News

Caring for People forum yields ideas for change

  • Published
  • By by Jenny Gordon
  • Robins Public Affairs
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  The 3rd Annual Robins Caring for People Forum concluded March 15 with close to 130 participants this year.

"The Caring for People Forum is a critical thing for us to look at in how we're taking care of each other at the installation level," said Col. Mitchel Butikofer, Install-ation commander, during the event's kickoff. "It gives us an opportunity to feed these ideas up to the Air Force level. The work you do here is valuable, is looked at and is meaningful."

Diverse focus groups of 12 to 15 people represented issues on deployment support, military child education, family support, health and wellness, guard support, single airman support, special needs family members, housing support and spouse communication.

Among the issues discussed from last year's forum were providing families part of the Exceptional Family Member Program reimbursement for medical appointments in a 50-mile radius; developing a partnership between the Department of Defense and Immigration and Naturalization Services to help reduce out-of-pocket expenses for foreign-born dependents and their spouses; and allowing single Airmen without local family ties post-deployment leave so they could return home on temporary duty.

There was also a recommendation for states to be audited when complying with the Military Interstate Children's Compact Commission, which addresses key educational transition issues among military children.

On this year's forum, the top issues that will be further discussed in the next year include more ease of transferring college credits among higher education institutions; awareness and resources of programs with family support; cost of rent with housing; having a full-time sergeant as an additional role for Guard support; alternate daycare; expanded gym time; leadership support with single Airmen; sponsorship programs with EFMP; deployment support; pre-K before and after care; and climate change under resiliency.

As a result of last year's forum, two new focus groups were added this year - the higher education and resiliency focus groups.

Resiliency group participant Senior Airman Sean Perry said his group held a long, beneficial discussion during their morning meeting.

"I wanted to be part of this group because I see what the culture is, and I always feel like it could be better," said Perry, a 5th Combat Communications Support Squadron client systems technician. "If there is anything I could do - even in a supporting role - that can help make the culture of resiliency better, then that's what I want to do."

Col. Patricia Ross, 78th Air Base Wing vice commander, said that from an installation perspective, the annual forum's feedback is an invaluable resource.

"These issues aren't always brought to our level," she said. "While not all the issues can be worked out locally at Robins, we can certainly forward them to the appropriate place so our voices collectively can be heard."