. Last year the strategic planning team focused on developing the planning model, publishing the first ever strategic plan and training garrison staff on the plan and how they individually fit into the overall organization strategy.
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'Part of everyday culture'
"Now after a year iteration, they know what's expected - strategic planning is part of our everyday culture," she said, emphasizing that employees also understand that the process is important and the garrison commander supports it ... is committed to investing the time and resources in the process in order to obtain a better future."
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"It is exciting to see the USAG Wiesbaden put so much effort into becoming a sustainable Army community of excellence," said Alan Sosa, chief technology officer, 5th Signal Command G3.
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Because strategic planning constantly evolves to meet new challenges, Khatod said, it's vital the process does so as well. "Teams will meet monthly and continue to work on milestones and provide quarterly progress reports in order to ensure a fluid and relevant strategic plan to meet the ever-changing needs of the Army.
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"The point is to track our progress and ensure we're doing what we said we're going to do," she said, with the end result a better quality-of-life for all members of the Wiesbaden military community.
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