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FORT MCPHERSON, Ga. (April 2, 2008) - Editor's Note:
ARCENT will host its own AFAP conference 9-14 June, with the final
issues being forwarded directly to Department of the Army for
consideration at the Department of the Army AFAP conference
scheduled for Nov. Issue papers have been mailed to the ARCENT
community and more information will be forthcoming on the ARCENT
FRG website at /frg/.
Your input can make a difference. This was demonstrated recently
as USARCENT Soldiers and their Families participated in the Army
Family Action Program (AFAP).
AFAP is a grassroots suggestion program where Soldiers and
Families recommend changes to improve life in the Army. Issues are
submitted at the unit levels and eventually progress through
reviews at the installation, major command, and Department of the
Army levels.
"In its 22 year history, the Army Family Action Plan has brought
over 600 issues to the attention of top Army leadership," said Lt.
Gen. James J. Lovelace, Commanding General. "It lets Soldiers and
Families say what's working, what isn't, and what they think will
fix it."
Though no longer a part of FORSCOM, USARCENT submitted 15 issues
to the recent Forces Command (FORSCOM) AFAP Conference in Atlanta,
four of which were chosen to be included in the 12 issues FORSCOM
will forward to the Department of the Army. These were:
- Recommending not charging Rest and Recuperation (R&R Leave)
to deployed Soldiers in the war zone to allow Soldiers more time
with their Families during redeployment.
- Recommending all deployed Soldiers who depart the Theater on
emergency leave not be charged leave during their absence. It is
felt that charging leave in times of duress only increases stress
on Soldiers and Families.
- Recommending a change to the criteria for Basic Allowance for
Housing (BAH) to include the number of dependents in a family and
to authorize installations to determine Military Housing Area
mileage radius used in BAH rate calculation. This means more money
for Soldiers with larger Families and who live farther than 20
miles from their military installation.
- Recommending a change in the posthumous immigration benefits
for alien spouses, children, or parents. Currently, alien spouses,
children, or parents may be deported in the event of the death of
the active duty sponsor. The recommendation is to provide the same
posthumous immigration benefits to alien spouses, children, or
parents of service members (U.S. Citizen/Non U.S. Citizen) who die
in the line of duty as those afforded to the Family members of
Service Members who die in combat.
CPT Tina Hill and SFC Michael Theus represented USARCENT at the
conference and Karen Lloyd, a family member, also served as a
volunteer. Hill and Theus noted that it was satisfying to see
Soldiers' and Families' recommendations taken seriously, cutting
through red tape and getting the Army's attention for action.
Gail Lovelace, spouse of Lt. Gen. Lovelace, also attended the
conference. "I was really impressed by the quality of our USARCENT
delegates and the issues they brought to the conference. We were
well represented in both the delegate and volunteer arenas, and I
think that shows the commitment of our ARCENT team to the AFAP
process."
Let your input make a difference and let your voice be heard by
participating in AFAP.
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