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8/7/2019 Perspectives Magazine Winter 2011
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/perspectives-magazine-winter-2011 1/32
8/7/2019 Perspectives Magazine Winter 2011
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/perspectives-magazine-winter-2011 2/32
8/7/2019 Perspectives Magazine Winter 2011
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/perspectives-magazine-winter-2011 3/32Spring 2011 P E R S P E C T I V E
8/7/2019 Perspectives Magazine Winter 2011
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/perspectives-magazine-winter-2011 4/32P E R S P E C T I V E S Spring 2011
Innovation is traditionally dened as
“inventing or introducing something
new.” But it can also be dened as “a
new way o doing something.”
In the rst case, innovation seems
to require immense amounts o eort:
discovering or developing a new idea
or product, creating the business case
to support it, nding the resources,
introducing a prototype, marketing surveys,
producing marketing materials, etc.…
It’s no wonder the ailure rate o start-up
companies is so high. Some experts put that
rate as high as 90% in the rst year. Te
most conservative estimate is 71% within
the rst ten years, and according to at least
one expert, “there is a good relationship
between innovation and ailure.”
Te second denition o innovation,
however, gives us room to innovate without
assuming risk or committing vast resources
o time and eort.
Te Family and MWR Command
certainly does create new programs and
activities. Operation Rising Star, when itwas rst introduced 5 years ago, was truly
innovative. We’d never done anything
like it. Tough one could argue we simply
used the second denition o innovation
by replicating the success o a popular
and established television show, the Army
Entertainment Division still had to ollow
the rules o entrepreneurship to establish
and eld the program.
Since its inception, however, Operation
Rising Stars has become a hotbed o
innovation. It was innovation that drove us
to revise how we managed the preliminary
rounds. Innovation had us seeking new
sponsors, and better prizes. Innovation wasthe root o the many stage changes over
the years, and innovation gave us to the set
we use today (which will almost certainly
be dierent in the years to come). It was
innovative when our events team moved
the voting online. Tis past season we
brought in celebrity perormers to increase
viewers… another ne innovation. And
we just added in important sponsor—
American Airlines—to reduce the cost o
bringing top-quality judges and celebrity
guests to the show.
In the case o Operation Rising Star,
it’s sae to say that Army Entertainment
Division has been innovative rom the very
beginning, and continues to be innovative
all the way through each production.
So maybe it’s time to apply a new
denition to the word:
Innovation <noun> [in-uh-vey-shun]
1. Good business management.
Every member o the FMWRC team,
rom the maintenance technician changing
light bulbs to directorate chies, should
consider themselves innovators.
When the maintenance tech realizes
he can replace bulbs in miles o walkways
with a lower wattage bulb and still meet the
saety requirements, he or she is innovating
and saving us thousands o dollars in long-
term energy costs.
When the administrative assistant
creates a basic template or script to keep
rom typing the same phrase 100 times in a
week, he or she is being innovative.When a program manager shakes the
hand o a local businessman and begins a
partnership that provides better service or
our Soldiers and Families, it’s an innovative
thought that started that process.
From Fort Hood’s Survivor Outreach
Services or USAG Hawaii’s Arts and
Crats Center, to tness programs in
Europe, you will see innovation illustrated
on the pages o this magazine, along with
nearly a dozen compelling examples o how
Overcoming Today’s Tough Challenges
P E R S P E C T I V E S Spring 2011
By MG Reuben D. Jones
Commander, FMWRC
INNOVATION
Operation Rising Star has beena hot bed of innovation since itsinception.
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to take a “typical” Family and MWR activity and make it spectacular.
In some cases, partnerships and sponsors made innovation possible; in others it was the
dedication, drive and hard work o our employees or supportive managers and leaders who
worked to oster innovation in their ranks. In all cases, it was an improvement on an existing
program, not a new program or service, which made a dierence in the lives o our Soldiers
and Families.
We don’t need a think-tank to be innovative or tell us how to improve our business
models or practices. All we need are the employees we already have, and the mindset that
innovation is not scary—it’s as simple as saying “I have an idea,” and then acting on it.
Te articles in this magazine should inspire you to take your “great ideas” and make them
a reality or your customers. I encourage you to seek out innovative MWR programs rom
around the world and duplicate them within your local communities.
Our customers make great sacrices in the service o our Nation, and we owe them the
very best. I am counting on each o you to seek out new, innovative approaches in everything
we do to ensure we continue to ulll our commitment to provide the best, most aordable
Army MWR programs possible.
Your customers, your command, your Army and our Nation will thank you or it!
“Every member o the FMWRC team,
rom the maintenancetechnician changing
light bulbs todirectorate chies,should consider
themselvesinnovators.”
Spring 2011 P E R S P E C T I V E
Warrior Zones demonstrate how FMWRC is changing ourdelivery of service to meet our Soldiers’ needs... p. 19
Often innovation involves incorporating new technology in our existing programs... p. 25
Innovation is as simple as changing a lightbulb... p. 10
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In October, the Army’s General
Library Inormation System switched
to new sotware. Now registered users
worldwide, including those who are
deployed, can borrow a book via GLIS.
Currently 67 o the Army MWR
Libraries have migrated to the new system.
By the end o 2012, all o the Army’s 85
main and branch libraries will be operating
under the new system.
Te GLIS sotware empowers users to
write reviews, rate books, request titles, and
renew materials. Registered
GLIS users are able to
search their library’s catalog,
view their account, search
across many data sources or
inormation, ask a librarian
or help locating inormation,
download audio books to
iPods and MP3 Players, and
read magazines and ebooks—all
online.
Te GLIS catalog also
includes enhanced library catalog
inormation — to include images
o book covers, book reviews,
tables o contents and best-seller
lists. With GLIS, deployed
Soldiers have many o the same
library and inormation services
they would have through their
installation library.For the FMWRC Library
Program, the challenge is to provide
easily-accessible and user-riendly
services, given the logistics o ever-
Instant Access to Army Libraries NowJust a Mouse Click Away
Deployed Soldiers wanting to borrow books should contact Steve Brown, Acquisitions andContingency Support Librarian, at [email protected] or more inormation.For other GLIS questions, email [email protected] or [email protected].
By Carla Pomager, FMWRC Library Program & Rob McIlvaine, FMWRC Public Aairs
moving populations, the complexity o
worldwide locations and multiple languages,
and wartime security considerations.
“We made the decision to use the
military ID card as a library card and to
use email to communicate, so that Soldiers
are able to use any MWR library, whether
deployed, on DY, or stationed in a remote
location,” FMWRC Librarian Carla
Pomager said.“Soldiers still need to contact us to
modiy their accounts or deployed service,
but then the power is in their own hands.
Te ability to do research on their own
and privately request materials is a great
innovation,” according to Germany’s Web
and Systems Librarian Amy Drayer.
Soon, library users will also be able
to search their library’s catalog and place
P E R S P E C T I V E S Spring 2011
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requests through their smart phones.
But GLIS is not only a catalog o materials available within the libraries. It also links
to more than 13,000 ull text magazines, ebooks, college guides, and career inormation
resources.
Tese resources include practice tests or college entrance exams, practice tests or
entrance into the armed services, automotive repair manuals, and products geared to school
curriculums.
“Soldiers, their Families and the Civilians that support them all need to eel like they are
not isolated or in a completely dierent environment,” Drayer said.
“We provide as many dierent services as we can, to bring a sense o home to them.While our mission is to support the troops, we nd we oten support them by providing a
‘normal’ atmosphere or their Families,” she continued.
Jackie Staord, FMWR librarian in Korea, believes that the standardization o the new
system brings an added benet.
“Familiarity o any kind is helpul when traveling to a new location. I a Soldier leaves
a base where Millennium is used, he or she can eel assured about knowing how to use the
same library system at the new assignment,” Staord said.
Another distinct advantage to the new system is the transportability o the books
themselves.
Resource materials checked out rom the Yongsan library in Seoul can be returned to Fort
Belvoir in Virginia. A Soldier, about to be deployed to Iraq rom the Patrick Henry Village
installation in Heidelberg, can set up an account so that a book can be requested throughGLIS, shipped downrange to the deployed location, and returned to the loaning library.
Materials destined or Aghanistan or Iraq usually are transerred rom an FMWR library
in Europe through the Army Postal Service at no cost to the Soldier.
So, or a Soldier or Civilian stationed in the Mizan District in Zabul Province,
Aghanistan, his battle to gain knowledge or simply escape the rigors o combat or a ew
hours o rest and relaxation with a good book just got simpler.
To learn whether or not your installation library is already part o the
GLIS system, visit: http://mylibraryus.mwr.net/
MG Reuben D. Jones, Commander, FMWRC, visits the Baumholder library, where he called up a document
and conducted a sel release print o his inormation. Sel release printing is just one o the numerous
additions to the recently relocated Baumholder library.
Photo by Ignacio “Iggy” Rubalcava
Spring 2011 P E R S P E C T I V E
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Network Improves Access
to Services, SupportBy Karla A. Seijas,
FMWRC Public Aairs
he Joint Service Family Support
Network, created by the Installation
Management Command’s Paciic Region
Army Community Service sta, is a multi-
agency network o military and civilian
Family support providers that all service
members can access, regardless o branch o
service or duty location in the Paciic.
hanks to the network, Families now
receive Family support services either on
the closest military installation or in the
surrounding community. I a required
service or support program isn’t available
within a reasonable distance, community
support agencies partner with the network to step in and ill the service gap. he end
result is a complete spectrum o support
services or Families that is not
service-speciic.
he network started in
Hawaii, and has since
expanded across the
Paciic to include
Alaska North,
Alaska South,
Okinawa,
Camp Zama,Guam, America
Samoa and
other small
islands in the
Paciic.
“Our service members deserve a quality
o lie commensurate with their service,”
said FMWRC Commander, MG Reuben
D. Jones. “his makes access to servicessupporting quality o lie easier in the
Paciic Region.”
he network is supported by members
o each military branch and civilian
support agencies.
Participants in
the network
seek to work
together
and make
things easier or everyone, while solving
obstacles that arise or service members and
their Families.
One recent success involved servicemembers stationed in Japan who had
diiculty with scheduling appointments or
their children to obtain U.S. passports. he
network has a relationship with the U.S.
Embassy, so they scheduled a day where
service members and their Families had ull
access to consular
services.
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Community Support Coordinators
also identiy local resources that are
not available on installations and invite
them to participate in the network. he
Community Support Coordinators are
located throughout the Paciic Region in
all Army Community Service Centers and
Army Reserve Centers, including American
Samoa and Guam.
he network has an advisory council
and regular network meetings. he advisory
councils are comprised o Family program
employees and representatives rom
community agencies which have signed
partnership agreements with the network.
he council makes site visits to speciic
communities that Community Support
Coordinators have identiied as having gaps
in service or military Families, and seeks
out ways to ill those service gaps.
Network meetings are structured toencourage representatives to intermingle
and share inormation about services and
programs provided, oer networking
opportunities and introduce new partners.
he partnerships then enable Army
Community Service sta members to
directly reer individuals to services outside
their installations, providing aster solutions
and creating a direct link to the local
community where the service member and
their Families reside.
“hese partnerships establish the
system o support visualized upon initial
implementation o the pilot program in
2005,” according to Debbie Wheeler, the
IMCOM Paciic Program Manager.
“Community SupportCoordinators identifylocal resources that arenot available on theinstallations and invitethem to participate inthe network...
...the partnerships thenenable Army CommunityService staff members todirectly refer individualsto services outside theirinstallations.”
During the network meetings,
individuals work together and discuss
dierent topics impacting service members
and their Families, Wheeler explained.
Since the majority o problems are not
military branch speciic or service member
speciic, collaboration can easily provide a
solution.
One example o how the network
meetings are having an impact, according
to Wheeler, took place when “he Big
Brothers Big Sisters o Honolulu Program
Director attended a network meeting
hoping to recruit service members as BBBS
volunteers.”
“A discussion point during the meeting
was how children are being aected by
deployments,” Wheeler said. “he BBBS
Program Director let the meeting and
pursued grant unding or a new program
speciically aimed to support children witha deployed parent.”
Collaboration with outside agencies
such as BBBS make it possible or the Joint
Service Family Support Network to provide
a better quality o lie or service members,
regardless o where the they live or serve.
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In August o 2010, 150 individuals
were selected Army-wide rom
Army Community Service to attend
a nine-day training session to
become Master Resilience rainers. Upon
completion o the training, these individuals
became responsible or perormingresilience training or Family members at
their respective installations.
Tis builds on the Comprehensive
Soldier Fitness Program Master Resilience
raining, begun in October 2008, which
assists Soldiers and Families in maximizing
their potential physical, emotional,
social, Family and spiritual well-being.
Comprehensive Soldier Fitness is being
taught Army-wide to Soldiers, Family
members and Department o the Army
Civilians.
“Tis marks a new era or the Army
Family, by comprehensively equipping and
training our Soldiers, Family members,
and Army Civilians to maximize their
potential and ace the physical and
psychological challenges o sustainedoperations,” according to a Fort Hood
ocials describing this program. “We
are committed to a true prevention
model, aimed at the entire orce, which
will enhance resilience and coping skills,
enabling them to grow and thrive in today’s
Army.”
Each installation’s Army Community
Service program educates Soldiers, Family
members and Civilians based on the
Comprehensive Soldier Fitness model,
though the program name and topics may
vary at each location. Each installation’s
Army Community Service creates the
curriculum they deem appropriate or their
installation.
For example, Fort Hood has a Family
Resilience Academy with sessionsconducted once a week or ve weeks.
Each session ocuses on dierent subjects,
such as avoiding thinking traps, energy
management, real-time resilience, use
o strengths in challenges, assertive
communications, and constructive
responding and praise.
Elke Phillips, a Family Readiness
Support Assistant at Fort Hood, recently
participated in the Family Resilience
Academy.
Spouse Resiliency AcademyBrings Comprehensive Soldier Fitness to Families
Patricia Verschage, an academy attendee, raises her hand to
answer a question asked by COL Kevin Brown, Fort Riley Garrison
Commander, during a our-day Resilient Spouse Academy at Fort
Riley, Kan. During the week, participants learned how to look or
warning signs o Soldiers under stress.
Photo by Katherine Rosario, Fort Riley Public Affairs.
By Karla A. Seijas, FMWRC Public Aairs
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“In a way it was an eye opener on how I
look at my actions and reactions,” Phillips
said. “My avorite is ‘Hunt the Good
Stu ’…it doesn’t always have to be ‘me, me
me’ but can also be the infuence that I can
make on somebody else’s situation.”
According to Stephanie Mello, a
Mobilization and Deployment Specialist at
Fort Hood’s Army Community Service, the
program has been lie changing or her.
“I went to this training to learn what it
could oer to Soldiers and Families. What
I came away with was a greater knowledge
o mysel, my strengths, my weaknesses
and how to use my new skills to make me
stronger and more durable,” Mello said. “It
has been a lie changing experience, not just
or me, but or my Family and those I come
in contact with daily.”
Another solid installation model is
Fort Riley’s Resilient Spouse Academy.
According to their Academy ocials,
“Resilience starts at home and in a
networked community that cares – the
Resilient Spouse Academy is strengthening
that network.”
Te oundation o the program is to
create a network o well trained spouses
who eel better prepared and motivated
to truly make a dierence in the lives o
individual Soldiers and their Families.
Teir program includes a series o seven-
hour, ve-day classes. Tere are several
lessons taught each day, including suicide
intervention, domestic violence, child abuse
and substance abuse prevention, survivor
support, nancial assistance and wealth
building.
As o December, 2010, 54 Fort Riley
spouses have been trained. Te goal was to
train 100 spouses by mid-January 2011.
Fort Riley Army Community Service
is ocusing on giving Family members the
necessary tools and resources or them
to intervene in a variety o situations and
guide others. Te program builds Family
members’ resilience, enabling them to help
their Solders and their communities.
Most ACS programs currently oer
daytime courses but are working to register
interested individuals in evening programs,
enabling them to reach a larger audience.
To learn more about
Comprehensive Soldier Fitness visit
www.army.mil/cs.
Dee Thurman, wie o
GEN James D. Thurman,
commander o U.S.
Army Forces Command,
discusses the Fort Riley
school system with a
spouse at the Resilient
Spouse Academy on Fort
Riley, Kan.
Photo by:
Katherine Rosario,
Fort Riley Public Affairs
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In accordance with the U.S. Army’s 25-year Energy and Water Plan or Installations, ocials at Shades o Green, the
Armed Forces Recreation Center on Walt Disney World Resort, have taken an ambitious approach to conserving energy with a ocus on the bottom line.
“We all like a challenge, and energy is a good one,” Shades o Green General Manager Brian Japak said. “We are trying
to reduce our energy usage by 30 percent annually, and energy here is about a million dollars a month, with 80 percent o that
being electricity.”
Te Army Energy and Water Campaign Plan or Installations was designed to help the Army provide sae, secure, reliable,
environmentally compliant and cost-eective energy and water services to Soldiers, Families, Civilians, and contractors on Army
installations.
Developed in 2005, the campaign plan implements the Army Energy Strategy or Installations and sets orth the Army’s
25-year energy goals through 2030. Te Campaign Plan defnes actions and the short, mid, and long-term methods, tools,
technologies, and projects required to ensure the Army successully achieves long-range energy and water goals and arrives at a
more secure energy dependent uture.
The Shades of Green is Getting Greener
By im Hipps, FMWRC Public Aairs
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Te Energy Strategy sets the general
direction or the Army with ve major
initiatives supported by specic objectives:
• Eliminate energy waste in existing
acilities: Reduce and eliminate energy
ineciencies that waste natural and nancial
resources, and do so in a manner that does
not adversely impact mission or the comort
and quality o the acilities in which Soldiers,Families, Civilians, and contractors work and
live.
• Increase energy eciency in new
construction and renovations: Increase the
use o energy technologies that provide the
greatest cost-eectiveness, energy eciency,
and environmental sustainability.
• Reduce dependence on fossil fuels:
Increase the use o clean, renewable energy
and improve eciency o existing energy
systems to reduce dependency on ossil uels
and to optimize environmental sustainability.• Conserve water resources: Reduce water
use to conserve water resources or drinking
and domestic purposes.
• Improve energy security: Provide for the
security and reliability o energy and water
systems in order to provide dependable utility
services.
It did not take long or Shades o Green
ocials to nd ways to save.
“We started o by looking at what stays
on 24 hours per day,” Japak explained. “We
ound garage lights that were on 24 hours a
day, stairwell lamps that were on 24 hours
a day, ventilation ans in the guest laundry
that stayed on 24 hours a day, and stu like
that.”
Daylight sensors were installed to
conserve electricity in the parking garage.
“For the exhaust ans in the garage, weput carbon monoxide sensors up so i they
sense carbon monoxide, they turn on,” Japak
said. “I there are no cars running, they turn
o.
“On weekends, the administrative oces
are closed, so we raise the set points and let
the temperature creep up,” Japak said. “For
every degree here in Florida that we raise
the temperature, it’s a three percent savings
or the hotel.”
Lighting is an important element o the
ambiance at Shades o Green, but it wasanother acet to consider when cost-cutting.
Te hotel is in the process o converting to
fuorescent and LED lights.
“I you look at our total electric bill,
50 percent is HVAC, which is heating,
ventilation and air conditioning,” Japak said.
“Tirty percent is lighting. wenty percent
is other, which includes kitchen, computers
and the miscellaneous stu.”
“Lighting is important. Ambiance is very
important, but there were areas that were
over-lit,” added Japak.
Another goal is to get maximum lie out
o light bulbs.
“We started looking at how oten we
change light bulbs and thought o maybe
doing it just once a year to save on the
labor,” Japak said. “But then we ound out
that we had 167 dierent light bulb typesin the hotel. Currently, we’re down to 100
dierent light bulb types. Our goal is 30
dierent light bulb types.”
Based on adjusted average temperatures,
Shades o Green saved 150,000 kilowatts in
September 2010 and 127,000 kilowatts in
October.
“Even though these are not mind-
boggling eorts, they do save money and
energy,” Japak said. “It’s interesting that ten
years ago Shades o Green did an Energy
Savings Perormance Contract and it justrecently ended. Tat put requency drives
on our chiller plant and we re-lamped the
whole hotel to go with electronic ballasts.”
Te Florida Department o
Environmental Protection recently
designated Shades o Green as a Florida
Green Lodge.
“So we’ve been green or a long time,”
Japak said. “Tis is just a continuation o
those eorts.”
Lighting is an important element o the ambience
at Shades o Green, including the path lighting on
the grounds.
Photo courtesy of US Army
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W arrior Zones are the Army’s newest Family and Morale, Welare and
Recreation opportunity or Soldiers to get out o the barracks and enjoy
high-tech entertainment in a sports bar setting without having to leave
their installation.
Computer gaming is the main attraction at Warrior Zone recreation centers, where troops
also gather to watch sporting events on large, high-denition, fat-screen televisions while
eating and mingling.
Recognizing the value o these acilities and with a cost-conscience business model in
mind, Europe Region ocials improvised by standing up interim acilities and renovating
existing buildings.
Trough a bulk buy acquisition process, they purchased the televisions, gaming systems,
home theater units, computers and urniture to standardize Warrior Zone acilities
throughout the region. As time and unds permit, new structures will continue to be built
and the equipment and urnishings moved.
“Te Warrior Zone is kind o like a recreation center gone high-tech,” said Kris
D’Alessandro, Director o MWR at Fort A.P. Hill, Va. D’Alessandro helped develop the
concept while working in the Family and MWR Command Headquarters, prior to taking
the position at A.P. Hill. “Te main ocus is all the technology. Te concept is or the gaming
to be the main purpose.”
Innovation, Cost-conscious BusinessModel, Drive Warrior Zone Operations
WiFi and high-speed Internet access,
alone, is enough to get trac headed to the
technology-driven activities centers. oss in
a ew video arcades with console, handheld,
online, personal computer and audio games
and Warrior Zones can get busy in a hurry.
Warrior Zone success came quickly in
Europe, where 13 vacant buildings were
retrotted into the high-tech recreation
centers.
“Some used old rec centers and some
used old clubs,” D’Alesandro said. “Te
basic needs are the computers, the gaming
consoles, the theatre, the e-mail computers,
and the building should be WiFi, a sports
lounge – complete with fat-screen Vs or
viewing sports – and a bar that serves drat
beer and wine.
“Some o them might have a Better
By im Hipps
FMWRC Public Aairs
Single Soldiers compete in the
“Madden 10” X-Box tournament
as part o the grand opening
activities or the garrison’s new
Warrior Zone at the Java Caé on
Rhine Ordnance Barracks.
Photo by Christine June,
USAG Kaiserslautern
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Fort Lewis, Wash., and Fort Riley, Kan.,
are both building Warrior Zones – hal
o which are being retrotted. Tree more
Warrior Zones are planned or Fort Hood,exas, with others coming soon to Fort
Bliss, exas, and Fort Sill, Okla.
“It’s a dierent situation in Europe,
where they could leave post but there’s
nothing like it o post,” D’Alessandro
said. “Here, they could leave post and
go to similar places, but they also might
have these things at home, so it is a little
dierent situation.
“But Europe did jump on the
bandwagon to establish Warrior Zones
really quickly, so it is kind o a eather intheir cap and they should be commended
or that.”
From action, adventure and role playing
to simulation, sports and tournament game
strategy, Warrior Zones oer state-o-the-
art platorms or gaming acionados such as
Xbox, PlayStation and Wii.
Some o the games include: Call o
Duty, Army o wo, World o Warcrat,
America’s Army and Street Fighter, to
name just a ew.
“Tis is keeping up with the 18-to-
25 age-group o the computer age, o everything that they’ve been growing up
on, because that’s the thing they mostly are
interested in,” D’Alessandro said.
Warrior Zones usually eature audio and
lighting or entertainment and sporting
events, along with meeting spaces or
social activities. raditional games also
are available, such as billiards, chess, darts,
poker, table tennis and air hockey on a
space-available basis.
Keeping everything under one roo and
within walking distance o the barrackshas also proved important in attracting
customers and their guests.
“o have all that located in one acility
is really special,” D’Alessandro said. “Ater
talking with the olks at Forts Lewis and
Riley, Soldiers love the Warrior Zone. It’s
standing-room-only some nights – they ’re
really packed with Soldiers – so you can see
there was a need or it.”
Opportunities or Single Soldiers oce, an
area outside or a picnic pavilion, billiards,
table tennis and air hockey – i they have
the room. But the big things are thegaming, the computers and the theatre – all
the technology stu.”
Te original guidance rom the Oce
o the Secretary o Deense called or the
creation o a “Service Member echno-
Activity Center,” which quickly evolved into
the “Warrior Zone” on the Army side o the
house.
In Germany, Army installations have
Warrior Zones in Ansbach, Bamberg,
Baumholder, Graenwoehr, Heidelberg,
Hohenels, Kaiserslautern, Mannheim,
Schweinurt and Weisbaden. Tere are two
more in Italy, at Livorno and Vicenza.
Camp Zama, Japan, has a Warrior Zone,
and there are three in Alaska – on Forts
Greeley, Richardson and Wainwright.
In the continental United States
utilizing empty, existing buildings poses
a challenge, as there just aren’t as many
available as ound overseas.
Seen here is the Warrior Zone caé at Fort Riley, Kan., which is also the propose
design or one on Ledward Barracks in Schweinurt, Germany. The new center,
known as the SPC Ross A. McGinnis Warrior Zone, will also include a kitchen, a
lounge, at screen TV’s, pool tables and several gaming stations, among other
amenities aimed at taking the edge o o the rigors o lie in the Army.
Photo courtesy of Fort Riley
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By im Hipps
FMWRC Public Aairs
I
t takes craty Army MWR Arts
and Crats Center managers to
keep their shops rom being the
best-kept secrets on post.
oo oten the acilities, some o which are among the best in the world,
get lost in the hustle and bustle o
daily military lie. I only more olks
knew how much was oered within the
buildings and the creative types who
shine inside.
Programs are plentiul. Classes are
available. Instructors are world-
class. Materials are provided. I not,
they are a ordably sold on site. Yet,
while many Army Arts and Crats
Centers thrive, others strive to remain
relevant, particularly with the younger
generations o Soldiers, Civilians and
Family members who grew up in ront
o a computer or television instead o in the back yard, tinkering with their
bike or creating castles in a sandbox.
“We’ve been very sly in our methods
o growing rom two little rooms,”
said David Haywood, who runs
the 10,000-square-oot Army Arts
& Crats Center in Schweinurt,
Germany, “and most o our space is
used, wall-to-wall.”
he shop is home to 3,000 ceramic
molds and a dozen potter’s wheels
– a place where Soldiers and their
Families can unwind by crating with
silk, stained gla ss, leather, quilts,
scrapbooks, textiles, baskets or even
venture into one o the ew remainingblack-and-white darkrooms in the
world o Army Arts and Crats.
“I you have a ull program like we
oer, it’s better than anything they can
ind outside the gate,” said Haywood,
a 30-year veteran o Army Arts and
Crats who has worked shops in
Giessen, Germany, Forts Myer a nd
Eustis in Virginia, Italy and Camp
Zama, Japan. “Getting the word out is
the hardest part.”
must cratily lure artistsArmy MWR Arts and Crats managers
Soldiers work in a Mosaics
class at the Arts and Crats
Center on Schofeld Barracks,
Hawaii.
Photo by Donna Van Winkle
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Donna Van Winkle, a 29-year veteran at the Warren
Skills Development Center at Schoield Barracks, Hawaii,
realizes that arts and crats aicionados must adapt to
survive.
“In this day and age, it’s a dierent generation,” she said.
“When I irst started, our arts and crats center was packed
with people, but o course we didn’t charge any ees, not
even or classes, and all they had to buy was supplies.Funding was abundant and everybody was happy.
“But now, it’s a totally dierent generation –
digital and electronic. I think we do have to reach out
to parents. So we’ve been partnering with the School
o Knowledge, Inspiration, Exploration and Skills
program with Child, Youth and School Services and
we have art classes with them. hey advertise or us
and the parents are happy to pay or their kids to take
these art classes.
“We’ve discovered that partnering with SKIES and
taking our instructor and our supplies to them is
working out wonderully,” Van Winkle elaborated.Partnering with as many MWR programs as
possible is essential, according to Van Winkle.
“he main thing is to partner with everyone on
post and be present at all o the MWR events,” Van
Winkle said. “We were a very large part o our great
Fourth o July event, where we contracted 35 vendors
and set up a separate Crat Fair in conjunction with
the Fourth o July celebration.”
Long beore the digital era, Van Winkle’s shop
aced a signiicant challenge.
“Being in the recreation business on post in Hawaii,
our largest competitor is Hawaii itsel – the beachesand Waikiki,” she explained. “I I was a Soldier, yeah, maybe
I would come and take some classes. But on a Saturday ‘Do I
want to go to pottery or do I want to go to Waikiki?’ It’s that
kind o thing, so the environment deinitely impacts your
participation.
“We do get those customers who are interested in
ceramics and digital photography, but unortunately I
think we are in a world o computers and electronics and
texting and people just don’t have the time to sit still,” Van
Winkle added. “We all are worried that arts and crats is an
endangered species in MWR.”
At Redstone Arsenal, Ala., Lori Connors markets her
Arts and Crats acility at the installation’s annual
Oktoberest by selling mugs and -shirts and by setting up a
display at the Monte Sano Art Show in Huntsville.
“Our demographic is really unique,” said Connors,
echoing the sentiment o many Army MWR Arts and Crats
Directors around the world. “We don’t have as many enlisted
Soldiers, in act, hardly any. We have a lot o military retirees
and we also share property with NASA, so we have a lot
o engineer-contracting type people. We also extend out
into the community because just about everybody in the
community is related to somebody who works on post.
“he city is just built around the arsenal here. … we’re
like Pentagon South, a lot o generals and retired military,
turned contractors,” she said.
Connors’ shop oers classes in woodworking certiication
turning, Adirondack chairs, tool sharpening, digital
photography, elements o Adobe Photoshop, raming basics
and polymer clay, among others. he Redstone Arsenal
MWR Arts and Crats Center is ortunate to have a sta
o 12, whereas many o its sister acilities around the world
would be orced to curtail hours without volunteers.
Connors and ellow MWR Arts and Crats managers
Barbara Newberry o Fort Hood, exas, Suk Hyon Yi o
Korea, Joanne Langseth o Fort Wainwright, Alaska, erry
Buckley o Fort Drum, N.Y., and Michelle Sterkowicz
o Vicenza, Italy, attended the 2010 Crats and Hobby
Association Conerence in Chicago, where FMWRC
program analyst Jean Neal oered these suggestions:
• Partner with other MWR or related organizations or
programs, events and exhibiting opportunities;
• Maintain ongoing contact with your existing customers;
Soldiers and Family members create centerpieces or their battalion’s annual ball at
the Army MWR Arts and Crats Center on Fort Drum, N.Y.
Courtesy photo
“We’ve discovered that partnering with SKIES and
taking our instructor and our supplies to them is
working out wonderully.”
Donna Van Winkle, Schoeld Barracks, Hawaii
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• Provide quality service; requently taking the opportunity
to view your acility through the ‘customers’ eyes;”• Use social media, such as Facebook, witter, Flickr and
Youube to spread the word about your acility;
• Create awareness and understanding o how your program
supports the Army Family Covenant, the Army Campaign
Plan, the ARFORGEN Cycle, along with helping to reduce
stress and develop individual resiliency; and
• Create awareness, understanding and promotion o “Art as
herapy.”
Langseth initiated brainstorming sessions resulting in
“ArtSanity,” a Yahoo! users group speciical ly or Ar my
MWR Arts & Crats managers and program directors that is
beneicial or communicating ideas and inormation betweenregions and acilities.
Sterkowicz, who is enrolled in an art therapy masters
program in Italy, stressed that crating can be beneicial to
Soldiers suering rom PSD.
“As arts and crats managers, we are not therapists, but we
can use art as therapy,” said Sterkowicz,
who explained how crating can be
linked with the Comprehensive Soldier
Fitness Programs and Wounded Warrior
Care.
Newberry has been busy working
with the EDGE program at Fort Drum.
“We put together a year’s worth o lesson plans by a sta member who just
happened to have a masters degree in
art, loved to teach children and by just
looking at a student could keep order in
the chaos,” she said.
“he kids loved to come and create
with ‘Miss Helena’. Some o the many
projects they have done include: ice
loating; multi colored, votive, and pillar
candles; soap to include plain, colored,
multi-colored, botanical/grit and
scented; puppets; birdhouses; jewelry;no-sew baskets; pottery to include hand
building, coil slab rolling using leaves
rom trees to cut shapes; cookie cutter
un with clay; beads rom clay; kites to
include sewing rom rip-stop nylon to a
precut kit that was painted or design; a
photo class and more.
“hese classes were two, one-hour
sessions per week or a month. hey
have been highly successul in a time
slot when we are usually not busy – a
win-win or all.”
Newberry also partnered with the Red Cross and Medical
and Dental Activity to provide classes or Soldiers with
raumatic Brain Injuries and Warrior ransition Units.
“Our BI Soldiers come in twice a week or about two or
three hours to pour ceramics and paint,” she said. “he idea
is to give them a simple process to remember, be creative
and relax. he painting process is where the real creativity
comes in. Many o the Soldiers ind it relaxing just to clean
the green-ware. Most o them will bring their Family in to
use the acility once they are comortable with the process o
creating unique ceramic pieces.“We do pretty much the same process with the Warrior
ransition Unit Soldiers, although they help us with
dierent jobs within the acility such maintaining the wood
shop or pouring ceramics and pottery items. Providing these
Soldiers with something constructive and skill-building,
helps keep them in a better rame o
mind.”
For more inormation about Army Artsand Crats, visit www.ArmyMWR.com.
HOW TO: MAKE YOUR ARTS ANDCRAFTS CENTER RE LEVANT ANDPROFITABLEDonna Van Winkle, a 30-year veteran o Army MWR Arts and Crats on Schofeld
Barracks, Hawaii, oers these suggestions to MWR Arts and Crats shop managers:
• Contract a portion o your acility to a “name” business, such as Kinko’s or
Michaels. I contacted a locally owned crat supply and a picture raming
business and oered them an opportunity to open satellite stores in our
acility.
• Keep your program continually ront and center on electronic marquees, in
the local MWR magazine and command inormation newspaper.
• Schofeld Barracks holds a weekly newcomers’ meeting that is mandatory or
all new Soldiers. MWR Marketing uses this as a orum to showcase all
programs and acilities.
• Partner with other MWR programs and events: We have been teaching a year-
round children’s art class since we began partnering with our SKIES program,
which ormerly contracted art instructors. Now we keep the money in-house.
We also provide all trophies or the intramural sports programs and areworking to incorporate trophies or all CYSS sports teams.
• Make programs available to Family Readiness Groups and incorporate their
meetings within a crating class.
• Partner with the Warrior Transition Battalions – we have been very ortunate to
have dedicated and caring instructors who do not hesitate to go the extra
mile to work with our Soldiers and help them in fnding calmness in creativity.
In today’s digital era, Arts and Crats Centers must ind new ways to be
relevant to the local populations. Partnering with CYSS, Wounded Warrior
programs, and even local businesses can ensure your garrison’s center
remains viable.
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New Moms Use Strollers orFitness, Education and Inspiration
By Rob McIlvaine
FMWRC Public Aairs
Stroller Fitness is the hottest orm o Family tness at USAG
Schinnen. Parents bring their children and strollers every
uesday to the class at Schinnen’s Community Activity
Center and participate in a workout conducted by Marcy
Bitner, an American Council on Exercise Certied Personal rainer,
as well as an American Council on Exercise Certied Group Fitness
instructor.“I’m happy to volunteer my time or this class because the
women are so appreciative o having a class such as this oered. o
see the smiles on the aces o the moms and their children is all the
reward I need,” Bitner said.
First oered in November, 2009 by the installation’s New Parent
Support Program, the cost-ree, hour-long class has grown to about
30 moms and their kids.
As the only New Parent Support Program in the ri-Border
region o the Netherlands and Germany, it serves both Army and
Air Force Families assigned to U.S. and NAO installations on both
sides o the German-Dutch border.
Program Manager Sarah Classen, a registered nurse, also teaches
several labor and delivery classes throughout the year and oers
home visits to help with everything rom breast eeding to inant
care.
“Te NPSP is designed to prevent Family maltreatment and child
abuse,” Classen said.
“With this goal in mind, the Stroller Fitness Program wascreated as a means o primary prevention. Tis encourages parents to
get out o the house, talk with each other about personal issues, and
exercise,” Classen said. “At the same time, the children are learning
about the importance o tness and are included in the class through
the use o nursery rhymes, songs and counting.”
Bitner is sympathetic to the needs o new moms… having “been
there” hersel when her children were inants.
“When my kids were younger and my husband was deployed, I
spent many days pushing them or about ve miles a day in the jog
stroller, while continuing to teach tness classes. Some o those runs
on my own were hard,” Bitner said.
“Tis encourages parents to get out o the house, talk with each othe
about personal issues, and exercise. At the same time, the children a
learning about the importance o ftness and are included in the cla
through the use o nursery rhymes, songs and counting.”
Sarah Classen, New Parent Support Program manager
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“When we moved to the Netherlands I had a hard time nding
a place to teach or work as a personal trainer in the community.
With both o my children in school now, I talked with Sarah about
oering a class here and she was really receptive to the idea,” she
said.
Te class allows moms to exercise without having to worry aboutchild care. Te kids, in their strollers, are actually part o the
exercises.
“While it’s possible to teach Stroller Fitness with just a stroller,
we also use resistance bands, weights and balance balls to add some
variety,” Classen said.
Tese extra materials are loaned rom the Fitness Center on base.
Mats also have been purchased with Family Advocacy unds or sit-
ups and push-ups.
“Everything is provided. All they need is a stroller and a water
bottle. Tey can bring their own mats i they choose, but most moms
just use what is provided here. Tis spring we’ve been outside or a
large portion o the class, though, so it has been working out just
great,” said Bitner, who has been teaching tness c lasses, such as
Step, Circuit training, Interval training, and Kickboxing, to name a
ew, since 1996.
Te class is ree, another plus or young Families.
“Te only money I spent was on gas to get to class, a 35-minute
drive, which was worth it. I would make the drive twice a week or
the class because it is so educational and inspiring,” Kim Depper,
mom to daughter Sophia, said.
Depper said she became involved with the stroller tness class to
lose baby weight and to learn new strength training exercises she
could incorporate into her individual sessions.“We were lucky to have a trained instructor who volunteered her
time to teach us,” Depper said.
Tese exercise classes help new parents get in shape and
encourages interaction between parents, as well as between parents
and their children.
“I learned exercises I can do with Sophia,
but it also had the added benet o providing
time or us to bond not only with each other
but with other moms and their children,
too,” Depper said.
“Because it’s dicult or children
older than three to sit or long periodso time in a stroller, the class is geared
to children three and under,” Classen
said.
“Te classes are all part o a larger
goal to make parenting a little
easier, considering the
other challenges military
Families already ace
when living overseas,”
Classen said. She knows
those challenges too well,
having moved to Germany as a new mother when her husband’s
corporate job required relocation.
Te classes are not aliated with any national or internationally
trademarked programs, so the class can be oered or ree to the
moms in any community.
“I enjoy teaching tness because it’s a way or me to give a littlebit o sunshine to other military moms and to me. Tat’s what lie is
all about. Seeing them smile when they come in the door and seeing
them being so excited to come each week is the absolute best eeling
ever,” Bitner said.
For more inormation:[email protected]
“ I learned exercises I can
do with Sophia, but it also had the added beneft o providing time or us to bond,not only with eachother, but with other moms and their children, too.”
Kim Depper,
Stroller Fitness participant
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Soldiers tell Army
wo years ago, Family and Morale, Welare & Recreation Command
began oering Army battalions a pilot program called Warrior
Adventure Quest. WAQ includes high-adventure recreation activities
to help Soldiers transition rom combat operations to a “new normal,”
reducing the potential or high-risk behaviors that are counterproductive or
otherwise harmul.
“During the research and development stages o WAQ,” said John O’Sullivan,
Outdoor Recreation Program Manager at FMWRC, “behavioral health specialists noted many Soldiers did not
talk about their experiences during war simply to maintain a stoic image. Consequently, the new guys didn’t gain
much knowledge about what to expect beore, during and ater a deployment. Te idea behind WAQ began as a
way to introduce a better outlet or stress, but has also developed into a tool to help break down these communication
barriers and enhance unit cohesion.”
Beginning in March 2008, WAQ was vetted by an Integrated Process eam o Army medical, psychology and
behavioral health, social service, religious, and saety proessionals.
Representative organizations involved were the Oce o the Surgeon General, Army Medical Department, Medical
Command, Combat Readiness/Saety Center, Army Substance Abuse Program, Army National Guard, Army Reserve, Army
Center or Enhanced Perormance, Special Operations Command, FMWRC, and Installation Management Command.
A Soldier perorms an ice climb during Warrior Adventure Quest training at Fort Lewis, Wash.
Army photo
& statistics agree
WARRIORADVENTURE
QUESTreduces high-risk
behavior & establishesresiliency
Winter 2011 P E R S P E C T I V E
By Rob McIlvaine
FMWRC Public Aairs
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Te Army, through a partnership
between FMWRC and the Oce o the
Surgeon General, tested WAQ with three
pilot programs during Sept., 2008. Using
lessons learned rom these initial activity
oerings, the program began ocially in
Jan. 2009.
“Ultimately, the Army will oer this
one-day program or all returning Soldiers,”
O’Sullivan said. “Te target group is
Soldiers in ‘reset’ – a period up to 120 days
ater returning.”
Following the peak stress experienced
during the execution o a mission,
Soldiers enter the redeployment and post
deployment phase. Tis is when many can
experience maniestations o numbness,
invincibility and inevitability. Tese eelings
can lead to destructive behavior, such as
alcohol and drug abuse, driving at excessive
speeds, marital problems and suicide.
According to the Army’s Combat
Readiness/Saety Center, between October
2001 and October 2009, 287 Soldiers died
rom motor vehicle and personal injury
accidents within one year o returning romdeployment. Approximately 21 percent o
these deaths occurred within the rst 30
days o post-deployment and approximately
67 percent within 180 days o post-
deployment.
During the Warrior Adventure Quest
program, Soldiers at the platoon-level learn
about resiliency through bonding, cohesion
and esprit de corps.
Te platoon is provided a high
adventure activity, such as white water
rating, skydiving, mountain biking orpaintball skirmishes. Following this activity,
the platoon participates in a Leader-led
Ater Action Debrieng. Te debrieng
was developed by the Army Medical
Department Center and School or the
Army’s psychological resiliency building
program to assist Soldiers in reaching a
“new normal,” as they transition back rom
deployment to their home station. While
talking about the WAQ activity, they learn
how to discuss the high-adrenaline combat
experiences they’ve had, and might have
kept bottled up.
At Fort Benning, Ga., Outdoor
Recreation Manager Farrah Myers
remarked on how well the program is being
received.
“We have received nothing but positive
eedback rom the groups o Soldiers who
have gone through the program. Last week we had a emale Soldier, who couldn’t swim
and was terried o water, make it through
a day o scuba,” Myers said.
SSG Shimeca illis is with Bravo
Company, 14th Combat Support Hospital.
“I thought I’d never be able to overcome
a personal ear o water. I wasn’t even
planning on participating because I can’t
swim, but I was encouraged by other
Soldiers to at least give it a try. A little
motivation goes a long way,” illis said.
illis thought the scariest part o thewhole day was the ear o the unknown and
having to step outside her comort zone.
“I really elt kind o silly at rst. But
everyone really put me at ease. Tis really
made me eel part o a team by not being
pushed to the side just because I couldn’t
swim. Everyone was really positive and
helped me through it. I’m honestly so
grateul that I experienced this,” illis said.
As o April 2010, there are 35 garrisons
conducting WAQ activity programs,
while another 6 garrisons are in various
Soldiers use the buddy
system while white water
rating during Warrior
Adventure Quest training at
Fort Lewis, Wash.
Army photo
“We have received nothing but
positive eedback rom the groups
o Soldiers who have gone through
the program…”
Outdoor Recreation
Manager Farrah Myers,
Fort Benning, Ga.
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planning stages, preparing to implement
their programs in the coming months. Te
program has so ar served approximately
1,450 platoons, or 37,554 Soldiers.
Recently at Fort Lewis, Wash., Soldiers,
NCOs and ocers o the 377th FieldArtillery Regiment returned rom a year in
southern Iraq.
Tey ound a cure or their “adventure
bug” by taking a white water rating
expedition down the scenic White Salmon
River in the southern part o the state.
Sponsored by the FMWR Joint Base
Lewis-McChord Adventure Center, the
team-building event gave the Soldiers an
opportunity to experience a high adrenaline
event in a saer environment.
At 42 degrees Fahrenheit, the Salmon’s
water temperature proved numbing when
the 28 “Bulldogs” navigated the treacherous
waters with the help o their rat guides.
Although the team gured they could
successully challenge the 14-oot dropdown a waterall, they plummeted into the
river’s cold water. With the buddy system
rmly established, though, they all were
recovered without injury.
A series o measurements are in place to
test eectiveness o the program.
Tere are indications that participation
may have a long-standing impact
in reducing high risk behaviors and
establishing resilient actors, or cohesion.
According to a U.S. Army Combat
Readiness / Saety Center report, research
specically examining post-deployment
motor vehicle and personal injury accidents
recounted (as o Oct 07), “186 Soldiers
died within one year o returning rom
deployment. In act, almost 30% (50) o
these Soldiers died within the rst thirty-
days post-deployment and 63% (118) died
within 180-days o return. Additionally,
60% o our Soldiers involved in atal
accidents were grade E-5 (SG) or below,
(while) 40% were our senior leaders”.
Army National Guard 1SG MichaelMullins, Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver
raining Center Warrior Adventure Quest
Noncommissioned Ocer in Charge in
Indiana, believes the program is a chance to
change Soldiers’ lives.
“I believe that the National Guard is
really the ideal setting or this program
because Soldiers literally redeploy to
the U.S. rom OIF or OEF and within
one week they are back at home in their
communities and with their Families. Tis
sudden change can make reintegration achallenging time or them,” Mullins said.
CSM Rodney Spade attended a
conerence to hear a presentation about
WAQ and he became convinced that this
could be a tool to help Soldiers at Camp
Atterbury. He volunteered to be the pilot
program or the National Guard since the
camp is a premier mobilization platorm
CSM Spade went about selling senior
leadership on the idea, and CSM Daniel
Jensen rom the installation’s Directorate o
BY THE NUMBERS:WAQ program analysts reported 50.4 percent ewer deadly/debilitatingaccidents involving Soldiers who had participate in WAQ.
WAQ Soldiers also had 32.8 percent ewer accidents involving Soldierswho had participated in WAQ. A similar data comparison throughDFAS records indicates WAQ participants were involved in 13% ewerincidences than overall Army norms.
21.8 percent o Soldiers who initially had a negative or neutral perceptionabout group cohesion in their unit changed their response to positive at
the conclusion o the program.
There was a 17 percent positive change in believing the Army caresabout Soldiers, and 8.6 percent change in believing company-levelleaders care about their Soldiers.
A Soldier takes a backward leap
during his WAQ bungee jump at Fort
Lewis, Wash.
Army photo
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Plans, raining, Mobilization and Support
provided the vision and leadership. Mullins
became project manager.
o resource the program, the team had
to use ingenuity, sweat and just plain hard
work to build everything rom the ground
up.
“We literally went out into the woodsand carved our own new bike trails. We
built our own paintball courses. And we did
it without using civilian contractors,” said
Mullins, who along with Spade and Jensen
has deployed three times to combat zones.
“We lived it and we want to help
returning Soldiers experience the benet o
this program and our personal experiences,”
Mullins said.
For Soldiers returning rom deployment,
the National Guard and the Active Army
dier in what awaits them.Active Army Soldiers return to an Army
installation with a ull complement o
Soldier resources, programs, and activities
specically designed to help them
reintegrate. Tey have a support system and
a military community who ully understand
what they went through and what they
need to successully reintegrate.
“When a National Guard unit returns,
the Soldiers go through a demobilization
process that ranges rom our to seven days
and they are immediately returned to theirormer lives, Families and civilian jobs,”
Mullins said. “Te WAQ program should
prove to be exactly what’s needed.”
“Unlike other programs, WAQ is unique
in that it identies and addresses problems
Soldiers might be having and provides
alternative solutions through supplementary
behaviors. Aecting change in their
behavior is the key to unit readiness,
because we know he will be called again,”
Mullins said.
“Tis has a residual eect which leads to
a stronger, healthier and more eective
Army,” Mullins said.
“I have known many Soldiers, including
many riends, who have returned rom
a deployment with uncharacteristically
negative behavior. Whether it is alcohol or
substance abuse, divorce, or even suicide,
negative behaviors maniest in a variety o
ways, with a variety o consequences. I have
had riends who have taken their own lieand this drives me to champion WAQ,”
Mullins said.
WAQ is not therapy, but according to
Mullins, it can have therapeutic eects on
Soldiers.
“When I was a young paratrooper
stationed at Fort Bragg years ago, I
remember seeing lots o great young
Soldiers come and go. We were known
to live hard and ast, oten with short
career cycles due to the consequences o
negative behavior. It was oten said whensomeone got in trouble or doing something
seemingly outrageous, ‘what do you expect
rom someone who jumps out o planes or
a living?’ I think in hindsight that it was
that adrenalin addiction that pushed them
to do some o those things,” Mullins said.
Mullins believes participation in WAQ
gives a Soldier an eective coping outlet
that can be drawn upon during the
reintegration process, when they begin
to see a pattern o high-risk behavior in
themselves or their battle buddy.“Te events in WAQ provide a climate
o un and high adventure that the Soldiers
can enjoy together. Tis type o cohesion
and esprit de corps reinorces resilience and
builds and strengthens teams,” Mullins said.
Te Army National Guard comprises
approximately one-hal o the U.S. Army’s
available combat orces and approximately
one third o its support organization.
National coordination o various state
National Guard units is maintained
through the National Guard Bureau.
Te Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver
raining Center, activated in February
2003, has trained thousands o regular and
reserve orces just prior to deployments to
Aghanistan and Iraq. Tis garrison and
Camp Shelby, Miss., are the two primary
Guard bases with this mission.
Notwithstanding Mullins’ anecdotal
evidence, WAQ now has a year o empirical
evidence that suggests WAQ is making adierence.
WAQ utilizes a series o surveys to
measure short and long-range eectiveness.
Te long-range eectiveness o this
program is being tracked with assistance
rom the Combat Readiness / Saety Center
providing data on accident rates, and the
Deense Finance and Accounting Service
providing data on accident and behavioral
incidents.
Furthermore, garrisons use Recrac™,
MWR’s system that provides a datacollection repository, to capture and track
personnel who have participated in the
WAQ program and monitor those Soldiers’
involvement in other MWR activities ater
the WAQ program.
“With 41 garrisons currently involved
and another 45 with outdoor recreation
operations waiting in the wings to
participate,” said O’Sullivan, “we now have
the statistics to suggest this program may
contribute to reducing accidents caused by
unsae behavior and to reducing behavioralincidences.”
In an initial data check o nearly 10,454
Soldiers participating in WAQ, compared
to a total Army population o about
747,000 in 2009, WAQ program analysts
reported 50.4 percent ewer accidents
resulting in atality, permanent or partial
disability. Tey also reported 32.8 percent
ewer accidents resulting in restricted work
ability or one or more days away rom work
A similar data comparison through Deense
Finance and Accounting Service records
o behavioral incidences resulting in pay
adjustments indicated WAQ participants
Statistics suggest that WAQ is having a positive eect on the behavioral patterns o Soldiers
returning rom combat.
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A Soldier traverses mountainous terrain on a
bike during Warrior Adventure Quest training
at Fort Lewis, Wash.
Army photo
were involved in 13% ewer incidences than overall Army norms.In surveys providing immediate impact o a WAQ event, 21.8
percent o Soldiers who initially had a negative or neutral perception
about group cohesion in their unit changed to a positive response
at the conclusion o the program. Likewise there was a 17 percent
positive change in believing the Army cares about Soldiers, and an
8.6 percent change in believing company-level leaders care about
their Soldiers.
“We’ve had great buy-in rom Army senior leaders,” said
O’Sullivan, “but we need the tactical mission commanders to
incorporate WAQ into their re-set schedule.”
As in so many things, word-o-mouth will undoubtedly spreadthe message that WAQ is helping Soldiers with tools to help nd
their new “norm” ater deploying downrange.
When adventure programs are oered to Soldiers in a supervised
and saety-conscious environment, they serve as a stimulating
alternative to sel-destructive behaviors, an outlet or stress, a vehicle
or team cohesion, and a tool or coping with the transition back to a
non-combative environment.
For more inormation, contact John O’Sullivan, FMWRC WAQProgram Manager at [email protected].
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Families Take Big Strides TowardsFitness in Vicenza
By Peggy J. Schadler
Chie, Family and MWR Marketing
Even young parents need to exercise. But what are
the alternatives when child care is not readily
available?
Recognizing this need, Vicenza garrison itness
center managers established the Family Fitness Room. On
one side is a well-equipped room with cardio equipment,
hand weights, stretching mats, itness steps and balls, two
elliptical machines, two treadmills and a recumbent bike. On
the other side, through a glass wall so parents can keep aneye on their little ones, is a room equipped with a V and
DVD player, as well as little tables and chairs or the kids to
play with toys brought along by their parents.
“We average about 45 people per day, so we recently
added another treadmill. he room is really popular with the
moms during the deployment cycle,” Facility Manager Scott
Gordon said.
Another program or parents with small children is the
track stroller itness class. his nine-week session, oered in
the spring, gives moms the chance to bring their babies out
to the running track in strollers.
Miranda Vanscoy leads them in a mix o cardio and
strength
training activities or one hour, two times a week.
“he moms enjoy doing something or themselves
without leaving their baby behind. As a mom mysel, I know
how important this time can be. Hopeully, we’ll be able to
add another session in the all,” Vanscoy said.
he two new programs are an expansion o this garrison’s
‘oddlers in ow’ program which began when spouses wereencouraged to bring their toddlers along in strollers, while
they used the cardio room during minimal usage, weekday
morning hours.
“he scheduling allowed parents to take care o their
personal itness needs when the itness center wasn’t being
used by Soldiers,” Gordon said. “It makes the most o
operational hours in our acility.”
For more inormation, contact Scott Gordon [email protected].
The USAG Vicenza Fitness Center’s
Family Fitness Room allows parents
to watch their children in a glass
enclosed playroom while working
out.
Photo by Peggy J. Schadler,
Vicenza FMWR Marketing Chief
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he U.S. Army Child, Youth and School Services has
teamed with contracted European driving instructors to
oer a Driver ’s Education Teory program or teens atselect U.S. Army garrisons in Europe.
eens at Bamberg, Baumholder, Benelux, Graenwoehr,
Kaiserslautern, Mannheim, Stuttgart and Wiesbaden, Germany, and
Vicenza, Italy, can now enroll in the program through the Schools o
Knowledge, Inspiration, Exploration and Skills Unlimited program.
Te equipment was centrally purchased by the Europe region.
“Driver’s education and earning a driver’s license in Europe
has continually been an issue or our teens,” said Judi Patrick, a
School Liaison/ransition Specialist or Installation Management
Command’s European Region.
Speakers at European een Panel and Army Family Action
Plan meetings conrmed that driver’s education and obtaining adriver’s license is a dicult challenge or Family members stationed
overseas.
Because o the Status o Forces Agreement, teenagers must be 18
years old and have a German or U.S. driver’s license beore driving
in Germany. Tis makes it dicult or 16-18 year olds when they
return stateside. Te lack o driving experience or driver’s education
makes it dicult to obtain a stateside license, especially in areas
where driver’s education is taught in the school system in thereshman or sophomore years. Installation Management Command
Europe Child, Youth and School Service and the Department o
Deense Dependent Schools collaborated to oer a new program to
help European-based high school students learn how to drive.
he Driver’s Education heory Program uses state-o-the-art
simulators to provide students a basic understanding o driving,
without the threat o real danger.
he simulator, built with original parts o a Ford Focus, consists
o a steering wheel that vibrates while the engine is running, gas and
brake pedals, a manual gearshit and a hand-brake.
Although participation in the program does not result in
obtaining a driver’s license, it does provide the 50-hour classroomrequirement accepted by most driving certiication agencies in the
United States, and earns hal o a high school credit.
he classroom training is open to 17 and 18-year-old students,
and 16 ½ year olds can participate on a space-available basis.
By im Hipps
FMWRC Public Aairs
Driving Simulators Help PrepareTeenagers in Europe for Stateside Driving
ABOVE: MG Reuben D. Jones, Commander, FMWRC, takes a test drive in Baumholder’s new driving simulator. The simulator provides students with a virtual
driving experience as part o their training to obtain a driver’s license. The driving simulator provides students a wide range o driving conditions in a sae
environment.
Photo by Ignacio “Iggy” Rubalcava
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By Mary Kne
Chie, Family and MWR Marketing, USAG Stuttgart, Germany
Stuttgart Child, Youth and School Services
Motivates Youth Fitness throughKnowledge, Skills and Prizes
Caitlin Smith, CYS Services Acting Director of Sports and
Fitness, exercises with a toddler during April’s Month of
the Military Child.
Photo by Brittany Carlson,
USAG Stuttgart, Public Aairs
In hopes o combating the “couch
potato syndrome” and to open
the door to what sports and
itness is all about, U.S. Army
Garrison Stuttgart oers a large
variety o clinics, including Gym Ratz (where young students are introduced
to itness activities), Start Movin’ -
Start Livin’, Weight Room 101, and
Boot Camp in a Bag.
Last al l, Child, Youth & School
Services continued the quest or youth
itness with a walking program dubbed
Lauen Sie Uber Deutschland (Walk
Across Germany).
Free or kids rom six to 18, the
youth each received a pedometer and a
map o Germany. he middle and highschool children then counted their
steps and tracked on a map how ar
they’d have walked i they were actually
walking rom Berlin to Munich.
Younger School Age Services children
took shorter “walks” between the our
USAG Stuttgart installations.
Along the way, they earned prizes at
each destination city.
“he point o the event is to help
get children in the habit o walking,
and to enjoy this healthy habit or the
rest o their lives,” Youth, Sports and
Fitness Specialist Caitlin Smith said.
he program was measured a
success, not only because over 100kids participated, but because they
became more aware o their everyday
movement and the surrounding
environment.
“As a society, our youth are less
active. here’s an obesity epidemic.
We’d like to take a proactive role in
combating this,” Smith added.
But the youth un and itness didn’t
stop with the walk around Germany.
In addition to Lauen Sie Uber
Deutschland , USAG Stuttgart alsooered Gym Ratz. his incentive-
based, once-a-week program
encouraged kids to become more
physically active. Registered youth
received a tracking sheet and were
asked to log their daily physical
activity. his could include anything
rom walking the dog or riding a bike
to practicing sports, dancing and
physical education.
Students earned points which could
be turned in or prizes, providing a
little extra motivation to keep moving.
opics on nutrition were also covered.
Along with the usual sports clinics
like soccer, basketball, and lagootball, gol, tennis, cheerleading,
mountain biking, bowling,
skateboarding, and a jump roping club
were also oered.
Following this initiative, the
summer also included Start Movin,’
Start Livin.’ his program, designed
to oster daily itness, ran or eight
weeks and was geared towards youth
in the 12-18 category. he irst two
weeks, called Weight Room 101, were
spent teaching proper weight litingtechniques and gym etiquette. he
next our weeks, called Boot Camp in a
Bag, covered speed, agility and various
methods to exercise without a gym and
weights. he inal two weeks ocused
on cardio respiratory itness.
For more inormation, contact USAGStuttgart CYSS Sports and Fitness Oiceat 0703-115-2612 or DSN 431-2616.
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PBA BowlersTeach, Mentor
throughout
South KoreaBy Ronald Buss
FMWR Program Manager
F or the past four years at Army installations on
S. Korea, training with professional athletes has
been a reality for over 300 bowlers, including
85 youth, who received personalized instruction
from three Professional Bowlers Association bowlers.
Even more enjoyed watching demonstrations of trick
shots and learning inside tips of the game.
Yongsan Family and MWR Business Operations
Director Dan Melton and Bowling Center Manager
Robert Victorine took advantage of networking
opportunities at the annual International Bowl Expo.
They met with industry representatives to seek out
opportunities to promote Army Bowling in Korea, with
a focus on providing affordable and unique bowling
opportunities for Soldiers, Families, Civilians and retirees
stationed there.
The annual International Bowl Expo brings proprietors
and bowling industry manufacturers from all over the world
to present their latest products and to honor the best the
sport and bowling business community has to offer.
Through their professional contacts, Melton and
Victorine determined that PBA stars Parker Bohn III,
Sean Rash and Jason Belmonte would be in Korea for a
professional tournament.
Through timely coordination between the PBA and
regional and garrison MWR staff, the pros agreed to make
a visit to installations a part of their tour. Since the tour
organizers were covering the cost of the overseas travel,
MWR avoided this expense and only funded appearance feesand local travel expenses, keeping the cost way under budget.
A total of four clinics, for both youth and adult bowlers,
were held on Camp Walker, and on garrisons Casey,
Humphreys and Yongsan in Seoul.
PBA bowler Sean Rash sees positive results from these
clinics.
“Every year that I come back, I see bowlers who make me
think, ‘wow,’ their game has really improved since working
with them last year,” Rash said.
Clinics were held just before league bowling at each
garrison to ensure maximum turn-out with the customers
who would appreciate it the most. League officials were also
used in the promotional efforts to get the word and flyers
out using league email notification lists.
Promotional and advertising materials were created at the
IMCOM Korea Region-level. These visual products
presented a consistent message and were provided to garrison
marketing offices for localization.Region Staff managed the logistical effort, freeing
garrison FMWR staff to focus on making their local clinic a
community success.
Rash said he enjoyed presenting the clinics with Bohn
and Belmonte and hopes they can return again the next time
they are in Korea.
For more inormation, contact Dan Melton [email protected].
Pro bowler Jason Belmonte signs a bowling pin at the Yongsan Lanes
Bowling Center.
Photo by Chae Hun Chang
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At Fort Belvoir,
Students Build Skateboards Ater School
By Richard oppings
Fort Belvoir Multi-Crats Manager
In EDGE, the ater-school
program which stands
or Excel, Develop, Grow
and Experience, students
teamed up at the Fort Belvoir,
Va., Kawamura Arts and Crats
Center and learned to build their
own skateboards.
For six weeks every uesday,
students applied the principleso math, science, and physics –
knowledge they never thought
would be used or un – and
planed, cut, sanded, painted and
attached hardware to their own
custom-built skateboard.
On the inal day o class, the
anxious skaters took their inished product to the Fort
Belvoir Skate Park, where they were met by proessional
skateboard instructor Marcos Rezaikis rom Caliornia.
Ater talking about general saety and the importance o
wearing proper saety gear, Marcos perormed tricks beoreteaching some basic stunts.
“It didn’t take long or the students to catch on, and they
quickly began snapping, popping and jumping,” Kawamura
Arts and Crats Center Multi-Crats Manager Richard
oppings s aid.
According to oppings, some o the challenges in
teaching the class are organization o work low. Adequate
drying time or the two coats o paint on the boards, design
application and installation o hardware and wheels needs to
be coordinated. While this is happening, wood shop saety
is taught. Although wood shop personnel actually cut the
boards, students still need to wear goggles, breathing masks
and ear plugs.
Skateboard videos are also shown to hold interest,including one provided by CreatAskate.
“CYS Services and the Kawamura Arts and Crats Center
anticipate this becoming an ongoing program, and consider
the class as just another way o keeping the promise o the
Army Family Cove nant,” oppings sai d.
For more inormation, contact Debra S. Taylor [email protected] or Renae Robinson [email protected].
Robbie begins the process of
sanding the edges on a skateboard
of his own design, during a
skateboard building class recently
held at Fort Belvoir’s Arts and
Crafts Center Wood Shop.
Photo by Rick oppings,Fort Belvoir Kawamura
Multi-Crats manager
During the last class, Marcos Reyzakis, a
skateboard riding instructor, volunteered to teach
a ew new tricks to students in the Skateboard
building class recently held at Fort Belvoir’s Arts
and Crats Center Wood Shop.
Photo by Rick Toppings, Fort Belvoir Kawamura Multi-
Crafts manager
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