FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. - The Fort Meade Teen Center, Pet Care Center, Bark Park dog park and return-cart stations in the commissary parking lot all originated on a piece of paper or email submitted to the Army Family Action Plan.
After the proposals were hashed out and refined at the annual AFAP conferences on post, they were presented to the garrison commander at the time who turned those concepts into reality.
And those were just local issues. Over the years, residents and employees of Fort Meade -- service members and civilians alike -- have submitted suggestions that have been implemented Armywide or are pending approval, quality-of-life issues affecting everything from education benefits and child care to housing and leave time.
"It's a process that works and has worked for 28 years," said Pia Morales, AFAP program manager for the past three years.
The next AFAP Planning Conference will be held Oct. 27 and 28 at Club Meade.
Volunteer delegates and other conference staff are needed to represent the community. Volunteers must attend one of two training sessions at Army Community Service: Oct. 17 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. or Oct. 21 from 9 to 10:30 a.m.
Quality-of-life issues are also needed. Submissions can be made at www.myarmyonesource.com.
"If people want to bring about change, they need to submit ideas," Morales said.
Established in 1983, AFAP gives community members the opportunity to voice their opinion about the Army experience, said Morales.
"We try to solicit issues from the local community -- what can we do to ensure your quality of life? It could be anything," she said.
AFAP also provides decision-makers at the Department of the Army with the opportunity to identify the "hot spots" -- matters of great concern, said Morales.
"It gives them a quick look, a focus on the Army community," she said. "It shows them if there's a trend."
Over the years, AFAP resolutions resulted in at least 124 legislative changes, 176 DoD or Army policy/regulation changes and 195 program/service improvements.
That includes an increase by 11 percent of basic housing allowance; an increase from $50,000 to $250,000 of Servicemen's Group Life Insurance; implementation of the Military Savings Plan; establishment of the Army Family Team Building and Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers; and storage at government expense of privately-owned vehicles when service members are reassigned to an area where the vehicle is not authorized.
To ensure efficiency, the Issue Management System for the Department of the Army has now been implemented in the AFAP process.
"They wanted a new streamlined way to submit and to track issues," Morales said.
The Issue Management System helps to eliminate any inconsistencies, ensuring that submitted issues reach the conference.
"It was inconsistent at the garrison level at how issues were being submitted," Morales said. "Even a garrison commander is not supposed to dismiss [a community concern]. It is for the delegates to decide what to be elevated to be prioritized."
Anyone residing or working on Fort Meade may submit issues including service members from other military branches, providing the issue is not specific to Marines, Sailors or the Coastguard, because AFAP is an Army program, said Morales.
Issues must be realistic and fall within the domain of the installation.
"Everything submitted to AFAP may not be doable even if it is a top issue," Morales said. "You have to be realistic. [The issue] may need county approval or is not under our jurisdiction, or the cost is too high in an age of dwindling resources."
AFAP could also jump start previously reported concerns such as potholes on a busy street.
"We have several avenues for remedying issues on Fort Meade," Morales said. "But if other channels aren't working, AFAP can be used as a resource. Fixing of roads may already be on the Directorate of Public Works repair list, but with AFAP, it gets put on the fast track when we say to the commander that this is one of the top issues."
During the conference, issues are broken into categories such as safety, housing and family support. Each group has about eight delegates who represent a cross section of the community, about 40 percent service members and 60 percent civilian including a handful of retirees and family members.
Morales said they are hoping for at least 40 delegates this year. Many participants have served as delegates at previous AFAP conferences.
"A lot come back," Morales said. "They are passionate about the process and want to see what the community is concerned about."
Approved Armywide issues move to the Headquarters of the Department of the Army Conference held in January.
But before any issue is resolved, it first must be identified.
"We need to hear from the community," Morales said.
To volunteer, call the AFAP coordinator at 301-677-4110. For more information about AFAP, visit www.myarmylifetoo.com.
Social Sharing