ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. - Five members of the Aberdeen Proving Ground community have become more knowledgeable about the Army community thanks to two days of Army Family Team Building Level I training. The two day class is a Department of the Army training program designed to familiarize individuals and Families with the military community.

Tina Helmick, Army Community Service AFTB Manager, conducted the training along with volunteer subject matter experts. Subjects included Basic Military Benefits and Entitlement; Savings and Investment; Introduction to Family Readiness Groups; Supporting Your Child's Education; Tips for Building Realistic Expectations; Basic Problem Solving; Military Acronyms and Terms; Army Ranks, Insignia and Grades; and Introduction to Military and Civilian Community
Resources.

Helmick said training focuses on military and community customs, resources and opportunities to make newcomers more comfortable with and independent in the military environment.

Helmick and ACS director Celestine Beckett presented awards to the graduates who included Cyvel Dela Cruz, Natascha Duvall, Nancy Goucher, May Lukacs, and Deborah Ropiski. The graduates agreed.

Lukacs, a military spouse new to the community, said she is volunteering at ACS to learn her way around.

"It was very informative," she said of the training. We found a lot of good things to talk about and I met a lot of good people."

"I thought it was great," added Ropiski, the spouse of an APG civilian. "I don't have a military background so for me it was very new," she said.

An ACS volunteer who has been a military spouse for 17 years, Duvall said she primarily was surprised to learn about activities open to civilians and contractors.

"I didn't know myself that children of government civilians and contractors can participate in youth activities on post," she said. "I know so many spouses that will be happy to know that."

AFTB also supports the total Army effort in helping those achieve their highest level of personal development. For more information, call Helmick at 410-278-2453.