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Army Family Action Plan

Wednesday August 14, 2013

What is it?

The Army Family Action Plan (AFAP) provides active and reserve component Soldiers, civilians, family members, survivors, and retirees a voice in shaping their standards of living by identifying issues and concerns for Army senior leadership resolution. Since its inception in 1983, the AFAP remains the only such partnership between a branch of the United States military and its constituents.

What has the Army done?

Over the past 30 years, the Department of the Army Staff has addressed 692 AFAP issues that originated with Army constituents. Of those issues, 14 are under active review and 520 have been completed. Over 62 percent of completed AFAP issues have also impacted the sister services. There have been 128 legislative changes, 184 revised DOD or Army regulations and policies, and 208 improvements to programs and services.

What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future?

As the Army transforms, the balance and prioritizing of competing requirements have to be taken into consideration. AFAP assists in identifying the significant issues that face the Army today. As the AFAP enters its 30th year, the program has been restructured to address constrained resources and restrictions on travel and conferences, while still retaining the “voice of the customer” using other methods.

AFAP issues will continue to be generated at the grassroots level and elevated to the Army Staff for review and endorsement. Army Staff-endorsed AFAP issues will be provided to select Army commands where a cross section of stakeholders will prioritize the top issues. The Army Staff will develop action plans to review issues at future AFAP General Officer Steering Committees chaired by the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army.

Why is this important to the Army?

The needs of the Army community remain in the forefront of Army senior leadership. AFAP is the primary tool to communicate the important issues facing Soldiers, civilians, families, survivors, and retirees as the Army transforms in the face of unprecedented budgetary challenges and the impacts of persistent conflict.

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