Sustainability: Garrison works to refine strategic planning processes

By Mr Karl Weisel (IMCOM)July 6, 2011

Sustainability: Garrison works to refine strategic planning processes
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

WIESBADEN, Germany - While many Wiesbaden military community members know by now the U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden was named the top Army installation in the Department of Defense, most probably don’t know the vision, planning and execution that led to the recognition.

Despite the critical challenges of transforming USAG Wiesbaden to meet future demands " relocating U.S. Army Europe Headquarters, V Corps and 5th Signal Command to Wiesbaden, building state-of-the art housing, improving environmental efforts to surpass DoD and host nation standards " garrison leaders have continued to strategically plan to keep the ball rolling in the years to come. That has meant bringing key stakeholders from tenant units and organizations into the process, developing comprehensive milestones and constantly refining the overall strategic plan.

“It’s about making Wiesbaden just a great place to live and serve,” said Maj. Gen. Terry A. Wolff, former 1st Armored Division and deputy USAREUR commander, praising the garrison team for its achievements in winning the Army Communities of Excellence Gold and Commander-in-Chief’s Installation Excellence awards.

As part of ongoing efforts to continue excelling, a team of sustainability experts from the Installation Management Command in San Antonio, Texas, and IMCOM-Europe in Heidelberg visited Wiesbaden June 23-24 to brainstorm and share ideas about sustaining resources and other key quality-of-life components.

“This was an opportunity to refine our processes based on new sustainability guidance,” said Lorie Khatod, strategic planner for USAG Wiesbaden’s Plans, Analysis and Integration Office.

“We’re already looking at the long term,” Khatod said, explaining that a recently signed memorandum by Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch, IMCOM’s commander, outlines requirements for sustainability to support the Army Sustainability Campaign Plan.

“We are ahead of the game, and we just have to refine the solid processes that we already have in place,” Khatod said, adding, “Our strategic plan is fluid and able to handle any sustainability modifications based on the new guidance.”

What that means for the men, women and children who live, work and serve in USAG Wiesbaden is knowing that leaders are consistently looking at ways to sustain, streamline and improve the facilities, services and support provided in the garrison.

“Basically it’s looking at sustainability not from an environmental standpoint but from a holistic perspective,” said Khatod, explaining that strategic planning and sustainability include all aspects of what occurs in the garrison " Soldier, Family and civilian readiness and well-being, workforce development, energy efficiency, safety, resource conservation and ongoing transformation. This effort continues “while we’re maintaining a high level of performance in our everyday services.”

“You’ve obviously earned that award (the ACOE Gold Award and Commander-in-Chief’s Installation of Excellence),” said Irene Cruz, the IMCOM Sustainability team leader, while addressing USAG Wiesbaden’s approach to strategic planning and sustainability.

Addressing the four pillars of sustainability " mission excellence, environmental stewardship, command collaboration and economic benefit " Cruz and her team discussed ways to fine-tune the strategic planning process and to “operationalize sustainability.”

“We’ll take this feedback and work it into our processes,” said Col. Jeffrey Dill, USAG Wiesbaden commander. “It’s all about the people you have working for you and getting them engaged.”

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