Transcript Slide 1

HQDA 2009 Army Family Action Plan
Conference
26 - 30 January 2009
Alexandria, Virginia
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
Mobilization, Deployment
and Family Readiness Strengths
1. Military One Source
2. Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation Programs and
Army Family Programs
3. Reintegration Program (Assists Soldiers and Families
readjust post-deployment)
4. Leadership Awareness of the Importance of Family
Support
5. Rest and Recuperation Leave
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
Mobilization, Deployment
and Family Readiness Challenges
1. Length of Dwell Time between Deployments
2. Keeping Remote Families Informed and Connected with
the Unit
3. Inconsistent Command Support for Family Readiness
Groups
4. Increase in Domestic and Substance Abuse
5. Simultaneous Dual Military Deployment of Family
Members (Increases the difficulty of care of Family
members during deployment)
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
Critical 6 Active AFAP Issues
1. Issue 497: Distribution of Montgomery GI Bill Benefits to
Dependents
2. Issue 578: Paternity Permissive TDY
3. Issue 521: In-State College Tuition
4. Issue 605: Table of Distribution and Allowance Position
for Garrison BOSS Program
5. Issue 524: Military Spouse Unemployment Compensation
6. Issue 617: Federal Hiring Process for Wounded Warriors
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
Top 5 Conference Issues
1. Bereavement Permissive TDY
2. Official Photographs for Soldiers
3. Secure Accessible Storage for Soldiers Residing in
Barracks
4. Shortages of Medical Providers in Military Treatment
Facilities (MTF)
5. Availability of Standardized Respite Care for Wounded
Warrior Caregivers
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
Issue Full Briefs
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
Work Group: Benefits and Entitlements
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
TITLE: Bereavement Permissive Temporary Duty (TDY)
SCOPE: A military leave category for bereavement does not exist. Multiple
permissive TDY categories exist but none authorizes non-chargeable
bereavement leave. Soldiers take chargeable leave or a pass in the
event of the death of an immediate Family member. Responsibilities
associated with the death of a Family member may require more time
than accrued leave or a pass. Insufficient time for grieving the loss of a
Family member and administering responsibilities impacts the
Soldier/Family’s ability to mourn and recover from a traumatic loss.
RECOMMENDATION: Establish a permissive TDY category for
bereavement.
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
TITLE: Service Members Group Life Insurance (SGLI) Cap
SCOPE: The SGLI cap of $400,000 is insufficient for many Families.
The SGLI cap may be inadequate to secure surviving Families’
financial stability when considering the cost of living and accrued debt
at time of death. Consequently, many Soldiers purchase supplemental
insurance at significantly higher rates in addition to SGLI. Enabling
Soldiers to purchase additional benefits through the SGLI ensures their
insurability and offers affordable financial security in the event of death.
RECOMMENDATION: Increase SGLI cap incrementally to $1,000,000.
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
Work Group: Employment
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
TITLE: Career Coordinators for Army Wounded Warrior (AW2) Soldiers
and Their Family Members/Caregivers
SCOPE: The AW2 Program lacks sufficient Career Coordinators to assist
AW2 Soldiers/Families with transition. A four-coordinator Career Cell
serves 3,814 Soldiers, Families, and supports 120 advocates. Last
year, AW2 Soldiers increased by 1,315 with a significant increase
projected. The career management standard is 1:30; the ratio of
coordinators to Soldiers is 1:953. This prevents effective career
coordination, employer network development, or long-term
management for the complex employment/education issues.
RECOMMENDATION: Increase authorizations/funding for coordinators
assigned to AW2 Program to reach a 1:30 standard.
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
TITLE: Death Gratuity for Beneficiaries of Department of the Army (DA)
Civilians Killed in Military Contingency Operations
SCOPE: The preferred beneficiary of a DA Civilian killed in a military
contingency operation is not always allowed to receive 100% of the
gratuity. DA Civilians’ eligible survivors (spouse, children, parents,
siblings) receive up to 100%. Other beneficiaries (foster child, fiancée,
grandparent, etc.) are only authorized up to 50%; the rest is paid to an
eligible survivor or stays with the government. Soldiers’ beneficiaries
receive 100%, regardless of their relationship. By differentiating
between DA Civilian beneficiaries, the government fails to fully
recognize the significance of all survivors’ loss.
RECOMMENDATION: Authorize 100% to be paid to any person(s)
designated by the DA Civilian regardless of their relationship.
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
Work Group: Family Support I
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
TITLE: Dedicated Special Needs Space within Child, Youth, and School
(CYS) Services
SCOPE: CYS Services spaces across the Army are often not dedicated to
support special needs children and youth. While AR 608-10, Child
Development Services, authorizes each garrison commander to set
aside a percentage of spaces, no Army level uniformity exists. Failure
to provide these dedicated spaces for special needs children could
negatively impact the Family financially, denies the child opportunities
to participate in CYS Services, and denies quality consistent care
afforded to Army Families.
RECOMMENDATION: Dedicate child and youth spaces within Army CYS
Services in order to accommodate special needs children.
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
TITLE: Temporary Lodging Expense (TLE) Duration
SCOPE: The 10-day limitation on TLE is insufficient to allow Soldiers and
Families to familiarize themselves with the local area and secure
adequate/affordable housing. TLE duration has not been increased
since 1 Apr 94. Under FY94 National Defense Authorization Act, TLE
duration was increased from 4 to 10 days. Increasing TLE will provide
adequate time to complete military in-processing requirements, obtain
affordable housing, enroll Family members in schools/childcare, and
support quality of life.
RECOMMENDATION: Increase duration of TLE to 20 days.
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
Work Group: Family Support II
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
TITLE: Collaborative Community Support of Severely Wounded, Injured,
and Ill Soldiers and their Families
SCOPE: Many communities are not aware of how to support returning
wounded Soldiers. The support network between community
resources and Soldiers/Families is inconsistent. This network is
essential to the long term recovery and reintegration of these
Soldiers/Families.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Implement/communicate a support program that connects community
resources with Soldiers/Families.
2. Implement a management plan that evaluates the effectiveness of the
support program.
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
TITLE: Availability of Standardized Respite Care for Wounded Warrior
Caregivers
SCOPE: Standardized respite care is not available to all Wounded Warrior
caregivers. The lack of availability exists due to inconsistencies in
areas such as: information, reimbursement, policy, personnel, and
location. Caregivers of Wounded Warriors commonly suffer burn-out
and compassion fatigue. A Soldier’s ability to sustain activities of daily
living is directly associated with the well being of the caregiver. The
lack of availability of standardized respite care for these caregivers
jeopardizes the caregiver’s stability and negatively affects the recovery
of his/her Soldier.
RECOMMENDATION: Provide uniform availability of standardized respite
care to all caregivers of Wounded Warriors.
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
Work Group: Force Support
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
TITLE: Funding for Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS)
SCOPE: The BOSS program is the only Army program that exclusively
supports single Soldiers and single parents, yet there is no consistent
funding. Army statistics indicate 47 percent of the active duty
population falls into this category, not including National Guard,
Reserve, and geographically separated Soldiers. Failure to provide
dedicated funding puts the future of BOSS at risk, impacting one of the
Army’s largest demographics.
RECOMMENDATION: Mandate funding for BOSS in POM 12-16.
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
TITLE: Official Photographs for All Soldiers
SCOPE: Official photographs are not required for all Soldiers. The Army
requires an official DA photograph at certain grade levels. There is no
official photograph available to the media that provides a professional
head and shoulder view of the Soldier with individual achievements.
Personal photos have been used in the media to identify Soldiers.
Inappropriate or grainy photos do not accurately reflect the
professionalism of the Army or the Soldier. Having an official
photograph of this type on file would ensure Soldiers are portrayed in a
dignified and respectful manner.
RECOMMENDATION: Require a professional quality official or semiofficial head and shoulder photograph for all Soldiers.
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
Work Group: Housing and Facilities
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
TITLE: Secure Accessible Storage for Soldiers in Barracks
SCOPE: A significant number of Soldiers residing in barracks lack
sufficient secure accessible storage for their Organizational Clothing
and Individual Equipment (OCIE) and personal items. The quantity and
size of required issue items have increased dramatically due to
deployments. Despite the fact that newly constructed billets include
accessible storage cages/areas, the vast majority of existing barracks
still lack this essential capability. Lack of sufficient secure accessible
storage outside the Soldiers’ authorized living space negatively affects
their quality of life by forcing them to live in overcrowded conditions.
RECOMMENDATION: Provide secure accessible storage space for
Soldiers’ OCIE in a location separate from living space.
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
TITLE: Homeowners Assistance Program (HAP) Expansion
SCOPE: HAP does not address the needs of Service Member
homeowners with permanent change of station (PCS) orders, noncovered BRAC organizations, Wounded Warriors, nor Surviving
spouses. Large numbers of homeowners have upside down
mortgages due to declining real estate markets. These homeowners
will not qualify for other congressionally approved programs because
they cannot remain in their homes. Service member homeowners
required to PCS, non-covered BRAC organizations, Wounded
Warriors, and Surviving spouses are susceptible to catastrophic
financial loss.
RECOMMENDATION: Expand HAP to provide financial support for
service member homeowners required to PCS, non-covered BRAC
organizations, Wounded Warriors, and Surviving spouses.
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
Work Group: Medical and Dental I
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
TITLE: 24/7 Out-of-Area TRICARE Prime Urgent Care Authorization
and Referrals
SCOPE: TRICARE Prime beneficiaries are unable to obtain 24/7
out-of-area authorizations and referral assistance for urgent healthcare
services. Beneficiaries are required to obtain authorizations from their
enrollment sites in order to receive urgent care when traveling outside
of their area. TRICARE beneficiaries do not have a streamline one
call/one resolution process when urgent care needs are required.
Out-of-area referral/authorization process is confusing, untimely, does
not help beneficiaries find needed care, and imposes an unnecessary
demand while traveling.
RECOMMENDATION: Establish a 24/7 centralized toll-free process for
TRICARE beneficiaries to request and acquire out-of-area urgent care
authorization and referral assistance.
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
Work Group: Medical and Dental II
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
TITLE: Comprehensive Strategy for Over Medication Prevention and
Alternative Treatment Options for All Military Healthcare System (MHS)
Beneficiaries
SCOPE: No comprehensive strategy exists for over medication prevention
and alternative treatment options for MHS beneficiaries. Patients,
Families, and providers are not adequately educated about over
medication and alternative treatment options. The lack of alternative
treatment options and/or rehabilitative resources for all beneficiaries
contributes to over medication and adversely impacts the function and
quality of life.
RECOMMENDATION: Authorize and implement a comprehensive strategy
to optimize function and manage pain, including but not limited to
alternative therapy and patient/provider education, for all MHS
beneficiaries.
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
TITLE: Shortages of Medical Providers in Military Treatment Facilities
(MTFs)
SCOPE: Demand for healthcare exceeds provider availability in MTFs.
The Army’s projected growth increases this demand. Statutes limit
salaries, incentives, and contracts exacerbating recruiting and retention
of medical providers. The lack of providers affects timeliness of
medical services, impacts Soldier medical readiness, and the health of
Family members and retirees.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Expedite staffing of military, civilian, and contracted medical providers
to support prioritized needs as identified by the MTF Commander.
2. Implement new strategies for recruiting and retaining medical providers
for MTFs.
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
Thank you
to our
Army Family Action Plan
Sponsors
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
“AFAP . . . Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”
“Celebrating 25 Years as the Voice of the Army Family”