Board listens, reacts to communities’ concerns Published Nov. 9, 2006 By Airman Rebekah Phy McGuire Public Affairs MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. -- McGuire's Community Action Information Board is the 305th Air Mobility Wing commander's working group to respond to community needs. Its purpose is to look for opportunities to improve the morale and welfare of active and reserve members, civilian government workers and family members of active duty from all services. "If you have an idea to present, as long as it benefits the community, I would like to hear from you," said Lt. Col. Donald Cole, 305th Medical Group administrator and CAIB director. "We're not just limited to the Air Force - we will soon be a joint base with the Army and Navy, so we are all one big community." Colonel Cole heads the quarterly meetings, chaired by the wing commander, with support from the group and squadron commanders and several base agencies. The CAIB is involved with many base functions, such as pre-deployment and reintegration briefings for the troops, which they continuously work to improve. "When we have an Air and Space Expeditionary Force cycle, there are certain checklist items that need to be completed before a deployment," said Don Divis, Family Support Center flight chief. "We set up a system where troops can get 95 percent of their items checked off in a pre-deployment briefing. "When a group of 10 or more returns from a deployment, they go through a reintegration briefing, which is more or less a one-stop-shop for troops to get almost all of their briefings covered," Mr. Divis said. "Within 48 hours, but no more than 72 hours, after returning from a deployment, a briefing is held, where troops can turn in travel vouchers, are taken to public health, and receive a life skills briefing." In the case where a servicemember returns from an individual deployment, rather than a mass deployment, different steps are taken to reintegrate them. "When individuals return from a deployment, they are assigned a wingman and are required to go from agency to agency on their own," Mr. Divis said. "Our goal is to cut down on their 'agency-hopping' by creating a Web site to complete document training. They would then print their certificate of completion and bring it to an authorized agency to get it signed off. "We are trying to get this accomplished, which could save troops around five hours of traveling to the different agencies," Mr. Divis said. "Our main concern is that people get all of the briefings they need and for us to make sure their health and well-being are taken care of." Some things the CAIB currently has on tap to address the needs of military families include timely suicide awareness training, how to best institutionalize and sustain required training for motorcycle safety and the Palace Hart program, an initiative to assist DoD personnel injured as a result of combat. "The board is beneficial, and we are trying to expand to get more agencies involved," Colonel Cole said. "The focus has been mostly on deployment of active-duty members, and taking care of their families, but we are trying to expand to information sessions on medical, professional and educational services," Colonel Cole added. "Most active-duty members don't understand what to do when they first get to a base, so we are trying to show them all they are entitled to take advantage of." The board is open to any and all ideas to benefit McGuire and the surrounding communities. Ideas can be e-mailed to Colonel Cole at donald.cole @mcguire.af.mil.