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Wiesbaden holds annual Army Family Action Plan conference

By Connie Dickey, USAG Wiesbaden Public AffairsNovember 8, 2021

AFAP Delegate, Glen Lukasik, presents an issue for consideration during the outgoing brief of the AFAP annual conference Oct. 28 at the Wiesbaden Entertainment Center.
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – AFAP Delegate, Glen Lukasik, presents an issue for consideration during the outgoing brief of the AFAP annual conference Oct. 28 at the Wiesbaden Entertainment Center. (Photo Credit: Connie Dickey) VIEW ORIGINAL
U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Commander, Col. Mario Washington, listens to the AFAP group delegates present issues for his consideration during the outgoing brief of the annual AFAP conference Oct. 28 at the Wiesbaden Entertainment Center.
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Commander, Col. Mario Washington, listens to the AFAP group delegates present issues for his consideration during the outgoing brief of the annual AFAP conference Oct. 28 at the Wiesbaden Entertainment Center. (Photo Credit: Connie Dickey) VIEW ORIGINAL

WIESBADEN, Germany – Garrison delegates gathered at the Wiesbaden Entertainment Center Oct. 26 through 28 to identify, develop and prioritize issues during the 38th annual conference. Thirty-eight issues were submitted this year with six being prioritized by the two working groups.

The focus of the Army Family Action Plan process exists at two distinct levels: Installation and the Department of the Army. AFAP is a process that identifies issues of concern to the local community, military and civilian leadership. It determines actions necessary to resolve the issues and assigns responsibility for the actions to the staff proponent who may be able to resolve the issue.

The USAG Wiesbaden Commander, Col. Mario Washington listened to each issue the groups presented during the outgoing brief and provided his opinion and expertise on the subjects, as well as determined the issues to be elevated to Installation Management Command-Europe. IMCOM Europe will then forward those issues up to the Department of the Army-level AFAP.

The issues approved at the conference outgoing brief that are being sent forward are:

- Behavioral Health Care Services Overseas for Space Available Beneficiaries

- ROTH Option for the NAF 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan.

According to Army Community Service AFAP program manager, Hellen Fakolujo, some issues could be viewed as short-term and fixed at a local level, while others require more involvement. She further stated that the conference was a success and the issues were well presented to Col. Washington.

AFAP is a grassroots program that was created by Army spouses with the intent of bringing quality-of-life issues to leadership for action. It is a cyclical program that enables everyone within the Army community to have a voice and enact change, both at USAG Wiesbaden, as well as the Department of the Army.

A new participant in the conference, Donna Loyer, part of a dual-military couple, volunteered to be a delegate because she wanted to have an impact on the community.

“I had never heard of the AFAP conference before and when I found out that this is the forum to bring up issues that affect all of us and we get to discuss them and provide recommendations to improve our lives, I wanted to be a part of it,” said Loyer.

“I enjoyed hearing the different perspectives of everyone and would recommend others to get involved and to participate in this in the future, if possible.”

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