AUSA Meeting Focuses on Soldier and Family Well-being

By Dawn Thacker
Army News Service

WASHINGTON, October 24, 2002 - Senior Army leaders held a two-day forum to discuss military family issues at the Association of the United States Army's annual meeting in Washington, D.C. Oct. 21 and 22.

Themed "Building on Well-being Successes," the first day featured testimonials by Army families who personally benefited from the Army's programs and services, such as the improved condition of family housing units due to recent privatization measures.

Day two of the forum was called "Soldiers and Army Families - Well-being Way Ahead." A five-member panel spoke on issues of concern to the typical Army family, including the state of Well-being, community and installation management, health care, family strength and readiness, and Morale, Welfare, and Recreation and family programs.

"It takes a cultural change in the Army to properly execute, organize, and develop people programs," said Brig. Gen. Steven Schook, chief of Well-being.

By effecting this change in attitude, the Army will be able to accomplish its mission of getting well-being written into policy and doctrine, as well as using resources and garrison-level leaders to improve the total Army lifestyle, Schook said.

Part of improving Army life is improving installations, officials said.

"We have fundamentally altered the way we manage our installations," said Maj. Gen. Larry Lust, chief of Transformation in Installation Management Agency. "We will bring it all up to a higher standard by taking a community first approach."

Two main goals for this program are to have all single-soldier barracks modernized by the year 2008 and to have all family housing at an adequate level by 2007, either through new construction or renovation, he said.

Another forum issue was Army health care. Lt. Gen. James Peake, chief of Army medicine, spoke on a number of Army medical programs that are currently being expanded, reworked or created.

Some of those programs include having TriCare cover school physicals, more inclusive dental insurance, a national mail order pharmacy and reimbursement for travel done to obtain specialized treatment, Peake said.

Army Well-being includes both soldiers and their families, officials said. Maj. Gen. G.T. Gunhus, chief of chaplains, discussed the importance of building strong and ready families within the Army.

There are programs underway, and gearing up for expansion, that aim to strengthen individual and couple well-being, personally and spiritually, to help Army families learn to cope with the challenges of military life, he said.

Based on the results from an already-complete pilot program, classes, workshops and retreats improve a couple's quality of life, Gunhus said. They learn to appreciate their Army lifestyle and they are more likely to stay in, he said.

Brig. Gen. Robert Decker, chief of the Community and Family Support Center, concluded the forum with a discussion of Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs and goals.

"The greatest challenge in the 21st century is 'work-life balance'," Decker said. "We want to make sure the outreach program is better than it's ever been."

Along with the programs that people typically associate with MWR such as fitness centers and worldwide lodging, other goals include making it easier for the 70 percent of Army families who live off post to use Army services. There are also plans to create or improve Army Family Team Building workshops, spouse volunteer programs and deployment support services, he said.