Caring for People Forum affecting change, providing support

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Michael Ellis
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Members at MacDill Air Force Base, junior enlisted all the way up to senior officers, left their uniforms in the closet, boots and covers at home, put on their casual attire and headed to the Doubletree Hotel Tampa June 1, where each person represented just one voice.

More than 60 individuals showed up in attendance to participate in the Caring for People Forum to voice concerns or suggestions on Air Force policy and support services. This year marks the first time individuals at MacDill AFB were given the opportunity to volunteer to be a participant on the forum that would be submitting ideas to the Air Force Major Command level about the most pertinent issues effecting servicemembers, retirees and family members at MacDill.

Servicemembers, retirees, civilians and family members attended the day-long event that could potentially produce some enduring changes around the Air Force. Participants were divided into six working groups that addressed nine topics affecting military families: Spouse Communication, Family Support, Deployment Support, Special Needs Support , Single Airmen Support, Reserve Support, Housing Support and Health and Wellness Support.

An enthusiastic Brenda Cobbs attended the Health and Wellness Support working group along with two of her coworkers. Mrs. Cobbs, who has worn many hats since coming to MacDill in 1987, expressed how the Caring For People Forum was her first time taking part in an event where she could communicate her opinions and ideas that could affect change.

"The forum was very informative and well received by the participants. It was very refreshing to come together from different areas and realize that at the end of the day what really matters is 'people,' " said Mrs. Cobbs, the spouse of a retired chief master sergeant, who now works as a budget analysis at the 6th Medical Group. "Then we saw how all of us together help the Wing meet its mission by ensuring families, and singles needs are being met. The mix of participants was excellent."

Technical Sgt. Demetria Washington also attended the Health and Wellness Support working group. Sergeant Washington's main concern was, "to improve the marketing of the health and wellness programs available to servicemembers." Sergeant Washington is a manager at the Short Fitness Center and sees firsthand how the programs here are not being taken advantage of by military members at MacDill AFB.

An estimated 80 percent of military members assigned to MacDill live off base, with the majority residing in the Brandon area. An idea that came up during the Health and Wellness focus group was to have a fitness facility in Brandon, just like the current clinic that caters to the service members and families living in the area. Ideas such as these from less than two dozen people could affect the majority of those on MacDill.

Although there is not a facility located in the Brandon area, there are fitness centers that offer 50 percent off as an incentive for military members, Sergeant Washington added.

Chief Master Sgt. (Ret.) Janice Crowley, spouse of the current Command Chief Master Sergeant at MacDill, attended the School Support/Special Needs Support working group. During her permanent change of station to MacDill her daughter, who was a high school junior at the time, was automatically zoned into a certain school based on locality. With no one in place to help Chief Crowley get her daughter placed in another school that better matched her daughter's current academic level, she placed her in private school.

Since January 2011 there is now a School Liaison Officer permanently assigned to the Airman and Family Readiness Center at each Air Force installation responsible for supporting military families transitioning into new bases as well as assisting them with issues that may arise with their school districts. This position was added at all Air Force installations at the recommendation of participants at the 2009 Air Force-level Caring for People Forum.

Many thought-provoking questions were raised; many new intuitive ideas were developed and some current Air Force policies were even defended.

Staff Sgt. Nicolas Jack, who attended the Deployment Support working group, voiced his defense of the current pre-deployment training policy.

Discussion after discussion, questions and more questions, all in all after more than four hours of deliberations, participants convened in one room where each working group presented the top two issues they felt could not be resolved at the installation level and needed support from the MAJCOM or Air Force. Then the top 10 issues were voted on. These top 10 issues will be forwarded to the MAJCOM, where a similar process will take place. Their top issues will be forwarded to the Air Force Caring for People Forum being held later this summer.

According to Mrs. Lisa LaConte, Caring for People coordinator, the work accomplished by the participants will benefit the MacDill community. Issues identified that can be addressed at the installation level will be shared with the MacDill Integrated Delivery Systems team, which will develop a resolution plan and track progress. The MacDill IDS team will publicize a complete listing of the forum results in the near future, as well as provide updates on installation issues as they are resolved.