Soldiers Magazine Apr 11

8/7/2019 Soldiers Magazine Apr 11

1/52


2/52


3/52


4/52


5/52


6/52

4 www.army.mil/soldiers

I

N an era of persistent conict, ourArmy Families are called upon toendure many hardships and are no

less critical to mission success than ourSoldiers. Repeated deployments and ex-tended separations place a severe strainon our Families, which in turn aectscombat readiness, as well as enlistmentand retention eorts.

Lieutenant Gen. Rick Lynch, thecommanding general of InstallationManagement Command and assistantchief of sta for Installation Manage-ment, summed it up succinctly whenhe said: Our Army is not going to

break because of our Soldiersbut itmight break because of the stress wereplacing on their Families.

rough research such as the Fam-ily and Morale, Welfare and RecreationCommands semi-annual Survey ofArmy Families, we know that quality oflife for Families is an integral part of aSoldiers decision to reenlist. By 2007,when the Army Family Covenant wasunveiled, it was clear that quality of lifewas also integral to the Armys abilityto deploy.

A Soldier in a ghting positionneeds to be facing forward, concentrat-

ing on the mission, not distracted byFamily concerns. e Covenant ensuresthat Soldiers can nd the resources

they need, when they need them, andthat they have the tools to remain self-reliant. When Families are self-reliantand have access to appropriate supportsystems, our Soldiers are better able toconcentrate on their missions.

Lieutenant Gen. Jack Stultz Jr.,Army Reserve chief and commandinggeneral, U.S. Army Reserve Command,said, To be successful as a militarywe need four things: a Soldier, thatSoldiers Family, the Soldiers employer,

ByMaj.Gen.ReubenD.Jones

Army Family Covenant:Enabling Army Families to reach their full potential


7/52

5

and a supportive community.I couldnt agree with him more and

the Army Family Covenant covers all

four.Never before in the history of our

Army have we asked so much of ourFamilies, said Gen. George W. CaseyJr., chief of staof the Army. ey areserving side-by-side with our Soldiers,enduring their hardships, providing theunconditional love and support thattruly make our Army strong.

e Covenant is built upon vecore commitments from Army leader-ship to:

Standardize and fund Family pro-grams and services.Increase accessibility and quality of

health care. Improve Soldier and Family hous-ing. Ensure excellence in child, youthand school services.Expand education and employmentopportunities for Family members.

Now in its fourth year, the AFCcommitment is enduring. Supporthas extended all the way to the WhiteHouse. e readiness of our armedforces depends on the readiness of our

military Families, First Lady MichelleObama said.

To ensure that readiness, the Armyhas doubled its investment in coreFamily support programs, and Caseyhas pledged continued support to thisinvestment, saying: e Army Fam-ily Covenant is one of the programsthat we will continue to put the rightamount of funding into so that FamilyPrograms can provide for all Soldiersand their Families.

e Army Family Covenant isenabling us to reach that potential.

While the Army has made sig-

nicant and measurable progress inimproving Family programs, healthcare, housing, child and youth services,recreation, education and employmentopportunities, there is still work to bedone to build an environment whereArmy Families can prosper and realizetheir full potential.

Looking ahead, the covenant willcontinue the Armys dedication tosustain and partner with Soldiers andtheir Families in order to build an en-

vironment where they can prosper andrealize their potentialall essential insustaining an all-volunteer force.

Maj.Gen.ReubenD.Jonesisthecom-mandinggeneralofFamilyandMorale,WelfareandRecreationCommand.

Maj.Gen.ReubenD.Jones,commandinggeneralofFamilyandMorale,WelfareandRecreationCommand,talksaboutFamilyastheArmysmostvaluableasset.(PhotobyRobMcIlvaine)

A look at the numbers, next page.


8/52


SIGNIFICANT accomplish-ments in improving Soldier andFamily readiness and well-being

over the past four years include:

Closed chronic Army CommunityService stang gaps by creating 477

new ACS positions.Added 1,079 Family ReadinessSupport Assistants in deployable ac-tive, Guard and Reserve battalions toprovide administrative and logisticalsupport to deployed and rear detach-ment commanders.Established more than 2,000 virtualFamily Readiness Groups, which oerall of the functionality of traditionalFRGs in an ad hoc, online settingto meet the needs of geographically

dispersed Families.Increased military Family lifeconsultants from 112 in Fiscal Year 05to 620 by FY10, to provide problem-solving and nonmedical consultingthrough condential walk aroundservices.Expanded Survivor Outreach Ser-vices to provide 24/7 support to sur-vivors of fallen Soldiers, wherever theylive, with experts trained in benets,

nances and grief counseling.Established Soldier and familyassistance centers at installations withwarrior transition units to providesafe havens where wounded warriors,DOD civilians and their Families cangather for mutual support and cama-raderie to aid physical, spiritual and

mental healing.Expanded hours of respite carefor Families with exceptional Familymembers from 10 to 16 hours permonth.Provided child care discountsand 16 hours of free respite care permonth to Families of deployed Sol-diers, Family readiness group/Familyreadiness support assistant personnel,exceptional Family members, wound-ed warrior Families, and survivor

Families.Decreased Family stress, increasedFamily stability, and reduced costlyout-of-pocket home placements forchild care by providing more than 2million hours of free respite child careto Soldiers and Families.Conducted 2,600 chaplain-ledStrong Bonds, retreats to providesingle and married Soldier and Familyrelationship skills and education train-

ing for 160,000 participants, increasingSoldier and Family resiliency, maritalsatisfaction and reducing domesticviolence.Created six community-based pri-mary care clinics located near 11 Armyinstallations (opening in FY 2011),which will include behavioral health

care providers and some laboratory andpharmacy services.Increased the number of behavioralhealth providers by almost 40 percent.Added 22 additional primary caremanager teams to increase medicaltreatment facility capacity.Increased the number of Web-en-abled appointments by 13 percent andthe number of registered TRICAREonline beneciaries by more than 10percent, improving access to care by

giving Soldiers and Families the abilityto schedule their own appointments.Expanded and synchronized school-based behavioral health programs.Extended operating hours of gar-rison child development centers andFamily child care homes to accom-modate a high operations tempo, toinclude evenings, weekends and even24/7 if needed.Reduced the waiting lists for child

e Army Family Covenant:A look at the numbers:


9/52

7

care spaces through aggressive construc-tion of 80 child care centers in 2008 and2009 (with 17 more to follow by 2014).Provided 24/7 online tutoring servicesat tutor.com, ensuring military studentscan always access academic assistance,even when parents are absent.Placed 140 school liaison ocers to

help local school districts understand thechallenges faced by military students,and successfully signed memoranda ofunderstanding with 373 school districtsto minimize academic disruptions fortransferring military students.Partnered with outside agencies onmany initiatives, such as the DODInterstate Compact on EducationalOpportunity for Military Children, toremove barriers to educational successimposed on children of military Families

through frequent moves and deploymentof their parents.Automated and enhanced hous-ing services by oering the AutomatedHousing Referral Network, and ArmyHousing OneStop.Modernized more than 19,700 bar-racks spaces through updates, renova-tions and new construction, greatlyincreasing space and quality of life forsingle Soldiers.

Completed the privatization ofFamily housing at all 44 plannedinstallations, providing Soldiers andtheir Families with 23,000 quality newhomes, 18,000 renovated homes, and ahost of improved amenities to includecommunity centers, pools and splashparks.

Increased support to warrior-in-tran-sition Families by providing child careduring medical appointments, reduc-ing child care fees and eliminating feesfor children of wounded warriors whoparticipate in instructional classes andindividual sports sponsored by Child,Youth & School Services.Expanded the Army Spouse Em-ployment Partnership between theArmy and Fortune 100/500 compa-nies and military agencies. Since the

programs inception in 2003, ASEPhas assisted more than 65,000 militaryspouses in nding employment.Built a digital culture in FMWRlibraries, empowering Soldiers andFamilies with 24/7 online access tolibrary resources via Army KnowledgeOnline, Army OneSource, and MilitaryOneSource portals.Updated tness equipment atFMWR facilities through a $20 mil-

lion, centrally funded enterprise buy,ensuring Soldiers receive world-classservice directly contributing to missionphysical tness requirements.Strengthened the Army OneSourceInternet portal to provide outreach togeographically dispersed Soldiers andFamilies of all components, wherever

they reside, through the entire deploy-ment cycle.Constructed or renovated 18 Armylodging facilities (1,315 rooms) tomeet Army Lodging Wellness Programstandards.Directly supported 26,055 deployedservicemembers (and 58,967 guests)on rest, recuperation and block leaveat the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort,Shades of Green Resort and the HaleKoa Hotel.

Expanded the Better Opportunitiesfor Single Soldiers program to sup-port single Soldiers through three corecomponents: leisure and recreation,community service and quality of life.Developed and elded WarriorAdventure Quest to help Soldiers tran-sition the new normal and reducethe potential for high-risk behaviorsthrough high-adventure, high-adrena-line activities.


10/52


11/52

9

children often cope with loss, and sug-gests ways parents and other adults canhelp them grieve and remember theirloved ones. Its also available online athttp://www.sesamestreetfamilycon-nections.org/grownups/grief/.

Its really engaging in a dialog

with children about these times, andwere hoping that seeing Elmo andJesse going through this will help be aconversation starter, explained LynnChwatsky, Sesame Streets assistant vicepresident of outreach initiatives andpartners. Do we think its the end-all,be-all? Absolutely not, but we do thinkit is a conversation starterand weveheard anecdotal feedback from Familieswho have used this.

ere are children who never,ever talked about it, and they watchedthis and for the rst time, they startedopening up. I was at an event in Chi-cagowith Elmo. is one childwas sobbing the entire time. And thegrandparent came up to mein tearsand said is is the rst time hes cried

since his dad died six months ago. AndI thought, Wow, were doing some-thing right here, because thats therst start, for this child to be able tocryand maybe now some dialog canhappen with the grandparents or withother grownups in this childs life, to

get this child sort of on a more positivetrajectory, Chwatsky continued, not-ing the storyline is appropriate for allchildren who have suered a loss, notjust military children.

Meant for parents and children towatch together, it follows a popularseries of DVDs featuring Elmo andfriends dealing with deployments(really an extended absence by Elmosfather, who goes o to help peoplethe military is never mentioned), theadjustments required by homecomingsand multiple deployments, and thechanges Families undergo when a par-ent (Rositas father) is injured or comeshome dierent due to post-traumaticstress or a traumatic brain injury.

Created with help from the

Defense Centers of Excellence forPsychological Health and TraumaticBrain Injury, the video also featuresreal Gold Star Families describing theirexperiences, Families like Patty Guerecaand her four sons. eir husband andfather, Sgt. Joe Guereca of the 1st

Cavalry Division, was killed Nov. 30,2004 by an improvised explosive devicein Iraq.

I wanted to scream, but I couldntscream, she said of her feelings theafternoon the casualty noticationocer came with the news that wouldchange their lives forever. All I coulddo was cry. And nally the chaplain satme down on the couch and I told him,I have three sons and Im pregnant.What am I supposed to do now?

She was so devastated that shedidnt know how to tell her childrentheir father was deadshe just didnthave the heart to really tell them theirdad was not going to come home.ey knew that everybody was cry-ing, but they didnt know why. Her

9

InascenefromSesameStreetslatestprojectformilitaryFamilies,aDVDcalledTalk,Listen,Connect:WhenFamiliesGrieve,ElmoandhisfatherLouietalkaboutUncleJack,whorecentlydied.Elmodoesntknowwhatthatmeansandcantunderstandwhyhecantstillseehisfavoriteuncle.(PhotocourtesyofSesameStreet.Reprintedwithpermission.SesameWorkshop,SesameStreet,andassociatedcharacters,trademarks,anddesignelementsareownedandlicensedbySesameWorkshop.2009SesameWorkshop.AllRightsReserved.)


12/52


mother nally had to tell them theday before the funeral, which wasntuntil that Dec. 15, Guereca explainedin the Public Broadcasting Systemspecial (http://video.pbs.org/pro-gram/1457370191/) that discussedthe topic on primetime TV.

Hosted by CBS Evening Newsanchor Katie Couric, who had toconfront her own grief, as well as thatof her six- and two-year-old daughterswhen her husband Jay Monahan diedof colon cancer in 1998, the specialhighlights Patty and her four boys, theFamily of a Marine who committedsuicide after returning from deploy-ment, the wife and daughters of areghter who died of a heart attack,the husband and daughters of a motherclaimed by breast cancer, and of course,Jesse, Elmo and Elmos daddy Louie.

Both programs highlight behaviorsparents and other adults should expect,such as Jesses anger and refusal todiscuss her father. Guerecas childrenstarted to worry about who would takecare of them if something happened toher too, and she explained that theirgrandmother would take care of them,but when their baby brother Alex washospitalized with respiratory syncytialvirus and pneumonia, ve-year-old

twins Nathan and Angel started worry-ing all over again.

eir teachers did a good job ofkeeping them and their older brotherRolando, who was six at the time,busy, Guereca said, but she was struckby how dierently the boys coped.While Angel internalized everything,thinking that if he didnt talk about it,he wouldnt cry, Guereca explained,his twin Nathan is far more open andemotional. And little Alex, who just

turned six, feels like he got cheatedbecause he never met his father (but hewas ecstatic to meet Elmo).

ere are some children whodont talk about it, added Chwatsky.ey dont acknowledge it. eyare silent about it. Other children maybe angry and they start displayingthat anger in their behavior and theiractions. eres a lot of regression inyoung children. We may see childrenwith bed wetting or throwing temper

tantrums, that kind of stu. ere arechildren who dont want to participatein activities. ere are children whoare embarrassed. ere are childrenwho dont want to go to school and tellpeople because theyre embarrassed ofwhat people will think of them or how

people will judge them.It really varies per child, and whatweve heard and our message to adultsin these childrens lives is youve gotto listen to these children, and listenwhether its their verbal cues or theirnonverbal cues, but youve got to listento whats going on with these kids andto be able to react to them based onhow theyre acting, she added. eTalk, Listen, Connect website includes

resources for parents such as sugges-tions for dealing with these challenges,as well as others, like anger at thedeceased parent or a child who believeshe or she is responsible for the parentsdeath.

Most important, according to

Chwatsky, is that adults be honest withchildren, and not shy away from usingthe word dead. ey should never re-place it with euphemisms such as lostor passed away. A child can nd a losttoy, and a bus passes by, she explained,leading young children to believe thatthe parent might come back.

Make it concrete and simple fora child, she explained. And, youknow, Elmo, when he was talking to



13/52


14/52


15/52

13

TO date, the Sesame Street Ex-perience for Military Familieshas taken Elmo, Rosita, Zoe,

Grover and the Cookie Monster tomore than 90 bases in nine countriesand 27 states, covering more than50,000 miles and performing about250 shows for more than 150,000military Families with the help of theUnited Service Organizations.

And according to Sesame StreetsLynn Chwatsky, the assistant vicepresident of outreach initiatives andpartners, everyone is hoping to bringthe tour back late this summer, rstoverseas and then to the States.

It has been a success greater thanwe could ever have imagined. Wehave been to more places and touchedmore Families than we ever could havethought, she said.

e half-hour show, full of musicand dancing that gets young childrenout of their seats, cheering and scream-ing, starts with one simple ques-

tion: Do you miss your mommy ordaddy? e response is almost alwaysa resounding Yes! And all of thosemusical numbers are designed to give

ByElizabethM.Collins

Sesame Street comes to military Familieskids things to do when they miss theirdeployed parents.

e message of the show really is

aimed at deployments and the wholeidea is to give kids not only some con-crete things to do when Mom or Dadhas to go away like writing letters ortelling stories or making music togeth-er, but also to help Families have thoseconversations, said Lonnie Cooper,the USO tour manager, who noted thatElmo is a rock star to ve-year-olds.

Kids dont always listen to theirparents, so when you can say, Hey, doyou remember when Elmo said some-times he misses his mommy or daddy?kids understand that, he continued.Kids get the message and thats reallywhat were trying to do: A, providesome entertainment and B, to help easethe whole stress and strain of deploy-ments.

Putting on the show requires animmense amount of work, not unlikeputting on a touring Broadway show,he added. But the smiles he gets fromthe kids make it all worth itthat, andthe hug he gets about once every show.

I thought it was really great,Army wife Hayli Morrison said of lastsummers Fort Riley, Kan., show. Youcan tell that they really care about the

kids and about showing them a goodtime. As a matter of fact, we were therewith a six-year-old friend whose dad

was in the middle of a tour in Iraq andI remember as we left, she said that thiswas the best day ever and it was reallysweet that she enjoyed it that much.

It gave her a little enjoyment, youknow, to kind of forget about her situ-ation for a little while, and then theygave handouts to the kids. My son stillplays with his Elmo ashlight, so itsreally a big hit. He seemed to have areally good time with his friends.

For updates, check the Talk, Listen,Connect website at http://www.sesameworkshop.org/initiatives/emo-tion/uso.

13

Fromleft:Rosita,Elmo,ZoeandtheCookieMonsterdanceonstageatAndrewsAirForceBase,Md.AspartoftheUSO-sponsoredSesameStreetExperienceforMilitaryFamilies,thecharactershavetraveledtomilitaryinstallationsworldwide,supportingmilitarykidsandhelpingthemcopewithparentsdeployments.(PhotobyElizabethM.Collins)


16/52


StorybyRobMcIlvaine

BECAUSE Soldiers and theirFamilies often report to a newduty assignment before seeking

community services, the ExceptionalFamily Member Program is now reach-ing out to them through unit Familyreadiness support assistants.

EFMP is a mandatory enrollmentprogram that works with other mili-

tary and civilian agencies to providecomprehensive and coordinated com-munity support, housing, medical,educational and personnel services toFamilies with special needs.

FRSAs, part of the commandersFamily readiness team, provide admin-istrative support to the commander,rear detachment commander, andvolunteer Family Readiness Groupleader, said Sharon Fields, the Familyand Morale, Welfare and Recreation

Commands EFMP program manager.Were now training them to work withthe EFMP through Army CommunityService.

e unit is the rst place wherea Soldier reports. If he has concernsabout one of his children, the FRSAwill be readily available to be a guidefor on-base and community resources,Fields added.

An exceptional Family memberis a child or adult with any physical,

Army boostsexceptional Family

resources



17/52

15

EFMPisamandatory-enrollmentprogramthatworkswithothermilitaryandcivilianagenciestoprovidecomprehensive,coordinatedcommunitysupport,housing,medical,educationalandpersonnelservicestoFamilieswithspecialneeds.

15

EduardoAlejandro


18/52


emotional, developmental or intellec-tual disorder requiring special treat-ment, therapy, education, training orcounseling.

All active-duty servicemembers

must register with EFMP as soon as aFamily member is identied as havingspecial needs. e program, standardacross all services, documents theservices the EFM requires, and consid-ers those needs during the personnelassignment process (especially whenapproving Family members for accom-panied travel to overseas locations).

Working closely with the person-nel and medical commands and theDepartment of Defense educational

system overseas, EFMP prevents hard-ship by ensuring the servicememberand Family have all the support theyneed in the receiving duty stationbefore they have a permanent changeof station.

Army Families deal with uniquechallenges associated with military life,especially when it comes to relocation,according to Lt. Gen. Rick Lynch,commanding general, InstallationManagement Command. Not only do

Families have to nd a new place tocall home, they also have to nd newhealth care and child care providers,enroll children in new schools andactivities and build new friends and

support networks. ese challenges arenot easy for any Army Family, but forFamilies with special needs, they aremagnied.

e EFMP is one way we cankeep some of the most importantpromises articulated in the ArmyFamily Covenant: Providing access tohigh-quality medical care, educationalopportunities and Family programsthat foster an environment in whichFamilies can thrive, Lynch said.

Two factors have been identiedthat hinder the eectiveness of theprogram: Diculties accessing theappropriate resources, and a fear thatbeing identied in the EFMP willadversely aect a Soldiers career.

ey are battling the latter throughinformation campaigns directed at theArmys leaders and Soldiers, clearlystating that the program is designedto help a Soldier develop a successfulcareer while still nurturing the develop-

ment and quality of life of his excep-tional Family member.

FRSAs have three primary respon-sibilities when it comes to providinginformation about EFMP, Fields said.

ey direct a Soldier and Familymember who needs support servicesand advocacy assistance to the EFMPmanager, refer Soldiers and Familymembers to the military treatmentfacility for screening and enrollment,and network with the installationEFMP manager and EFMP MTF stato assist with information and referralsof eligible Family members.

Access to resources is being ad-dressed through the FRSA training,

and through an increase in the numberof system navigator employees in theIMCOM organization.IMCOM is adding 44 systemnavigators to the existing EFMP staat 26 garrisons, both stateside and over-seas. e system navigators will helpFamilies connect to the local, state andfederal resources they need.

e 26 garrisons include FortHood, Texas; Fort Lewis, Wash.; FortBragg, N.C.; Fort Campbell, Ky., and


19/52

17

Schoeld Barracks, Hawaiithe veinstallations with the highest numberof EFMP Families.

While the EFMP provides aninvaluable service to Soldiers and theirFamilies, the Army is constantly seek-ing innovative ways to enhance support

to Families with special needs.Soldiers and Families need toknow that they will be able to nd theservices necessary for the health andwell-being of all their Family membersbefore they depart for a new installa-tion. According to Lynch, this is bothpart of the Armys promise to Familiesin return for the sacrices they make,and its commitment to Soldiers, whosestrength and readiness are rooted in thestrength of their Families.

Affairsatthetimethisarticlewaswritten.

Soldiers and their Families dont care where the information

17

Programsummercamp.Elevenparticipantsspenttheweekdoingartsandcrafts,playingmusic,goingtolocalanimalparks,horsebackriding,andusingKletterwald,


20/52


21/52


22/52


23/52


24/52


together to develop and present theirplans, Miller said.

is is a turn-key operation,meaning that all the staand studentshave to do is turn the key and walk in.When we leave, the (facility) is at least95 percent ready, he continued.

e Army has come a long way ina comparatively short amount of time,and is working to ensure the newlyconstructed facilities are aestheticallypleasing while staying within the

construction and budget parametersof standard designs.

Were very proud of how ourdollars and time are spent by buyingequipment in bulk across the Army,said Nancy Dunn, a CYS programspecialist who serves as the contract-ing ocers representative for theenterprise procurement of FF&E forCYS facilities. We do quality controlon all of the products we buy. Ourteam follows up after installation and

checks with the students, caregiversand management to make sure allproducts, such as the fabric on chairs,stand up to heavy use. If not, we dosubstitutions across the board.

CYSS programs and the servicesthey provide continue to evolve. Forinstance, FMWRC is working toprovide child care services at tnesscenters.

When the chief of staand thesecretary of the Army heard Families

saying, We cant get child care whenwe want to work out, tness centerswith child care were added, said BobRoadarmel, CYS specialist and tnesscenter child care lead.

According to Roadarmel, thecollaboration with tness centers andCYSS is growing.

We are extremely proud of thesepurpose-built facilities, constructedfrom the ground up with Army Fami-lies in mind, said Miller.

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%

Soldiers Spouses

83% 82%

75%

82%

67%

80%85% 82%

71%

83%

56%

84%

Sends messagethat the Army caresabout its people

Helps minimize lostduty/work time dueto lack of child care/youth sponsorshipoptions

Helps minimize lostduty/work time dueto lack of child andyouth services

Plays a role in inu-encing my decision/my spouses decisionto stay in the Army

Allows me/my spouseto better concentrateon my/our job(s)

Provides positivegrowth and develop-ment opportunitiesfor my children

Survey question: To what extent does providing Army CYS programs at your installation have apositive impact on the following? Above graph shows percent reporting moderate, great or verygreat extent. Source: 2005 Leisure Needs Survey, Army FMWRC, as cited in, What We Know AboutArmy Families, 2007 Update (ICF International)

BillBradnerworksforFMWRCPublicAf-fairs.RobMcIlvaineworkedforFMWRCPublicAffairsatthetimethisarticlewaswritten,butisnowwiththeArmyNewsService.


25/52


26/52


27/52

25

FromArmyNewsServiceandothersources

HREE coins honoring the Armya$5 gold piece, a silver dollar and aclad half-dollarare now available forpurchase from the U.S. Mint.

A portion of the proceeds from thesale of the coins will go toward con-struction of the National Museum ofthe United States Army at Fort Belvoir,Va. e museum is expected to open in

the ability to accept armor, and thenrelinquish armor when it is no longerneeded, Spoehr said.

e TWV strategy covers Armytactical wheeled vehicles in four eets:light, medium, heavy and MineResistant Ambush Protected. e lightTWVeet includes the Humvee andwill include the Joint Light TacticalVehicle.

e medium eet includes legacy2 1/2- and 5-ton trucks, and the heavyeet includes the Heavy ExpandedMobility Tactical Truck, the Heavy

HE Armys new Tactical WheeledVehicle Strategy, released in Janu-ary, is the roadmap for managing andmodernizing the Armys eet of nearly300,000 vehicles over the next 30years.

It represents a paradigm shift forthe U.S. Army, said Maj. Gen. omasSpoehr, director of Army force develop-ment, of the plan that manages a eetworth some $70 billion.

In the past, similar strategies havelooked out onlyve or 10 years. enew 30-year outlook, Spoehr said,reveals a need to cut back in some areasto meet budget requirements.

As we looked out 20 or 30 years,we found some aspects of our strat-egy were going to be unaordable,Spoehr said. is strategy makes toughchoices today, in order to account forthese realities.

One of those tough choices is areduction in eet size. By 2017, itsexpected that the TWVeet couldbe reduced by as much as 15 percent,said Lt. Col. Robert Lenz, Army G-8

programs. He said the cost savings fromthat reduction, and from other changesin the strategy, will reduce the per-yeareet procurement budget from whathad been projected at $4.4 billion ayear down to about $2.5 billion a year.

e Army will also focus on vehicleversatility, Spoehr said.

Were going to procure trucks thatare adaptable so they can be used inmany dierent environments and have

Equipment Transporter System and thePalletized Load System.

Today, a large part of the Armys

light TWVeet is the Humvee. Whilethe Army is no longer buying newHumvees, it is instead looking at recapi-talizing some and procuring the JointLight Tactical Vehicle.

Also part of the TWV strategy areplans to incorporate about 18,000 to19,000 MRAP vehicles into the Armyeet, and to transition the currentlyjoint MRAP program to the Army. ARNEWS/C. Todd Lopez

newTacticalWheeledVehicleStrategy.

2015, in conjunction with the Armys240th birthday.

e coins feature artwork thatcommemorates the Army at war, theArmy during peacetime and the mod-ern Army.

e three coins range in price fromjust under $20 to $450. ARNEWS/C. Todd Lopez

Formoreinformation,visittheU.S.Mintwebsiteat:www.usmint.gov/catalog.


28/52


CCORDING to the NationalAssociation of Child CareResource and Referral Agencies,

barely 10 percent of child developmentfacilities nationwide are accredited.Within the Department of Defense,

however, 98 percent ofchild development pro-grams are accredited.

We wont connecta military Family with aprogram that we know isnot developmentally ap-propriate and not highquality, said Lee Ratli,acting CommunityBased Division chiefat Family and Morale,Welfare and RecreationCommand.

Child care is aquality of life issue, heexplained. Its vital ourSoldiers know their chil-dren are taken care of,that they are in a high-quality environment.

Army CYSS hasbeen working for morethan a decade to ensureArmy child care on

installations is fully ac-credited. In recent years,the focus has been towork with the NAC-CRRA to develop qual-ity child care optionsoutside the gates.

More than 14,000children of active-duty,National Guard and

Reserve Soldiers are currently enrolledin Army-sponsored, community-based

programs that meet state licensing and/or national accreditation requirements.

Building on the success of ArmyChild, Youth and School Services, theDOD plans to launch an initiative thisyear to improve the quality and quan-tity of child care available for reserve-component personnel and Familiesliving in areas not directly supported bya military installation child care system.

e DOD will coordinate withfederal and state agenciesincluding

DOD to offer child care improvements forgeographically dispersed Soldiers, Families

StorybyBillBradner A

TheArmyisworkingwithfederalandstateagenciestoensurethatSoldierslikeSpc.EllaneMarquez


29/52

27

health and human services and HeadStartto improve the quality andavailability of commercial and commu-nity-based child care.

is initiative will also enhanceeorts to secure quality, community-based child care options by workingwith state agencies, including healthand human services and Head Start.e DOD can assist in the develop-ment of more accredited programs, andthose that meet its standards of carewill be added to the list of approvedproviders.

Once the facility or program isapproved, servicemembers and Familiesfrom all services can receive pricescomparable to those on post throughmilitary subsidies to the child care fees.

irteen states have been selectedto participate in the pilot program:Alaska, California, Colorado, Dela-ware, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Ken-tucky, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia,Vermont and Washington. e states

were selected based on a variety ofcriteria, ranging from lack of a militaryinstallations to support of deployedSoldiers (such as Vermont), and theimpact on the existing child care sys-tem due to high numbers of deployedSoldiers (North Carolina, Kentucky,Texas and Washington).

State liaisons will provide techni-cal and training assistance to thoseagencies and providers willing to takeappropriate steps to improve the qual-

ity of care.e end goal is to increase the

availability of quality child care nomatter where they live, Ratli said.But this will also help the U.S.improve quality in early childhoodenvironments across the nation.Bill Bradnerworks forFMWRCPublicAffairs.

Myaa,19months,helpshermom,StaffSgt.MyrandaChaney,asupplysergeantatU.S.ArmyReserveCommandG-2/6,cleanupafteraCYSSThanksgivingdinner.MyaaisenrolledintheCDCpretoddlerclass.

AlmaCarriker(behindchildren),anafter-schoolprogramassistantwithChild,YouthandSchoolsServices,joinsagroupofchildreninwelcomingattendeestotheEducatorsAppreciationReception,Sept.11,2010,atFortMcPherson,Ga.


30/52


31/52


32/52


33/52


34/52


35/52


36/52


37/52


38/52


39/52


40/52


program for executing health, tnessand nutrition activities within CYSSprograms.e curriculum guide is ac-companied by a resource kit with foodmodels, pedometers, fat and muscle

models, yoga tapes, etc., to help sup-port the learning environment.customized version of the PresidentsChallenge, a nationalphysical activity and t-ness awards program. GetFit, Be Strong! providescontinued opportunitiesto keep young peopleactive through sports andphysical tness activitiesat higher levels of physicaldevelopment within theyouth programs.

It is our health andtness campaign to com-bat obesity that supportsMrs. Obamas Lets Movecampaign, McGrath said.We know that (youth)oftentimes dont receivethe nutritional value, ac-cording to USDA, that isrequired for them daily,

McGrath said.And theyre less active

at home because they areliving sedentary lifestyles,she continued. Play hasa signicant value in achilds life.ey need tobe active. Play helps themsocialize and learn how to be amember of a team.

Because its not always avail-able in schools, you see after-school

programs trying to pick up that slack.We know how valuable our sports andtness program is, and thats why its asignicant portion of our framework inschool-age and middle-school and teenprograms.

According to Health and HumanServices Department and PresidentsChallenge ocials, children require 60minutes of activity a day to burn thecalories they consume.

McGrath hopes these programs will

get the Armys youth involved in sometype of physical activity and instilllifelong habits.

Were not a competitive sportsorganization, she said. Were recre-ational and intramural.ats why we

really promote and adhere to our 50percent playing rule. When you join ateam, we want you to participate. Werenot interested in running programs

where children sit on the bench. It doesthem no good to sit on the bench.e50 percent playing rule allows for each

participant to play at least 50 percentof the game.

And thats a constant struggle forus because we have those folks whowant us to run competitive teams, butwere not built that way, McGrathadded. Were not structured that waybecause when we start running com-petitive teams, then we leave childrenout. We want to include children inour program. We dont want to excludechildren.

e bottom line, McGrath said, isabout much more than just exercise.Its learning lifelong healthy habits.

Its not just a one-time deal. at takestraining and education, and thats whatwe need to do with our kids. If wemake it fun, entertaining, (and) excit-ing, and wow them with our program-ming, then well be successful."

TimHippsworksfor FMWRC PublicAffairs.

TheCYSSSportsandFitnessprogramprovidesopportunitiesformilitarykidstodevelopphysical,social,emotionalandcognitiveabilities.

It is our health and fitness campaign to

combat obesity that supports Mrs. ObamasLets Move campaign.


41/52


42/52


43/52


44/52


45/52


46/52


THE U.S. Army Old GuardFife and Drum Corps plays anactive role in telling Americas

story. Its through its uniqueness thatit is able to pass on a passion for musicand history that its members say in-spires and teaches the next generation.

As an element of the 3rd U.S. In-fantry Regiment, e Old Guard, theArmys oldest active-duty infantry regi-ment, e Old Guard Fife and DrumCorps is one of the Armys four specialbands. Its 69 Soldier-musicians serveas goodwill ambassadors for the Army,performing at more than 500 eventseach year. From playing for the presi-dent and honored guests on the SouthLawn of the White House to perfor-mances in Hometown USA, the Corpshas become a national icon, reachingmillions of spectators annually.

e uniforms the Corps Soldierswear represent those worn by Gen.George Washingtons ContinentalArmy, and their interactions with thepublic bring that history to life.

Playing at elementary schools al-lows the Fife and Drum Corps a great

opportunity to reach todays youth,explained StaSgt. Rebecca Davidson,fe instrumentalist. Its a thrill to notonly see their faces light up when westart playing but to leave knowing youtruly taught them a piece of Americanhistory. Its always the question-and-answer session we do after a show thatgets the kids really excited.

e Corps musicians said thegoal of a performance is to keep theaudience engaged and excited, and

they whole-heartedly embrace thatchallenge. Corps members, who playon handmade rope-tensioned drums,10-hole wooden fes and single-valvebugles, maintain bonds with theiryoung fans long after a performance.

Over the years, weve receivedhundreds of pieces of fan mail fromchildren weve played for. We like tothink we ignite their love of historyat an early age, said Sgt. 1st ClassMatthew Huddleston, U.S. Army Old

StoryandphotosbyStaffSgt.AlexanderBorisovThe Fife and

Drum CorpsPassingthetorchtothenextgenerationofmusicians


47/52

45

Guard Fife and Drum Corps DrumMajor. Its a Corps member favorite togo through these letters and write themback. Its an interaction and experi-ence you dont see anywhere else in theArmy.

With a strong following in the NewEngland and Midwest regions, ngand drumming is a vibrant pastimefor todays youth with hundreds ofcorps throughout the country.roughdirect interactions with these civiliangroups, the Old Guard Fife and DrumCorps is able to do something no othermilitary band can: truly immerse them-selves in a genre.

Growing up with a daughter inthe tradition ofng and drumming

was fantastic. As a father, somethingthat really touched me was watchingher face when she saw the Old Guardperform in our hometown, said DavidArns, a Midwest fe and drum corpsparent. She looked at them as the rock

stars of the fe and drum world.e Corps strong outreach pro-

gram is at the heart of Soldier-youngmusician relationships. rough dedi-cated events and appearances such asthe annual Old Guard Juniors Work-shop, the Soldier-to-youth interactionis further fostered. In 2010, the Corpshosted its sixth such event.

To commemorate its 50th anniver-sary, Corps alumni and current mem-bers volunteered to teach and mentor

workshop participants. e workshopis a unique event within the Army,and currently one of only a handful ofevents designed specically for the na-tions younger generation.

e Corps Education Outreach

coordinator, StaSgt. Jay Martin,explained: Our goal here in the Corpsis to continue what weve done, whatwere doing and foremost, what weregoing to do, so we can push furtherahead in our outreach to todays youth.When you start such a groundbreakingevent like our Juniors Workshop, itsup to you to make sure it continues togrow.

Held on historic Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., just across the


48/52


Potomac River from the nationscapital, the weekend-long camp brings

together more than 100 young musi-cians from across the United States.e days are lled with a wide array ofclasses ranging from music composi-tion, marching basics and even a sneakpeak into the life of other Old Guardelements. According to the partici-pants, everyone has a great time.

Soldiers from the Fife and DrumCorps are there to teach classes andshuttle students between eventsthroughout the day. Members take par-

ticipants under their wings and makesure their weekend runs smoothly.

Soldiers explained that its this closeinteraction that fosters an environmentwhere each child wants to learn.

e Juniors Workshop is thehighlight of my year. Obviously youleave the weekend with a bunch ofmusical advice, but the best part isthe experiences and (the) friendshipsyou form with Old Guard members,Patrick McHale, a 2010 Old GuardJuniors Workshop participant, said.Its like having an older sibling you

can really look up to.As Soldiers welcomed the par-

ticipants, the Corps buildings hallsbustled with excited chatter about whatthe weekends activities would hold.e workshop provides many kidswith the opportunity to meet with oldfriends and quickly make new ones.

Since I became a member of theFife and Drum Corps, to experiencethe Juniors Workshop and to see all ofthe kids running around, seeing theirfriends and saying hello to our Soldiers,never gets old. Some of them have


49/52

47

been attending the workshop since itstarted, and its so moving to see their

progress, said StaSgt. Kara Loyal, afe instrumentalist. More importantly,you soon realize youve made lifelongfriends out of the students you teachtheres no greater event for everyone tobuild camaraderie.

e capstone of the weekend, andsomething that lies within the coreof the fe-and-drum world, was thejam session. Participants agreed thatwas the moment they waited for allweekendan opportunity to play with

the Soldiers of the Old Guard Fifeand Drum Corps. eres no rhyme or

reason to how its pieced togetherthe beauty lies in the simplicity andspontaneity of the session, participantssaid. e concept: Musicians gather enmasse, someone starts a song and theentire collective joins in. e jam ses-sion showcased the eorts of both theSoldiers and their students. Brought to-gether by music and a common threadof patriotism, the young musiciansjoined the ranks of the next generationto carry on this American legacy.

As keepers of the ame, we notonly chronicle the legacy of military

music, but we also look to the horizonto ensure the art form continues, saidChief Warrant Ocer 4 Frederick Ell-wein, U.S. Army Old Guard Fife andDrum Corps commander. Its aboutinspiring the future leaders of ournation through the interaction withtodays Soldiers.

GuardFifeandDrumCorps.


50/52

The nations strength starts here.

www.army.mil/facesofstrength

Retired Lt. Col. James Graham

When Lt. Col. Rick Graham found an Afghan child in need of

medical care, he knew who to call on for helphis father, retired

Lt. Col. James Graham, a 28-year member of the Army National

it was him. James Graham and his wife, Roberta, immediately

raised the funds to bring the child, Quadrat, and his father, Hakim,

to the United States for the heart surgery the boy needed. When

Quadrat passed away after his return to Afghanistan, James and

Roberta Graham raised $13,000 to help Hakim build a clinic and

school in his village in Quadrats honor and name. The school and

the clinic continue to grow today with James Grahams assistance.


51/52


52/52

Documents

Soldiers Magazine Apr 11