Caring for people at Moody

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Melissa Mekpongsatorn
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  More than 80 Airmen, spouses and civilian employees gathered together June 2 for the first Caring for People forum conducted at Moody. Several members from the 476th Fighter Group, a reserve unit on base, got together a few days later June 5 for a smaller Caring for People forum.

The forum was a chance for Moody members to come together and voice their concerns affecting their lives, on and off duty. The forum is about the people, how to care for them and what changes need to be made. And change is just what the participants are hoping for.

"The Air Force is sometimes slow to change but change can't happen without your great ideas," said Col. Gary Henderson, 23rd Wing commander. "We are listening for things that we can better do to support you and your family."

Participants were separated into six working groups to identify concerns impacting Airmen and families. The wing commander reviews the concerns and determines whether or not they can be resolved at the installation level, if they cannot they will be sent to Air Combat Command by June 10 for resolution. Those concerns that cannot be changed at ACC will then be sent to the Air Force level for review.

Each working group discussed a topic that mattered to them. The topics included deployment support, family support, special needs support, single Airman support, health and wellness, spouse communications, reserve support and youth support.

The groups spent half a day discussing concerns and possible solutions. At the end of the day, the working groups gathered together and each group presented two areas needing most attention and improvement. The forum then voted on one of the two issues per working group thought to be the most important.

"It's amazing to see all these ideas," said Lawanna Barron, family advocacy outreach manager. "We are getting good information here."

After the voting, six out the 12 original concerns the groups voted on and two concerns the reserve unit identified were sent to the wing commander for review.

The selected areas of improvements were to simplify defense travel system deployment voucher processing, 24 hours a day seven days a week child-care support on installations, address the assignment selection process for Airmen with special needs family members at the Air Force personnel center fix an overall negative fitness culture, spouses right to direct access of information through military networks, family time instead of family support, Air Force Reserve member advancement and benefits concerns and lastly, increase awareness of youth program services.

Eight very important concerns were identified during this forum and could be instrumental in improving quality of life for our Airmen and families.

"We can all make a difference, everyone has a voice," said Master Sergeant Angel Carney, 23rd Fighter Group intelligence superintendent and participant in the forum. "It was a fantastic experience and I expect the issues to go all the way up and to be heard."

In addition to the eight concerns selected by forum members for further consideration, 36 areas of improvement were identified for the installation level.

"The Air Force is listening, leaders are listening, this is the time to be heard," said Maj. Larry Fowler, 23rd Wing deputy chaplain.

Areas of improvement that are not able to be resolved at the installation or ACC level will be sent to the Air Force level for discussion during the Air Force's formal Caring for People forum scheduled for July.