The Commander’s Ready and Resilient Council (CR2C) launched a two-part initiative earlier this year that worked to identify the Vicenza Military Community (VMC) & Darby Military Community (DMC) Climate and Culture. Selected members of the community developed a survey that was executed in May and June, to better understand the challenges, but also the positive aspects, of living in the Vicenza Military Community.
After the survey was closed the Commanders Ready and Resilient Council (CR2C) conducted focus groups to receive further information on specific ways to improve the community.
The survey found that 51% of respondents felt satisfied about living within the Vicenza Military Community but felt there could be room for improvement. The USAG Italy website, Facebook, and word of mouth were the top three ways members received information about resources and services within the community.
The top benefits of living in Vicenza were listed as:
· Travel opportunities
· Positive cultural interactions
· Culinary experiences
The top events that increased their connection to the community were:
· Oktoberfest
· Christmas Tree Lighting
· 4th of July Celebration
The most utilized services rated by respondents were:
· Fitness center
· Arena
· Library
When asked what changes would most impact and improve the quality of life within the Vicenza Military Community, the majority of responses related to healthcare, barracks, private housing, and spousal employment.
Focus groups were held to deep dive into some of these concerns. It was here that we discussed specific recommendations for improvement such as:
· Conducting more leader-led walk throughs in the barracks.
· Reducing the perception that there is a lack of jobs available to spouses.
· Increased access to healthcare.
· More guidance from the housing office regarding private housing.
The CR2C was able to use the data from the survey and focus groups to help guide the working efforts for 2025 and will provide the Senior Responsible Officer, Maj. Gen. Andrew Gainey with the results of the survey and focus groups as well as proposed initiatives for the year to increase the quality of life within the Vicenza Military Community.
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