A panel of eleven delegates that make up the AFAP Employment Issues Working Group met today to determine the top two most pressing employment concerns raised by Army installations around the world for presentation to Army senior leadership in hopes of improving quality of life for all members of the Army Community.
The delegates come from various installations and represent the demographic makeup of the Army Community which includes active duty and reserve Soldiers, Department of the Army Civilians, Family members, Wounded Warriors and surviving spouses of deceased Soldiers.
The Employment Issues Workgroup convened for several hours to consider the twelve issues they were given to prioritize in ranking order of importance. Some of the issues addressed were DA Civilians Paid Parental Leave, Compensatory Time for DA Civilians and Government Employee Access to Tricare Reserve Select. Once the group agreed on the top five most important issues, they will whittle those down to what the group determines to be the two most urgent issues to be considered by Army senior leadership.
According to Deborah Coubrough, a Civilian delegate currently based in Okinawa, Japan., all five will be sent back to the installations with a status report and recommendation that the three issues which did not make the Employment Issues Workgroup’s top two be re-submitted next year. “We can only brief [leadership] about two issues, and time-sensitive issues are addressed sooner to get those resources to Soldiers and Family members, but that doesn’t mean the other issues are forgotten” she said.
Many of the delegates who are part of the Employment Issues Working Group are excited to be a voice for those who could not attend the conference and believe the issues raised will make an impact in the way the Army does business in an effort to take care of all members of the Army Community.
“The Army Family gives so much for this country, and this is a way for our country to give back,” said Elise Becton, an AFAP coordinator and volunteer since 2001. “I expect people to go back to their installations enthused about this process and know that Army senior leaders really do care.”
Coubrough agrees. “Gen. [George] Casey, Chief of Staff of the Army, has been faithful to his promise to Army Family Members ever since signing the Army Family Covenant, and I know that whatever comes out of this conference will be worked on,” she said. “Regulations do get changed.”
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