Army Community Service Overview
8 November 2010
Mrs. Ginalyn Cowles
Chief, Army Community Service
Our mission is to provide standardized, effective & efficient
services, facilities and infrastructure to Soldiers, Families and
Civilians for an Army and Nation engaged in persistent conflict.
Army Community Service Overview
Functional Breakdown
Family and Morale, Welfare and
Recreation (FMWR)
Business Support
Division
Bowling
Commercial Sponsorship
Financial Management
Food and Beverage
Golf
Lodging
Marketing
Private Organizations
Solicitation Permits
Supply
Vet Services
Child, Youth and
School Services
Division
Child Development Center
Family Child Care
Outreach
School Age Services
School Liaison Officer
SKIES Unlimited
Youth Centers
Youth Sports and Fitness
Recreation
Division
Adult Sports/Fitness
Arts, Crafts and Tickets
Hunt Lodge
RV Storage
POV Resale
BOSS ( Better Opportunities for
the Single Soldiers
Frontier Conference Center
Fitness Centers
Indoor and Outdoor Pools
Outdoor Recreation
Rod & Gun
Skate Park and Mini Golf
Outdoor Recreation Rental
Flying
Fox Hunt
Skeet Range
Stables
Special Events
Army
Community
Service
Army Emergency Relief
Army Family Action Plan
Army Family Team Building
Mobilization and Deployment
Exceptional Family Member
Program
Family Advocacy Program
Financial Readiness
Information and Referral
Army Volunteer Corps
Relocation Readiness
Survivor Outreach Services
Installation Victim Advocate
Employment Readiness
Military Family Life Consultant
New Parent Support Program
Army Community Service Overview
ACS Mission
To provide…
Comprehensive, Coordinated and
Responsive services which support
readiness of Soldiers, Civilian employees
and their Family members.
Army Community Service Overview
Army Emergency Relief
Information and Referral
Army Family Action Plan
Relocation Readiness
Army Family Team Building
Survivor Outreach Services
Army Volunteer Corps
Installation Victim Advocate
Mobilization and Deployment
Employment Readiness
Exceptional Family Member
Military Family Life Consultant
Program
New Parent Support Program
Family Advocacy Program
Soldier and Family Assistance
Financial Readiness
Center
Army Community Service Overview
Information and Referral Program
• Community Information and Referral
• Resource Files
– Central Files for ACS
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Fax Services
Copy Machine
Public Computers
Public Phones
Army Community Service Overview
New Issues
New Issues
HQDA
AFAP Conference
(Jan)
Mid-Level
AFAP Conferences
(Mar – Jun)
Garrison/Unit
AFAP Conferences
(Oct – Dec)
New issues added
Army Staff works issues
In Process Review (Mar)
GOSC Meeting
(Jan)
GOSC Meeting
(Jun)
Army Staff works
issues
In Process Review
(Sep)
Issue Updates
Active Issues
Army Community Service Overview
AFAP Issues
High visibility/wide impact issues
 TRICARE for Life
 Distribution of MGIB Benefits to Dependents
Low cost issues with a high quality of life return
 Convicted Sex Offender Registry OCONUS
 Family Care Plan Provider Access to Installations
 Creation of Family Readiness Groups
Timely/relevant issues
 Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation at Military Medical Centers
 Eligibility for Surviving Spouses Educational Benefits
Issues that create parallels to civilian standards of living
 In-state College Tuition
 Audio/Video Surveillance in Childcare Centers
Costly, impractical, unsupported issues are declared unattainable
 Relocation of Pets from OCONUS – Lack of support
 Retirement Dislocation Allowance – Costly
Army Community Service Overview
Army Family Team Building
To educate and train America’s Army in a wide variety
of knowledge, skills, and behaviors designed to make
them more self-reliant . . .
and prepared to meet the challenges of the future.
Army Community Service Overview
What is Army Family Team
Building?
• 3 Levels of Classes
•Introduction to the Army (Level 1)
•Immediate Skills (Level 2)
•Advanced Skills for Leaders (Level 3)
• Instructor Training Program
• ACS Master Trainer Program
Army Community Service Overview
Army Volunteer Corps
•Recruitment and placement of Volunteers
•Records management
•Training opportunities
•Recognition
•Special events
Army Community Service Overview
Why is volunteering important?
• It empowers individuals
• It adds value to not-for-profit organizations
• It strengthens communities
• It’s worth millions to the community!
Army Community Service Overview
Financial Readiness Program
– Mandatory Trainings
• Debt Card Management
• Pre-move education
• 1st termers
– Prevention Trainings
• Budgeting & Planning
• Understanding Credit
• Investing Seminar
• Consumer Awareness
• Car Buying
• Debt Management
• Real Estate in the Military
Army Community Service Overview
Army Emergency Relief
Mission:
“ To collect and hold funds and to relieve distress of
personnel of the Army of the United States and their
dependents”
- Certificate of Incorporation, 3 March 1942
Operations:
Private, not for profit, charitable organization
Army Community Service Overview
AER Assistance Categories
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Food
Rent
Utilities
Emergency travel
Vehicle repair
Funeral expenses
Medical/dental expenses
Army Community Service Overview
Children’s Scholarships
• Scholarships based on financial need, academics, and
leadership/achievement for each academic year.
• GPA of a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Full time undergraduate students
• Dependents of a Soldier on federal active duty, a
retiree, or a deceased active or retired Soldiers
Army Community Service Overview
Employment Readiness Program
• Resume Writing and Review
• Career Coaching
• Resource Library
• Weekly Job Postings and semi-annual Job Fairs
• Army Spouse Employment Partnership (ASEP)
Army Community Service Overview
Relocation Readiness Program
• Newcomers’ Orientation
• Sponsorship Training
• ESL-English as a Second Language
• Citizenship and Naturalization Information
• Get Your Move On – Relocation for CONUS & OCONUS
moves
• Loan Closet
Army Community Service Overview
Exceptional Family Member Program
• Education
• Advocacy
• Links to Community Resources
• Training
• Respite Care
• Family Support Group
Army Community Service Overview
Mobilization and Deployment
Program
• Pre and Post-Deployment Briefings and Trainings
• Support Groups for Families with Deployed Soldiers
• Assisting with the Soldier Readiness Process (SRP)
• Family Readiness Group Training
• Family Assistance Center (FAC) for Emergency Events
Army Community Service Overview
Military Family Life Consultant
• A Military Family Life Consultant is a licensed Mental
Health Provider who provides one to two confidential,
solution-focused sessions to all within the Military
Community.
– The Consultant rotates every 90 days.
• Military Family Life Consultant do assist in briefing lifeskills classes and deployment related classes.
Army Community Service Overview
Soldier and Family Assistance
Center
• Provide tailored, integrated support services dedicated to
serving Wounded Warriors, Warriors in Transition,
Wounded DoD Civilians, and their Family members.
• We ensure that Warriors and their Families receive timely
and convenient information and referrals within a
nurturing environment as they transition back to duty or to
civilian life.
Army Community Service Overview
Mission Statement
“Embrace and reassure Survivors that they are continually
linked to the Army Family through a unified support
program that enables them to remain an important part of
the Army Family for as long as they desire.”
• Survivors are defined as:
– Primary and Secondary Next of Kin such as Spouse,
Children, Parents, Persons in Loco Parentis, Siblings
Army Community Service Overview
Program Objectives
• Help Survivors cope with the loss of their loved one.
• Provide enhanced services to Families of the Fallen.
• Improve responsiveness and streamline the assistance
process for Families.
• Ensure Survivors have access to all entitled benefits.
Army Community Service Overview
Family Advocacy Program
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Education and Training For Command and Soldiers
Parenting Support and Health Relationship Training
Anger & Stress Management
•
Installation Victim Advocate
– 24 / 7 Hotline
• Domestic Violence
• Sexual Assault
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New Parent Support Program
– Parenting
– Home Visits
– Play Groups
– Pregnancy / Post Partum focus
– Child Safety
Army Community Service Overview
Army Family Covenant
The United States Army committed $1.4 billion this fiscal year to improving the quality of life
for Soldiers and Families.
– America’s Army: The Strength of the Nation TM
• Army Family Covenant
– We recognize…
» The commitment and increasing scarifies that our Families are making
everyday.
» The strength of our Soldiers cones from the strength of their Families.
– We are committed to…
» Providing Soldiers and Families a quality of life that is commensurate
with their service.
» Providing our Families a strong, supportive environment where they
can thrive.
» Building a partnership with Army Families that enhance their strength
and resilience.
– We are committed to improving Family readiness by…
» Standardizing and funding existing Family programs and services.
» Increasing accessibility and quality health care.
» Improving Soldier and Family housing.
» Ensuring excellence in school, youth services and child care.
» Expanding education and employment opportunities for Family
members.
Army Community Service Overview
FMWR AFC Initiatives:
Army Community Service
Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) instituted respite care program,
summer camp partnership program with Child, Youth and School Services,
Specialized Training for Military Parents (STOMP) workshop and weekend
bowling program.
Family Advocacy Program partners with the Alliance Against Family Violence
Center to provide advocacy and shelter support for Families experiencing
domestic conflicts.
Expand New Parent Support Program
Establish Army Integrated Family Support Network
Sexual Assault Program