Community Blueprint to benefit Moody AFB

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Melissa K. Mekpongsatorn
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  Supporting veterans, Service members and their families is not just something that occurs on base.
Valdosta has recently taken the initiative to better help Moody team members.

Valdosta was asked by the local Military Officers Association of America chapter to be part of a program called Community Blueprint. Out of 416 cities, Valdosta was chosen to be a pilot city.

"We want to create a community effort to deal with problems veterans may face," said David Zammit, Community Blueprint chairman. "The goal is to inspire communities to develop a plan to help."

The Community Blueprint program wants to find a way to help local leaders assess and improve their community's support for veterans, warriors and their families. The Blueprint will provide information about the primary challenges veterans and their families may face while transitioning into civilian life.

"Several people are affected by it, and I think we initially underestimated that number," said Zammit.

There are eight areas that the Community Blueprint will focus on: behavioral health, education, employment, family strength, financial/legal services, homelessness, reintegration and volunteerism.

The chairman and members of the reintegration committee are already brainstorming ways to help veterans and their families.

"We want to get names of people who are getting out of the military soon and put them in touch with a mentor," said Tim Oliver, chairman of the reintegration committee. "We want to be able to point them in the right direction toward employment, counseling, whatever they may need.

"We want to know what the Service member's biggest concern is and provide them with support," he added.

The members of the Community Blueprint program have many plans and are only in the beginning stages of its development.

"The ideas are great, it's just bringing all those ideas together and getting the word out, that is challenging," said Zammit.

I t may be a few months or even longer before the program is up and running, but more information can be found by visiting about it a facebook page is available http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Community-Blueprint-Valdosta/259033074121585 or by contacting David Zammit at david.zammit@sgmc.org.