Saturday, January 12, 2008

Steering committee completes 10 Army Family Action Plan issues

The General Office Steering Committee met recently as part of the Army Family Action Plan conference and completed 10 issues, including family counseling at remote locations, allowing contractors to enroll children in DoD schools and family member access to e-learning.

Gen. Richard A. Cody, vice chief of staff of the Army, chaired the GOSC meeting. He stressed the importance of the Army Covenant, which encompasses many of the programs
that are briefed and discussed at the AFAP, then mentioned the active involvement in AFAP by the chief of staff of the U.S. Army and the secretary of the Army.

Senior DoD and Army leaders reviewed 24 issues. Ten were declared completed and nine were ruled “active” and will continue to be worked until declared completed or unattainable. AFAP delegates also submitted a list of what they voted as the most important issues currently being addressed.

The 10 completed issues were:
o Untimely finance transactions: The Defense Joint Military Pay System processes pay twice a month and up to eight times a month for the Reserve Component. The Defense Finance and Accounting Service implemented a change to its defense military pay office suite of software that allows installation finance offices to track timeliness of pay transactions by source activity using the date received in finance. As of November, the performance standards for pay timeliness across the department was 97 percent, a statistic that is monitored by the Personnel and Pay Council at the Office of the Secretary of Defense level. A Defense Integrated Military Human Resource System is scheduled to be on line in October.
o Marriage and family counseling services in remote access: Families can get counseling services through Military OneSource. The military has funded a program to provide therapists to deliver services to families in remote areas. Between 15 to 30 percent of families in post-deployment status require some professional intervention in some type of marriage or family services. A plan is in place to add 42 more chaplains, therapists and chaplain’s assistants to remote areas for families. Services are also available from the Department of Veteran’s Affairs Re-adjustment Counseling Program.
o TRICARE information for Reserve components: TRICARE’s services and information is simplified and will be available through brochures, CDs and briefings. A 24/7 toll-free line is available to provide information on dental and medical benefits, with explanations available in Spanish. This service is in high demand and is considered very successful in providing clearer, more simplified and understandable information for the user.
o Non-chargeable leave for deployed Soldiers: In April, the Office of the Secretary of Defense implemented a post deployment/mobilization respite absence program which provides days of non-chargeable administrative absences to Soldiers who mobilize for deployment with a frequency beyond established rotation policy goals. Rest and Recreation leave increased from 15 days to 18 days for Soldiers deployed for 15 months. This applies to active duty and Reserves. For Soldiers who are extending, there is a request to have additional R&R authorized for them as well.
o Terminal leave restrictions for Soldiers in the Physical Disability Evaluation System: Soldiers will be able to use accrued leave during the PDES process as long as leave periods do not conflict with medical treatment or scheduled PDES boards. An independent action by the Army Medical Action Plan working group resulted in a change to terminal leave for active and reserve component wounded warriors in transition, Soldiers processing through and Soldiers who have completed the PDES. As of Aug. 7, Soldiers are authorized to take transition leave, formerly called terminal leave.
o Equal compensatory time for full-time Non-Appropriated Fund employees: Effective October, installation commanders have the authority to grant compensatory time for full-time NAF employees.
o DoD school tuition for contractors and NA employees: DoD contractor dependents are eligible for space-created, tuition-paying enrollment, effective with the school year 2007-2008. Space, but not the construction or other expansion of facilities, may be created for contractor dependents. Department of Defense Education Activity will offer enrollment to contractor students where DoDEA operates an overseas school through one of two contingencies. DODEA will guarantee enrollment for the contractor students when there is space in schools at the appropriate grade. Where DoDEA schools have reached maximum capacity, the sponsor must first apply to international schools. If the student is unable to gain admittance in a local international school, DoDEA will guarantee enrollment.
o Family member access to e-learning programs: Skillsoft Corporation has made a special reduced rate of $550 a year to government contractors, military/federal retirees, veterans, spouses and dependents for unlimited use of courseware and books, or $400 without books. SkillPort e-learning site includes more than 2,000 courses and 100 certification preparatory exams. Patrons can access information SkillPort on the Army e-learning portal on Army Knowledge Online.
o Audio/video surveillance at child development centers: this issue addressed a need for video surveillance systems in child and youth facilities as a deterrent to child abuse in the facilities. Surveillance systems are now in all child development centers. In 2003, the surveillance systems were expanded to school age and youth centers. Surveillance systems have been funded, and are now part of standard designs for all future child and youth facilities.
o Family readiness support assistants: As of Nov. 27, 669 FRSA’s have been hired. Funding has been approved for a total of 1,011 family readiness support assistants in active, Guard and Reserve deployable units. Funding for these positions has been distributed to the Army commands.
The top six critical actives issues previously introduced into the AFAP process (as determined by this year’s delegates) include:
o Allow Soldiers with at least 10 years of service to transfer their Montgomery GI Bill benefits to their dependents.
o Establish a comprehensive integrated rehabilitative program for traumatic brain injury patients at military medical centers of excellence.
o Provide retroactive Traumatic Service Members’ Group Life Insurance compensation to Soldiers with qualifying injuries occurring between Oct.7, 2001, and Nov. 3, 2005, consistent with Soldiers injured in Operation Iraqi Freedom an Operation Enduring Freedom.
o Direct all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories to grant unemployment compensation to military spouses who leave a job because of a PCS move.
o Reduce member cost share to 20 percent for dental services not already covered at 100 percent in the TRICARE Dental Program and TRICARE Retiree Dental program. Increase maximum annual benefit for TDP and TRDP to $1,500.
o Allow Reserve Component Soldiers and Family members up to one year post-mobilization to identify the need for counseling related to service-connected problems.
Additionally, the delegates voted on the top five mobilization/deployment and family readiness strengths. Included on the list were: the Army wounded warrior program; the Army Family Covenant; family readiness group support; communication with families; and post-deployment programs for Soldiers and families.
The top five mobilization/deployment and family challenges as determined by the delegates were: availability and timeliness of mental health care for Soldiers and families; frequency of deployments; stigma of seeking mental health services; inconsistent wounded warrior treatment/tracking; and family readiness group training.