The Magazine of MiliTary housing, lodging & lifesTyles

DefensecommunitiesMay/JUNE 2011 www.phma.com

Secrets of a culture of responsiveness page 32

Your anti-bed-bug toolkit page 36

A home for soldiers in transition page 40

Outdoor and indoor recreation options for military families and personnel

and PlayGet Out

CONTENTS

2 Defense COmmunities

22 Delivering Smiles Naval Air Station Meridian’s new Sesame Room promotes fun, learning, and community. By Holly Costello

8 Learning and Playing by Design Learn how VOA Associates designed a Child Development Center with special emphasis on sustainability, playgrounds, and child activity rooms at Jacksonville Naval Air Station in Florida. By Thomas Matzke, CSI, LEED AP

11 Relaxation Station Service members of Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington State will have on-base entertain-ment options to rival anything available off-base when the Warrior Zone entertainment complex opens.

8

[Playgrounds and Recreation]SPEC IAL S ECTIO

N12 Strong Partnerships

for Stronger Families Fort Hood Family Housing, a partnership between the U.S. Army and developer Lend Lease, has collaborated with the Fort Hood Army Community Service Exceptional Family Member Program to provide inclusive outdoor play areas for residents with special needs. By Michelle Wallace

16 Gone to the Dogs Parks for pets are one of the most popular trends in military communities. Here’s more on why and how your residents could benefit.

By Nora VandenBerghe

22

16

may | June 2011 3

A Publication of the Pro fes sion al Hous ing Man age ment Association

Publishing Offices Stratton Publishing & Mar ket ing Inc.

5285 Shawnee Road, Suite 510 Alexandria, VA 22312-2334

703/914-9200; fax 703/914-6777 defcom@strattonpublishing.com

Advertising Sales Manager Alison Bashian

Stratton Publishing & Marketing Inc. 800/335-7500; fax 440/232-0398 alisonb@strattonpublishing.com

Editorial Office 544 Windspirit Circle, Prescott, AZ 86303

928/771-9826 phmadefensecommunities@

earthlink.net

PHMA Office 154 Fort Evans Road, NE, Leesburg, VA 20176

703/771-1888; fax 703/771-0299 phmaoffice@earthlink.net

www.phma.com

Executive Director Jon R. Moore

Defense Communities (ISSN #1088-9000 USPS #004-502) is pub lished bi month ly by Stratton Pub lish ing & Mar ket ing Inc., 5285 Shawnee Road, Suite 510, Alexandria, VA 22312-2334, for the Pro fes sion al Hous ing Man age ment As so ci a tion, 154 Fort Evans Road, NE, Leesburg, VA 20176. PHMA mem bers re ceive this pub li ca tion at the an nu al sub scrip tion rate of $30.

Nonmembers’ annual sub scrip tion rate is $100. Send sub-scription re quests to Defense Communities at PHMA. Periodi-cals post age paid at Leesburg, VA, and ad di tion al mail ing offices.

Defense Communities, ©2011, Pro fes sion al Hous ing Management As so ci a tion. All rights re served. All con tents of this pub li ca tion are pro tect ed by copy right; how ev er, they may be re pro duced in whole or in part with prior ap prov al of the publisher. Prior to photocopying items for educational classroom, internal, or personal use, or to request rights to republish an article, please request re print permission from Editor, Defense Communities, phmadefensecommunities@ earthlink.net.

Unless otherwise stated, ar ti cles and ed i to ri als express the views of their au thors and not nec es sar i ly those of PHMA, the editors, or the pub lish er. An nounce ments and ad ver-tise ments in this pub li ca tion for prod ucts and ser vic es do not im ply the en dorse ment of PHMA or any of its members or staff.

Postmaster: Send subscription/address changes to: Defense Communities, 154 Fort Evans Road, NE, Leesburg, VA 20176 or e-mail: phmaoffice@earthlink.net.

Publisher

Editor

Managing Editor

Contributing Editor

Editorial/Production Asst.

Art Director

Debra J. StrattonBirgitt SeymourLisa JunkerSally ZakariyaTeresa TobatJanelle Welch

Defense Communities magazine is designed to keep those who operate and manage the whole spectrum of military housing and facilities main-tenance informed on the industry’s latest technol-ogy, products, and services. It provides a forum for members to share lessons learned, news and events, and training opportunities and updates.

The Magazine of MiliTary housing, lodging & lifesTyles

DefensecommunitiesDefensecommunitiesMay | June 2011 u Volume 22, Number 3 u www.phma.com

ABOUT THE COVER Fort Hood Family Housing’s Boundless Playground offers an out-door play area for residents with spe-cial needs. For more, see page 12 of Defense Communities.

Please send your articles for Defense Communities to

Birgitt Seymour at phmadefensecommunities@earthlink.net.

NEXT EDITORIAL DEADLINES:September/October: June 30

November/December: September 2

DEPARTMENTS

4 President’s Messagen PHMA President Del Eulberg shares a mentor’s nine rules for leadership success.

6 Chapter Newsn The Cabrillo chapter is planning its 2012 annual cruise.

42 Military Marketplacen Check out this go-to resource to find compa-nies that provide products and services to the mili-tary housing and lodging industry.

44 Advertising Index

45 PHMA Corporate Sustaining Members

FEATURES 24 Warm Cookies and

Cold Milk A seasoned property manager goes back to the basics and offers her best advice for military hous-ing leaders. By Vicki Sharp, NALP, CAPS, CDPM

30 GSA Recognizes Evergreen Companies The U.S. General Services Administration honors Play Mart Inc. with a 2010 Evergreen Award.

32 A Culture of Responsiveness Surveys show that responding quickly and in a method residents prefer is key to increasing their satisfaction with the property management office. By Jen Piccotti

34 Re-establishing Home Base When disaster strikes, military housing professionals’ continuity of operations plans must include temporary housing and furniture rental services. By Peggy Moore

36 Ban the Bed Bugs Pest experts provide a resource guide for fighting back against and preventing bed bugs. By Jeffrey White and Calvin Allen

40 Built for Recovery The Warrior in Transition barracks at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, was built to help service members returning from fighting overseas ease into a new phase of military service or civilian life. By Amanda Fier

6 Defense COmmunities

Cabrillo Chapter Plans 12th Annual CruiseBy Joe N. Fitts

CHAPTER nEws

Continuing to travel the world by sea, the Cabrillo Chapter plans to trek to the Eastern Mediterranean in 2012, absent any unrest in the area. The pro-

posed itinerary calls for a fall 2012 departure to Italy sailing from Rome eastward with port calls at Ashdod and Haifa, Israel, plus Port Said and Alexandria, Egypt. Additional stops will be in Greece and Turkey. Highlights will include visits to Jerusalem and the Pyramids.

An alternate location would be Northern Europe along the North Sea and Baltic Sea during the summer, departing from the United States to the United Kingdom (London) or Copenhagen, sailing to ports of call at Stockholm, Sweden; Amsterdam, Holland; St. Petersburg, Russia; Hamburg, Germany; Helsinki, Finland; and Oslo, Norway.

At this time, exact details have not yet been finalized. Potential guests (PHMA members, family members, and friends) can anticipate a cruise of nine to 12 days

at a cost of $1,000 to $2,000 per person, not including air transportation from the United States to the initial country and city of departure and return. As in the past, optional side trips to other major cities in adjacent coun-tries will be included at an additional cost.

More information will be provided in the fall of 2011. In the meantime, the chapter’s annual cruise for 2011 to the Western Caribbean (Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama) set for October 22-30 is on track and in its final stages of planning, with limited space still available.

Interested persons should contact Joe Fitts at 760/845-7257 or 760/435-0701 or via email at joe.fitts@ sbcglobal.net. n

Joe N. Fitts is Housing Program Manager for Marine Corps Installation West at Camp Pendleton, California, Western Regional Director for PHMA, and President of the PHMA Cabrillo Chapter. Reach him at joe.fitts@sbcglobal.net.

Maximize your training dollars and travel resources when you take PVT 600/600A or PVT 600A/600B this Summer!Earn more CEUs and Certi� cations with these o� erings:

� CDPM™ Levels 1 & 2 — 8 days / 6.4 CEU� CDPM™ Levels 2 & 3 — 8 days / 6.4 CEU� CDPM™ Level 3 — 4.5 days / 3.6 CEU

Plus, our new Web site is jam-packed with many otherclass o� erings to earn PHMA Certi� cations this Summer. MHLI provides all the tools you need for success!

MHLI Provides New Certi� cation Opportunities this Summer

VISIONARY SOLUTIONS FOR GLOBAL COMMUNITIES

Maximize your training dollars and travel resources when you take PVT 600/600A or PVT 600A/600B this Summer!

class o� erings to earn PHMA Certi� cations this Summer.

Visit MHLI.ORG Today for New Training Opportunities!

12 Defense Communities

[Playgrounds and Recreation]SPEC IAL S ECTIO

N

Fort Hood Family Housing’s Boundless Playground provides accessible play environment for all

By Michelle Wallace

Strong Partnerships for Stronger Families

“Deep in the heart of Texas”: That well-known phrase could describe the partnerships that have brought much-needed resources and accessible play-

grounds to thousands of Fort Hood’s military families. Fort Hood Family Housing, the partnership between

the U.S. Army and developer Lend Lease, has fos-tered a climate of collaboration with the Fort Hood Army Community Service Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) to bring inclusive outdoor play areas for residents with special needs.

Fort Hood Family Housing’s newest outdoor play area, donated by the EFMP, is a certified Boundless Playground, offering parents and children of all abil-ity levels the opportunity to enjoy a completely acces-sible play environment. Centrally located near several neighborhoods, a community center, schools, and youth centers, this welcome addition makes the third accessible playground available to the Fort Hood community.

“With Fort Hood being the largest military installation and having more than 7,600 individuals enrolled in the EFMP program, having these playgrounds and a multi-tude of other recreational activities is a great thing,” said EFMP Manager Joan Boykin.

An Exceptional Family Member is a service member’s immediate family member (child or adult) with any physical, emotional, developmental, or intellectual dis-ability that requires special treatment, therapy, educa-tion, training, or counseling.

During a recent Boundless Playground groundbreak-ing event, Angelic Hatcher, a Fort Hood Family Housing resident and mother of an EFMP member, expressed her excitement for the new community feature. “I think this is awesome,” she said. “It will make a huge difference for my family.” Hatcher’s son Frankie has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. “This gives [my family] an opportunity to come out here and push him up so he can slide and play on the other equipment,” she added, “and [we] can have more fun together here on Fort Hood.”

Comprehensive fitness for soldiersSince 2008, Fort Hood Family Housing and Fort Hood’s EFMP have teamed up to provide accessible playgrounds for residents living on post. The first accessible play-ground is located in the Comanche III Village, one of Fort Hood Family Housing’s largest neighborhoods and home to 1,300 families. While not a Boundless-certified play-ground, this initial endeavor provided low-level activity

may | June 2011 13

on march 14, fort Hood family Housing celebrated the official

opening of four community gardens with a special celebration held at the Comanche iii Community Center. Located in the Comanche iii, montague, Chaffee, and Walker Villages, all the community gardens are designed for and run by resi-dents.

“Community gardens provide an opportunity to strengthen com-munity bonds, provide food, and create recreational and therapeutic opportunities for a community,” said michelle Wallace, fort Hood family Housing Communications manager. “an added benefit is that it can also promote environmental awareness and provide community education—an initiative that fort Hood family Housing and Lend Lease are more than happy to embrace.”

the actus Community fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, served as the primary sponsor for the gardens by providing a $10,000

donation, which was used to pur-chase building materials for all four community gardens.

“Without the support of our local community and the actus Community fund,” said Wallace, “this undertaking would not have been possible. this great project allows our residents to think of a healthier, alternative lifestyle as they nurture fruit and vegetables from seed to maturity.”

fort Hood Garrison Commander CoL mark freitag attended the event, along with fort Hood family Housing leadership, and spoke about the long-term aspirations of the commu-nity garden project.

“this community gardens project has been designed to deliver the mes-sage of sustainability and green stew-ardship for fort Hood family Housing residents,” said matt Wilbourn, fort Hood family Housing Development manager. “the Community Garden Club is encouraged to involve early teens and preteens within the com-

munities as a method of hands-on learning that teaches responsibility, ownership, and stewardship of the environment.”

fort Hood family Housing is lead-ing by example and has created its own community garden to ensure the long-term sustainability of the project. Located in the business and maintenance management complex, the garden will serve as a tool to educate residents on how they can have a successful community gar-den experience and encourage staff members to become a part of the process.

During the special grand opening event, several local organizations were also recognized for their con-tributions to the community garden project with a certificate of apprecia-tion from fort Hood family Housing.

Michelle Wallace is the Fort Hood Family Housing Communications Manager. Reach her at Michelle.Wallace@lendlease.com.

Gardens Strengthen Community TiesBy michelle Wallace

centers and slides for children who are unable to play in a traditional community playground setting.

In 2009, Fort Hood Family Housing donated a Boundless Playground to the Fort Hood Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Training Facility (formerly known as the Resiliency Campus). As the first such facility on a military installation, this facility operates to ensure wellness for its soldiers, families, and retirees. The campus is dedicated to integrating body, mind, and spirit and helps users reach individualized and measurable wellness goals through education and comprehensive programs.

The facility’s focus on the body includes a functional fitness center, Army One-Source Services, a wellness cen-ter, and a Warrior Adventure Quest program. The focus on the mind includes the Army Center for Enhanced Performance, which offers assistance in academic profi-ciency, energy management, and a mental skills founda-tion; and the personal finance assistance center, which offers assistance in financial planning and budgeting,

consumer affairs, and Army Emergency Relief. The focus on the spirit offers military family life counseling, which provides assistance with anxiety, aggression, loss, grief, reintegration issues, and stress reduction. A spiritual fit-ness center offers 24/7 counseling, battle mind classes, and a meditation area.

“The Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Training Facility is here to help our soldiers from a mental, physical, and spir-itual standpoint,” said Fort Hood Family Housing Project Director Mack Quinney. “The Boundless Playground is a part of that process, whether it is healing or physical activity. Soldiers have all the ingredients so our wounded warriors and parents can interact with their children both mentally and physically.”

In 2010, the EFMP and the Directorate of Public Works realized the need for an additional accessible playground within the Fort Hood Family Housing community. Located in the Chaffee Village community, this latest Boundless Playground was fully funded by the EFMP program and

14 Defense Communities

was installed by Fort Hood Family Housing, which will continue to care for its long-term maintenance and upkeep.

Inclusive playgrounds for familiesBoundless Playgrounds is a nationally branded non-profit developer of inclusive playgrounds where children

Children enjoy an afternoon of fun at the newly built Boundless Playground at Fort Hood’s Chaffee Village.

Jim

Har

riso

n

and adults of all ability levels can play and learn together in a fun and welcoming environment. The playgrounds eliminate barriers for children with all kinds of disabilities—physical, sensory, cognitive, and developmental—allowing children of all ages and abilities to gain the proven intellectual, physical, and social developmental benefits of unstructured play.

At Fort Hood, the Boundless Playground gives wheelchair-bound personnel and residents a sense of normalcy, since there are no physical boundaries as they play with their children. It creates inclusive play environments where children in mobility devices can pass each other, without having to wait for a turn or a clear path. Children can play together, side by side, in a free and independent way.

The playground provides positive experiences for children:

Developmental experience. Through play, children develop physical, sensory, and cognitive strengths, language skills, decision-making abilities, and social interaction strategies. The type and place-ment of equipment allow children to engage in inde-pendent self-directed study.

Experience with various activities. “Activity

Forest City Military Communities (FCMC) is proud to own, develop, and manage an impressive portfolio of high-quality mili-tary family housing communities across the country. Currently, the firm provides top-quality place-making for Navy, Marine, and Air Force families in more than 14,600 homes located in eight states: Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Washington.

FCMC provides a responsive, collaborative approach to helping military families feel right at home. The firm prides itself on offer-ing the full range of services needed for outstanding, long-term, privatized housing, including partnership management, develop-ment, construction management, historic preservation/rehabilita-tion, asset management, and ongoing, responsive community management.

FCMC neighborhoods feature attractive, thoughtfully designed and equipped, well-constructed homes, as well as well-planned ameni-ties, including community centers, playgrounds, fitness trails, picnic areas, and dog parks.

For more information, please visit the Forest City website at www.forestcity.net/properties/live/military_housing or contact Thomas Henneberry, FCMC President, 202/496-6600.

C O R P O R A T E S P O T L I G H T

1-800-FOR-COITCall or click today...

1-800-FOR-COIT1 - 8 0 0 - 3 6 7 - 2 6 4 8

For special offers:

NOT JUST CLEAN,COIT CLEAN

CHOOSE FROM THESE CLEANING SERVICES:• CARPET • ORIENTAL & AREA RUGS • UPHOLSTERY • AIR DUCTS

• DRAPERIES & WINDOW COVERINGS • TILE & GROUT • NATURAL STONE

Disaster Restoration • Water, Fire/Smoke, Mold24/7 Rapid Response

may | June 2011 15

transfers” are provided to allow children using mobil-ity devices to access play equipment, such as slides and tunnels, that would otherwise be inaccessible to them. Handrails or grab bars provide additional assistance.

Experience with height. With ramped wheelchair access to the highest platform center, no one has to leave behind support devices, such as walkers and wheelchairs. When children of all abilities experience height, they begin to develop a new perspective and understand their own place in the world.

A committed partnership In October 2007, the Army unveiled the Army Family Covenant, which institutionalizes the Army’s commit-ment to provide soldiers and their families—active, guard, and reserve—a quality of life commensurate with their level of service and sacrifice to the nation.

“There is a greater emphasis on providing playgrounds and other types of recreational activities for our kids,” said EFMP’s Boykin. “I think we are on the forefront of the thinking at the Department of the Army level to ensure that our families are also a part of that Army Family Covenant connection. The majority of our fami-lies are enjoying the playgrounds because those are the things they did not have before, so every step that we make going forward, we are a little bit closer to bringing real satisfaction to our families with special needs.”

“Fort Hood, in total, is a military community and Fort Hood Family Housing is a part of that community,” said Quinney. “Fort Hood and the Army are not only our clients, but also our neighbors. As good neighbors, Fort Hood Family Housing strives to do everything it can to provide a living, sustainable community environment.”

This statement exemplifies the importance of part-

nering at Fort Hood and demonstrates the attitude that together, we are stronger.

Since its inception, Fort Hood Family Housing has epitomized the importance of partnering. As the first installation to privatize housing under the Residential Communities Initiative, Fort Hood Family Housing has played a major role in the long-term continuation of that program, encompassing partnering in all aspects of operations.

“The strength of our great partnership is communica-tion,” said Fort Hood Housing Division Chief Michael Nix. “We have been successful in this endeavor because both the Army and Fort Hood Family Housing’s common goal is to provide the best housing for our military fami-lies. We have accomplished this by operating in unity and sharing the same vision.”

This partnering philosophy has yielded great success-es, among them the continued involvement of the Fort Hood Community Life Program in enforcing community standards, and the annual golf tournaments that benefit local nonprofit educational organizations.

“We will continue to look for opportunities with our Army organizations, such as the EFMP and the Directorate of Morale, Welfare, and Recreation,” said Quinney. “Teaming with our Army partner and local community is a great way for us to provide livable, out-door spaces that improve the quality of life for military members and their families.”

For more information on Boundless Playgrounds, visit www.boundlessplaygrounds.com. n

Michelle Wallace is the Communications Manager for Fort Hood Family Housing. Reach her at Michelle.Wallace@ lendlease.com.

Fort Hood Exceptional Family Member Manager Joan Boykin cuts the ceremonial ribbon as Fort Hood leadership, Fort Hood Family Housing, and exceptional families look on during the recent grand opening of Fort Hood’s newest Boundless Playground, located in Chaffee Village.

Mic

hel

le W

alla

ce

Company, Contact Phone Web Site Page

Balfour Beatty Communities, Kathy Grim 610/355-8206 www.bbcgrp.com 1

BedBug Central, Robert DiJoseph 877/411-1142 www.BedBugCentral.com 29

Belfor Property Restoration, Gina Dolezal 214/683-4242 www.belforusa.com 47

Coit Worldwide, Shawn Aghababian 800/367-2648 www.coit.com 14

GSA www.gsa.gov 17

HD Supply Facilities Maintenance 877/610-6912 www.hdsupplysolutions.com C2

Ista-North American, Bill Kirk 352/895-8839 www.eso-global.com 23

Kaba Multihousing & Institutional, LaShawnda Robinson 248/837-3700 www.kabamultihousing.com 37

Microfridge Inc., Benjamin Otte 508/660-9200 www.microfridge.com 7

MilitaryByOwner Advertising, Dave Gran 540/446-4676 www.MilitaryByOwner.com 20

Picerne Military Housing, Bill Mulvey 401/228-2800 www.picernemilitaryhousing.com C3

R.J. Thomas Manufacturing Co., Inc., Bob Simonsen 800/762-5002 www.pilotrock.com 35

Salsbury Industries, Ricardo Alva 323/846-6700 www.mailboxes.com 26

University Loft Company, James Jannetides 317/631-5433 www.universityloft.com C4

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Customer Service 800/644-8083 www.wellsfargo.com 28

Yardi, Spencer Stewart 800/866-1144 www.yardi.com 5

Zeager Bros., Inc., Bob Zeager 800/396-8524 www.zeager.com 38

A d v e r t i s i n g i n d e x