MFAP gives voice to military families

Dr. Denise Horton, Military Family Action Plan Conference working group facilitator, speaks to participants during this year’s annual Military Family Action Plan Conference held May 6, 2015 at the Timmermann Center at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. Team MDL hosted its sixth joint Military Family Action Plan, with 76 participants from throughout the installation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Katherine Tereyama)

MFAP gives voice to military families

Military family members in the teen working group discuss quality-of-life initiatives during this year’s annual Military Family Action Plan Conference held May 6, 2015 at the Timmermann Center at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. Team MDL hosted its sixth joint Military Family Action Plan, with 76 participants from throughout the installation. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Katherine Tereyama)

MFAP gives voice to military families

Published May 15, 2015
By Staff Sgt. Katherine Tereyama
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- G.I. Bill. Thrift Savings Plan. Service Group Life Insurance.

Vital initiatives like these are examples of quality-of-life improvements created through the Military Family Action Plan, a forum for service members, retirees and their families to voice issues and develop solutions to meet their needs.

May 6, Team MDL hosted its sixth joint Military Family Action Plan Conference here, with 76 participants from throughout the installation, all coming together to discuss topics they face.

"We sat down and brain stormed some of the issues that we all have, for people the work on the base, live on the base and use the medical facilities," said Petty Officer 1st Class Sheikish Carter, Fleet Logistics Support Squadron - 64 (VR-64) personnel specialist and working group participant. "Prior to coming here, I had issues. I didn't know if it was just my issue or if it was an everybody issue. Then I started talking to people and I realized it was an everybody issue. I think platforms like this are very important because it gets people talking."

The joint base's community support coordinator, Lisa Williams, and her team of volunteers and facilitators organized participants into working groups. Using best practices from previous installations or experience from frequently-used programs, service members, retirees, spouses and dependents all joined together to create initiatives.

"My two sons are in the [Exceptional Family Member] Program, so I know a little bit about it because I am actually dealing with it," Carter said about streamlining the EFMP referral process for joint base newcomers.

Michael Avila, member of the teen working group and 17-year-old son of Sgt. 1st Class Nigel Towler, 174th Infantry Brigade said his group, "discussed a disconnect between teens that lived on base and those that live off base and the different activities that are offered on the installation.

"Using best practices, we were able to expand the Air Force Teen Council throughout the joint base."

Among the issues discussed, working group members focused on increasing base safety, streamlining processes, improving EFMP and adding variety to customer service facilities.

At the conclusion of the conference, working group members briefed their findings and resolutions to the joint base's Community Action Information Board. The status of each issues resolution will be briefed at the quarterly CAIB meeting

"Our ideas and our issues do matter," said Carter. "There are ways to go about getting things changed and I think this conference is going to bring about change, because we did have a lot of issues that need to be addressed, and I think that they will."