perspectives magazine winter 2011

8/7/2019 Perspectives Magazine Winter 2011

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Innovation is traditionally dened as

“inventing or introducing something

new.” But it can also be dened as “a

new way o doing something.”

In the rst case, innovation seems

to require immense amounts o eort:

discovering or developing a new idea

or product, creating the business case

to support it, nding the resources,

introducing a prototype, marketing surveys,

producing marketing materials, etc.…

It’s no wonder the ailure rate o start-up

companies is so high. Some experts put that

rate as high as 90% in the rst year. Te

most conservative estimate is 71% within

the rst ten years, and according to at least

one expert, “there is a good relationship

between innovation and ailure.”

Te second denition o innovation,

however, gives us room to innovate without

assuming risk or committing vast resources

o time and eort.

Te Family and MWR Command

certainly does create new programs and

activities. Operation Rising Star, when itwas rst introduced 5 years ago, was truly

innovative. We’d never done anything

like it. Tough one could argue we simply

used the second denition o innovation

by replicating the success o a popular

and established television show, the Army

Entertainment Division still had to ollow

the rules o entrepreneurship to establish

and eld the program.

Since its inception, however, Operation

Rising Stars has become a hotbed o

innovation. It was innovation that drove us

to revise how we managed the preliminary

rounds. Innovation had us seeking new

sponsors, and better prizes. Innovation wasthe root o the many stage changes over

the years, and innovation gave us to the set

we use today (which will almost certainly

be dierent in the years to come). It was

innovative when our events team moved

the voting online. Tis past season we

brought in celebrity perormers to increase

viewers… another ne innovation. And

we just added in important sponsor—

American Airlines—to reduce the cost o

bringing top-quality judges and celebrity

guests to the show.

In the case o Operation Rising Star,

it’s sae to say that Army Entertainment

Division has been innovative rom the very

beginning, and continues to be innovative

all the way through each production.

So maybe it’s time to apply a new

denition to the word:

Innovation <noun> [in-uh-vey-shun]

1. Good business management.

Every member o the FMWRC team,

rom the maintenance technician changing

light bulbs to directorate chies, should

consider themselves innovators.

When the maintenance tech realizes

he can replace bulbs in miles o walkways

with a lower wattage bulb and still meet the

saety requirements, he or she is innovating

and saving us thousands o dollars in long-

term energy costs.

When the administrative assistant

creates a basic template or script to keep

rom typing the same phrase 100 times in a

week, he or she is being innovative.When a program manager shakes the

hand o a local businessman and begins a

partnership that provides better service or

our Soldiers and Families, it’s an innovative

thought that started that process.

From Fort Hood’s Survivor Outreach

Services or USAG Hawaii’s Arts and

Crats Center, to tness programs in

Europe, you will see innovation illustrated

on the pages o this magazine, along with

nearly a dozen compelling examples o how

Overcoming Today’s Tough Challenges

P E R S P E C T I V E S Spring 2011

By MG Reuben D. Jones

Commander, FMWRC

INNOVATION

Operation Rising Star has beena hot bed of innovation since itsinception.



to take a “typical” Family and MWR activity and make it spectacular.

In some cases, partnerships and sponsors made innovation possible; in others it was the

dedication, drive and hard work o our employees or supportive managers and leaders who

worked to oster innovation in their ranks. In all cases, it was an improvement on an existing

program, not a new program or service, which made a dierence in the lives o our Soldiers

and Families.

We don’t need a think-tank to be innovative or tell us how to improve our business

models or practices. All we need are the employees we already have, and the mindset that

innovation is not scary—it’s as simple as saying “I have an idea,” and then acting on it.

Te articles in this magazine should inspire you to take your “great ideas” and make them

a reality or your customers. I encourage you to seek out innovative MWR programs rom

around the world and duplicate them within your local communities.

Our customers make great sacrices in the service o our Nation, and we owe them the

very best. I am counting on each o you to seek out new, innovative approaches in everything

we do to ensure we continue to ulll our commitment to provide the best, most aordable

Army MWR programs possible.

Your customers, your command, your Army and our Nation will thank you or it!

“Every member o the FMWRC team,

rom the maintenancetechnician changing

light bulbs todirectorate chies,should consider

themselvesinnovators.”

Spring 2011 P E R S P E C T I V E

Warrior Zones demonstrate how FMWRC is changing ourdelivery of service to meet our Soldiers’ needs... p. 19

Often innovation involves incorporating new technology in our existing programs... p. 25

Innovation is as simple as changing a lightbulb... p. 10



In October, the Army’s General

Library Inormation System switched

to new sotware. Now registered users

worldwide, including those who are

deployed, can borrow a book via GLIS.

Currently 67 o the Army MWR

Libraries have migrated to the new system.

By the end o 2012, all o the Army’s 85

main and branch libraries will be operating

under the new system.

Te GLIS sotware empowers users to

write reviews, rate books, request titles, and

renew materials. Registered

GLIS users are able to

search their library’s catalog,

view their account, search

across many data sources or

inormation, ask a librarian

or help locating inormation,

download audio books to

iPods and MP3 Players, and

read magazines and ebooks—all

online.

Te GLIS catalog also

includes enhanced library catalog

inormation — to include images

o book covers, book reviews,

tables o contents and best-seller

lists. With GLIS, deployed

Soldiers have many o the same

library and inormation services

they would have through their

installation library.For the FMWRC Library

Program, the challenge is to provide

easily-accessible and user-riendly

services, given the logistics o ever-

Instant Access to Army Libraries NowJust a Mouse Click Away

Deployed Soldiers wanting to borrow books should contact Steve Brown, Acquisitions andContingency Support Librarian, at [email protected] or more inormation.For other GLIS questions, email [email protected] or [email protected].

By Carla Pomager, FMWRC Library Program & Rob McIlvaine, FMWRC Public Aairs

moving populations, the complexity o

worldwide locations and multiple languages,

and wartime security considerations.

“We made the decision to use the

military ID card as a library card and to

use email to communicate, so that Soldiers

are able to use any MWR library, whether

deployed, on DY, or stationed in a remote

location,” FMWRC Librarian Carla

Pomager said.“Soldiers still need to contact us to

modiy their accounts or deployed service,

but then the power is in their own hands.

Te ability to do research on their own

and privately request materials is a great

innovation,” according to Germany’s Web

and Systems Librarian Amy Drayer.

Soon, library users will also be able

to search their library’s catalog and place

P E R S P E C T I V E S Spring 2011



requests through their smart phones.

But GLIS is not only a catalog o materials available within the libraries. It also links

to more than 13,000 ull text magazines, ebooks, college guides, and career inormation

resources.

Tese resources include practice tests or college entrance exams, practice tests or

entrance into the armed services, automotive repair manuals, and products geared to school

curriculums.

“Soldiers, their Families and the Civilians that support them all need to eel like they are

not isolated or in a completely dierent environment,” Drayer said.

“We provide as many dierent services as we can, to bring a sense o home to them.While our mission is to support the troops, we nd we oten support them by providing a

‘normal’ atmosphere or their Families,” she continued.

Jackie Staord, FMWR librarian in Korea, believes that the standardization o the new

system brings an added benet.

“Familiarity o any kind is helpul when traveling to a new location. I a Soldier leaves

a base where Millennium is used, he or she can eel assured about knowing how to use the

same library system at the new assignment,” Staord said.

Another distinct advantage to the new system is the transportability o the books

themselves.

Resource materials checked out rom the Yongsan library in Seoul can be returned to Fort

Belvoir in Virginia. A Soldier, about to be deployed to Iraq rom the Patrick Henry Village

installation in Heidelberg, can set up an account so that a book can be requested throughGLIS, shipped downrange to the deployed location, and returned to the loaning library.

Materials destined or Aghanistan or Iraq usually are transerred rom an FMWR library

in Europe through the Army Postal Service at no cost to the Soldier.

So, or a Soldier or Civilian stationed in the Mizan District in Zabul Province,

Aghanistan, his battle to gain knowledge or simply escape the rigors o combat or a ew

hours o rest and relaxation with a good book just got simpler.

To learn whether or not your installation library is already part o the

GLIS system, visit: http://mylibraryus.mwr.net/

MG Reuben D. Jones, Commander, FMWRC, visits the Baumholder library, where he called up a document

and conducted a sel release print o his inormation. Sel release printing is just one o the numerous

additions to the recently relocated Baumholder library.

Photo by Ignacio “Iggy” Rubalcava

Spring 2011 P E R S P E C T I V E


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Network Improves Access

to Services, SupportBy Karla A. Seijas,

FMWRC Public Aairs

he Joint Service Family Support

Network, created by the Installation

Management Command’s Paciic Region

Army Community Service sta, is a multi-

agency network o military and civilian

Family support providers that all service

members can access, regardless o branch o

service or duty location in the Paciic.

hanks to the network, Families now

receive Family support services either on

the closest military installation or in the

surrounding community. I a required

service or support program isn’t available

within a reasonable distance, community

support agencies partner with the network to step in and ill the service gap. he end

result is a complete spectrum o support

services or Families that is not

service-speciic.

he network started in

Hawaii, and has since

expanded across the

Paciic to include

Alaska North,

Alaska South,

Okinawa,

Camp Zama,Guam, America

Samoa and

other small

islands in the

Paciic.

“Our service members deserve a quality

o lie commensurate with their service,”

said FMWRC Commander, MG Reuben

D. Jones. “his makes access to servicessupporting quality o lie easier in the

Paciic Region.”

he network is supported by members

o each military branch and civilian

support agencies.

Participants in

the network

seek to work

together

and make

things easier or everyone, while solving

obstacles that arise or service members and

their Families.

One recent success involved servicemembers stationed in Japan who had

diiculty with scheduling appointments or

their children to obtain U.S. passports. he

network has a relationship with the U.S.

Embassy, so they scheduled a day where

service members and their Families had ull

access to consular

services.


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Community Support Coordinators

also identiy local resources that are

not available on installations and invite

them to participate in the network. he

Community Support Coordinators are

located throughout the Paciic Region in

all Army Community Service Centers and

Army Reserve Centers, including American

Samoa and Guam.

he network has an advisory council

and regular network meetings. he advisory

councils are comprised o Family program

employees and representatives rom

community agencies which have signed

partnership agreements with the network.

he council makes site visits to speciic

communities that Community Support

Coordinators have identiied as having gaps

in service or military Families, and seeks

out ways to ill those service gaps.

Network meetings are structured toencourage representatives to intermingle

and share inormation about services and

programs provided, oer networking

opportunities and introduce new partners.

he partnerships then enable Army

Community Service sta members to

directly reer individuals to services outside

their installations, providing aster solutions

and creating a direct link to the local

community where the service member and

their Families reside.

“hese partnerships establish the

system o support visualized upon initial

implementation o the pilot program in

2005,” according to Debbie Wheeler, the

IMCOM Paciic Program Manager.

“Community SupportCoordinators identifylocal resources that arenot available on theinstallations and invitethem to participate inthe network...

...the partnerships thenenable Army CommunityService staff members todirectly refer individualsto services outside theirinstallations.”

During the network meetings,

individuals work together and discuss

dierent topics impacting service members

and their Families, Wheeler explained.

Since the majority o problems are not

military branch speciic or service member

speciic, collaboration can easily provide a

solution.

One example o how the network

meetings are having an impact, according

to Wheeler, took place when “he Big

Brothers Big Sisters o Honolulu Program

Director attended a network meeting

hoping to recruit service members as BBBS

volunteers.”

“A discussion point during the meeting

was how children are being aected by

deployments,” Wheeler said. “he BBBS

Program Director let the meeting and

pursued grant unding or a new program

speciically aimed to support children witha deployed parent.”

Collaboration with outside agencies

such as BBBS make it possible or the Joint

Service Family Support Network to provide

a better quality o lie or service members,

regardless o where the they live or serve.



In August o 2010, 150 individuals

were selected Army-wide rom

Army Community Service to attend

a nine-day training session to

become Master Resilience rainers. Upon

completion o the training, these individuals

became responsible or perormingresilience training or Family members at

their respective installations.

Tis builds on the Comprehensive

Soldier Fitness Program Master Resilience

raining, begun in October 2008, which

assists Soldiers and Families in maximizing

their potential physical, emotional,

social, Family and spiritual well-being.

Comprehensive Soldier Fitness is being

taught Army-wide to Soldiers, Family

members and Department o the Army

Civilians.

“Tis marks a new era or the Army

Family, by comprehensively equipping and

training our Soldiers, Family members,

and Army Civilians to maximize their

potential and ace the physical and

psychological challenges o sustainedoperations,” according to a Fort Hood

ocials describing this program. “We

are committed to a true prevention

model, aimed at the entire orce, which

will enhance resilience and coping skills,

enabling them to grow and thrive in today’s

Army.”

Each installation’s Army Community

Service program educates Soldiers, Family

members and Civilians based on the

Comprehensive Soldier Fitness model,

though the program name and topics may

vary at each location. Each installation’s

Army Community Service creates the

curriculum they deem appropriate or their

installation.

For example, Fort Hood has a Family

Resilience Academy with sessionsconducted once a week or ve weeks.

Each session ocuses on dierent subjects,

such as avoiding thinking traps, energy

management, real-time resilience, use

o strengths in challenges, assertive

communications, and constructive

responding and praise.

Elke Phillips, a Family Readiness

Support Assistant at Fort Hood, recently

participated in the Family Resilience

Academy.

Spouse Resiliency AcademyBrings Comprehensive Soldier Fitness to Families

Patricia Verschage, an academy attendee, raises her hand to

answer a question asked by COL Kevin Brown, Fort Riley Garrison

Commander, during a our-day Resilient Spouse Academy at Fort

Riley, Kan. During the week, participants learned how to look or

warning signs o Soldiers under stress.

Photo by Katherine Rosario, Fort Riley Public Affairs.

By Karla A. Seijas, FMWRC Public Aairs



“In a way it was an eye opener on how I

look at my actions and reactions,” Phillips

said. “My avorite is ‘Hunt the Good

Stu ’…it doesn’t always have to be ‘me, me

me’ but can also be the infuence that I can

make on somebody else’s situation.”

According to Stephanie Mello, a

Mobilization and Deployment Specialist at

Fort Hood’s Army Community Service, the

program has been lie changing or her.

“I went to this training to learn what it

could oer to Soldiers and Families. What

I came away with was a greater knowledge

o mysel, my strengths, my weaknesses

and how to use my new skills to make me

stronger and more durable,” Mello said. “It

has been a lie changing experience, not just

or me, but or my Family and those I come

in contact with daily.”

Another solid installation model is

Fort Riley’s Resilient Spouse Academy.

According to their Academy ocials,

“Resilience starts at home and in a

networked community that cares – the

Resilient Spouse Academy is strengthening

that network.”

Te oundation o the program is to

create a network o well trained spouses

who eel better prepared and motivated

to truly make a dierence in the lives o

individual Soldiers and their Families.

Teir program includes a series o seven-

hour, ve-day classes. Tere are several

lessons taught each day, including suicide

intervention, domestic violence, child abuse

and substance abuse prevention, survivor

support, nancial assistance and wealth

building.

As o December, 2010, 54 Fort Riley

spouses have been trained. Te goal was to

train 100 spouses by mid-January 2011.

Fort Riley Army Community Service

is ocusing on giving Family members the

necessary tools and resources or them

to intervene in a variety o situations and

guide others. Te program builds Family

members’ resilience, enabling them to help

their Solders and their communities.

Most ACS programs currently oer

daytime courses but are working to register

interested individuals in evening programs,

enabling them to reach a larger audience.

To learn more about

Comprehensive Soldier Fitness visit

www.army.mil/cs.

Dee Thurman, wie o

GEN James D. Thurman,

commander o U.S.

Army Forces Command,

discusses the Fort Riley

school system with a

spouse at the Resilient

Spouse Academy on Fort

Riley, Kan.

Photo by:

Katherine Rosario,

Fort Riley Public Affairs


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In accordance with the U.S. Army’s 25-year Energy and Water Plan or Installations, ocials at Shades o Green, the

Armed Forces Recreation Center on Walt Disney World Resort, have taken an ambitious approach to conserving energy with a ocus on the bottom line.

“We all like a challenge, and energy is a good one,” Shades o Green General Manager Brian Japak said. “We are trying

to reduce our energy usage by 30 percent annually, and energy here is about a million dollars a month, with 80 percent o that

being electricity.”

Te Army Energy and Water Campaign Plan or Installations was designed to help the Army provide sae, secure, reliable,

environmentally compliant and cost-eective energy and water services to Soldiers, Families, Civilians, and contractors on Army

installations.

Developed in 2005, the campaign plan implements the Army Energy Strategy or Installations and sets orth the Army’s

25-year energy goals through 2030. Te Campaign Plan defnes actions and the short, mid, and long-term methods, tools,

technologies, and projects required to ensure the Army successully achieves long-range energy and water goals and arrives at a

more secure energy dependent uture.

The Shades of Green is Getting Greener

By im Hipps, FMWRC Public Aairs



Te Energy Strategy sets the general

direction or the Army with ve major

initiatives supported by specic objectives:

• Eliminate energy waste in existing

acilities: Reduce and eliminate energy

ineciencies that waste natural and nancial

resources, and do so in a manner that does

not adversely impact mission or the comort

and quality o the acilities in which Soldiers,Families, Civilians, and contractors work and

live.

• Increase energy eciency in new

construction and renovations: Increase the

use o energy technologies that provide the

greatest cost-eectiveness, energy eciency,

and environmental sustainability.

• Reduce dependence on fossil fuels:

Increase the use o clean, renewable energy

and improve eciency o existing energy

systems to reduce dependency on ossil uels

and to optimize environmental sustainability.• Conserve water resources: Reduce water

use to conserve water resources or drinking

and domestic purposes.

• Improve energy security: Provide for the

security and reliability o energy and water

systems in order to provide dependable utility

services.

It did not take long or Shades o Green

ocials to nd ways to save.

“We started o by looking at what stays

on 24 hours per day,” Japak explained. “We

ound garage lights that were on 24 hours a

day, stairwell lamps that were on 24 hours

a day, ventilation ans in the guest laundry

that stayed on 24 hours a day, and stu like

that.”

Daylight sensors were installed to

conserve electricity in the parking garage.

“For the exhaust ans in the garage, weput carbon monoxide sensors up so i they

sense carbon monoxide, they turn on,” Japak

said. “I there are no cars running, they turn

o.

“On weekends, the administrative oces

are closed, so we raise the set points and let

the temperature creep up,” Japak said. “For

every degree here in Florida that we raise

the temperature, it’s a three percent savings

or the hotel.”

Lighting is an important element o the

ambiance at Shades o Green, but it wasanother acet to consider when cost-cutting.

Te hotel is in the process o converting to

fuorescent and LED lights.

“I you look at our total electric bill,

50 percent is HVAC, which is heating,

ventilation and air conditioning,” Japak said.

“Tirty percent is lighting. wenty percent

is other, which includes kitchen, computers

and the miscellaneous stu.”

“Lighting is important. Ambiance is very

important, but there were areas that were

over-lit,” added Japak.

Another goal is to get maximum lie out

o light bulbs.

“We started looking at how oten we

change light bulbs and thought o maybe

doing it just once a year to save on the

labor,” Japak said. “But then we ound out

that we had 167 dierent light bulb typesin the hotel. Currently, we’re down to 100

dierent light bulb types. Our goal is 30

dierent light bulb types.”

Based on adjusted average temperatures,

Shades o Green saved 150,000 kilowatts in

September 2010 and 127,000 kilowatts in

October.

“Even though these are not mind-

boggling eorts, they do save money and

energy,” Japak said. “It’s interesting that ten

years ago Shades o Green did an Energy

Savings Perormance Contract and it justrecently ended. Tat put requency drives

on our chiller plant and we re-lamped the

whole hotel to go with electronic ballasts.”

Te Florida Department o

Environmental Protection recently

designated Shades o Green as a Florida

Green Lodge.

“So we’ve been green or a long time,”

Japak said. “Tis is just a continuation o

those eorts.”

Lighting is an important element o the ambience

at Shades o Green, including the path lighting on

the grounds.

Photo courtesy of US Army



W arrior Zones are the Army’s newest Family and Morale, Welare and

Recreation opportunity or Soldiers to get out o the barracks and enjoy

high-tech entertainment in a sports bar setting without having to leave

their installation.

Computer gaming is the main attraction at Warrior Zone recreation centers, where troops

also gather to watch sporting events on large, high-denition, fat-screen televisions while

eating and mingling.

Recognizing the value o these acilities and with a cost-conscience business model in

mind, Europe Region ocials improvised by standing up interim acilities and renovating

existing buildings.

Trough a bulk buy acquisition process, they purchased the televisions, gaming systems,

home theater units, computers and urniture to standardize Warrior Zone acilities

throughout the region. As time and unds permit, new structures will continue to be built

and the equipment and urnishings moved.

“Te Warrior Zone is kind o like a recreation center gone high-tech,” said Kris

D’Alessandro, Director o MWR at Fort A.P. Hill, Va. D’Alessandro helped develop the

concept while working in the Family and MWR Command Headquarters, prior to taking

the position at A.P. Hill. “Te main ocus is all the technology. Te concept is or the gaming

to be the main purpose.”

Innovation, Cost-conscious BusinessModel, Drive Warrior Zone Operations

WiFi and high-speed Internet access,

alone, is enough to get trac headed to the

technology-driven activities centers. oss in

a ew video arcades with console, handheld,

online, personal computer and audio games

and Warrior Zones can get busy in a hurry.

Warrior Zone success came quickly in

Europe, where 13 vacant buildings were

retrotted into the high-tech recreation

centers.

“Some used old rec centers and some

used old clubs,” D’Alesandro said. “Te

basic needs are the computers, the gaming

consoles, the theatre, the e-mail computers,

and the building should be WiFi, a sports

lounge – complete with fat-screen Vs or

viewing sports – and a bar that serves drat

beer and wine.

“Some o them might have a Better

By im Hipps

FMWRC Public Aairs

Single Soldiers compete in the

“Madden 10” X-Box tournament

as part o the grand opening

activities or the garrison’s new

Warrior Zone at the Java Caé on

Rhine Ordnance Barracks.

Photo by Christine June,

USAG Kaiserslautern



Fort Lewis, Wash., and Fort Riley, Kan.,

are both building Warrior Zones – hal

o which are being retrotted. Tree more

Warrior Zones are planned or Fort Hood,exas, with others coming soon to Fort

Bliss, exas, and Fort Sill, Okla.

“It’s a dierent situation in Europe,

where they could leave post but there’s

nothing like it o post,” D’Alessandro

said. “Here, they could leave post and

go to similar places, but they also might

have these things at home, so it is a little

dierent situation.

“But Europe did jump on the

bandwagon to establish Warrior Zones

really quickly, so it is kind o a eather intheir cap and they should be commended

or that.”

From action, adventure and role playing

to simulation, sports and tournament game

strategy, Warrior Zones oer state-o-the-

art platorms or gaming acionados such as

Xbox, PlayStation and Wii.

Some o the games include: Call o

Duty, Army o wo, World o Warcrat,

America’s Army and Street Fighter, to

name just a ew.

“Tis is keeping up with the 18-to-

25 age-group o the computer age, o everything that they’ve been growing up

on, because that’s the thing they mostly are

interested in,” D’Alessandro said.

Warrior Zones usually eature audio and

lighting or entertainment and sporting

events, along with meeting spaces or

social activities. raditional games also

are available, such as billiards, chess, darts,

poker, table tennis and air hockey on a

space-available basis.

Keeping everything under one roo and

within walking distance o the barrackshas also proved important in attracting

customers and their guests.

“o have all that located in one acility

is really special,” D’Alessandro said. “Ater

talking with the olks at Forts Lewis and

Riley, Soldiers love the Warrior Zone. It’s

standing-room-only some nights – they ’re

really packed with Soldiers – so you can see

there was a need or it.”

Opportunities or Single Soldiers oce, an

area outside or a picnic pavilion, billiards,

table tennis and air hockey – i they have

the room. But the big things are thegaming, the computers and the theatre – all

the technology stu.”

Te original guidance rom the Oce

o the Secretary o Deense called or the

creation o a “Service Member echno-

Activity Center,” which quickly evolved into

the “Warrior Zone” on the Army side o the

house.

In Germany, Army installations have

Warrior Zones in Ansbach, Bamberg,

Baumholder, Graenwoehr, Heidelberg,

Hohenels, Kaiserslautern, Mannheim,

Schweinurt and Weisbaden. Tere are two

more in Italy, at Livorno and Vicenza.

Camp Zama, Japan, has a Warrior Zone,

and there are three in Alaska – on Forts

Greeley, Richardson and Wainwright.

In the continental United States

utilizing empty, existing buildings poses

a challenge, as there just aren’t as many

available as ound overseas.

Seen here is the Warrior Zone caé at Fort Riley, Kan., which is also the propose

design or one on Ledward Barracks in Schweinurt, Germany. The new center,

known as the SPC Ross A. McGinnis Warrior Zone, will also include a kitchen, a

lounge, at screen TV’s, pool tables and several gaming stations, among other

amenities aimed at taking the edge o o the rigors o lie in the Army.

Photo courtesy of Fort Riley



By im Hipps

FMWRC Public Aairs

I

t takes craty Army MWR Arts

and Crats Center managers to

keep their shops rom being the

best-kept secrets on post.

oo oten the acilities, some o which are among the best in the world,

get lost in the hustle and bustle o

daily military lie. I only more olks

knew how much was oered within the

buildings and the creative types who

shine inside.

Programs are plentiul. Classes are

available. Instructors are world-

class. Materials are provided. I not,

they are a ordably sold on site. Yet,

while many Army Arts and Crats

Centers thrive, others strive to remain

relevant, particularly with the younger

generations o Soldiers, Civilians and

Family members who grew up in ront

o a computer or television instead o in the back yard, tinkering with their

bike or creating castles in a sandbox.

“We’ve been very sly in our methods

o growing rom two little rooms,”

said David Haywood, who runs

the 10,000-square-oot Army Arts

& Crats Center in Schweinurt,

Germany, “and most o our space is

used, wall-to-wall.”

he shop is home to 3,000 ceramic

molds and a dozen potter’s wheels

– a place where Soldiers and their

Families can unwind by crating with

silk, stained gla ss, leather, quilts,

scrapbooks, textiles, baskets or even

venture into one o the ew remainingblack-and-white darkrooms in the

world o Army Arts and Crats.

“I you have a ull program like we

oer, it’s better than anything they can

ind outside the gate,” said Haywood,

a 30-year veteran o Army Arts and

Crats who has worked shops in

Giessen, Germany, Forts Myer a nd

Eustis in Virginia, Italy and Camp

Zama, Japan. “Getting the word out is

the hardest part.”

must cratily lure artistsArmy MWR Arts and Crats managers

Soldiers work in a Mosaics

class at the Arts and Crats

Center on Schofeld Barracks,

Hawaii.

Photo by Donna Van Winkle



Donna Van Winkle, a 29-year veteran at the Warren

Skills Development Center at Schoield Barracks, Hawaii,

realizes that arts and crats aicionados must adapt to

survive.

“In this day and age, it’s a dierent generation,” she said.

“When I irst started, our arts and crats center was packed

with people, but o course we didn’t charge any ees, not

even or classes, and all they had to buy was supplies.Funding was abundant and everybody was happy.

“But now, it’s a totally dierent generation –

digital and electronic. I think we do have to reach out

to parents. So we’ve been partnering with the School

o Knowledge, Inspiration, Exploration and Skills

program with Child, Youth and School Services and

we have art classes with them. hey advertise or us

and the parents are happy to pay or their kids to take

these art classes.

“We’ve discovered that partnering with SKIES and

taking our instructor and our supplies to them is

working out wonderully,” Van Winkle elaborated.Partnering with as many MWR programs as

possible is essential, according to Van Winkle.

“he main thing is to partner with everyone on

post and be present at all o the MWR events,” Van

Winkle said. “We were a very large part o our great

Fourth o July event, where we contracted 35 vendors

and set up a separate Crat Fair in conjunction with

the Fourth o July celebration.”

Long beore the digital era, Van Winkle’s shop

aced a signiicant challenge.

“Being in the recreation business on post in Hawaii,

our largest competitor is Hawaii itsel – the beachesand Waikiki,” she explained. “I I was a Soldier, yeah, maybe

I would come and take some classes. But on a Saturday ‘Do I

want to go to pottery or do I want to go to Waikiki?’ It’s that

kind o thing, so the environment deinitely impacts your

participation.

“We do get those customers who are interested in

ceramics and digital photography, but unortunately I

think we are in a world o computers and electronics and

texting and people just don’t have the time to sit still,” Van

Winkle added. “We all are worried that arts and crats is an

endangered species in MWR.”

At Redstone Arsenal, Ala., Lori Connors markets her

Arts and Crats acility at the installation’s annual

Oktoberest by selling mugs and -shirts and by setting up a

display at the Monte Sano Art Show in Huntsville.

“Our demographic is really unique,” said Connors,

echoing the sentiment o many Army MWR Arts and Crats

Directors around the world. “We don’t have as many enlisted

Soldiers, in act, hardly any. We have a lot o military retirees

and we also share property with NASA, so we have a lot

o engineer-contracting type people. We also extend out

into the community because just about everybody in the

community is related to somebody who works on post.

“he city is just built around the arsenal here. … we’re

like Pentagon South, a lot o generals and retired military,

turned contractors,” she said.

Connors’ shop oers classes in woodworking certiication

turning, Adirondack chairs, tool sharpening, digital

photography, elements o Adobe Photoshop, raming basics

and polymer clay, among others. he Redstone Arsenal

MWR Arts and Crats Center is ortunate to have a sta

o 12, whereas many o its sister acilities around the world

would be orced to curtail hours without volunteers.

Connors and ellow MWR Arts and Crats managers

Barbara Newberry o Fort Hood, exas, Suk Hyon Yi o

Korea, Joanne Langseth o Fort Wainwright, Alaska, erry

Buckley o Fort Drum, N.Y., and Michelle Sterkowicz

o Vicenza, Italy, attended the 2010 Crats and Hobby

Association Conerence in Chicago, where FMWRC

program analyst Jean Neal oered these suggestions:

• Partner with other MWR or related organizations or

programs, events and exhibiting opportunities;

• Maintain ongoing contact with your existing customers;

Soldiers and Family members create centerpieces or their battalion’s annual ball at

the Army MWR Arts and Crats Center on Fort Drum, N.Y.

Courtesy photo

“We’ve discovered that partnering with SKIES and

taking our instructor and our supplies to them is

working out wonderully.”

Donna Van Winkle, Schoeld Barracks, Hawaii



• Provide quality service; requently taking the opportunity

to view your acility through the ‘customers’ eyes;”• Use social media, such as Facebook, witter, Flickr and

Youube to spread the word about your acility;

• Create awareness and understanding o how your program

supports the Army Family Covenant, the Army Campaign

Plan, the ARFORGEN Cycle, along with helping to reduce

stress and develop individual resiliency; and

• Create awareness, understanding and promotion o “Art as

herapy.”

Langseth initiated brainstorming sessions resulting in

“ArtSanity,” a Yahoo! users group speciical ly or Ar my

MWR Arts & Crats managers and program directors that is

beneicial or communicating ideas and inormation betweenregions and acilities.

Sterkowicz, who is enrolled in an art therapy masters

program in Italy, stressed that crating can be beneicial to

Soldiers suering rom PSD.

“As arts and crats managers, we are not therapists, but we

can use art as therapy,” said Sterkowicz,

who explained how crating can be

linked with the Comprehensive Soldier

Fitness Programs and Wounded Warrior

Care.

Newberry has been busy working

with the EDGE program at Fort Drum.

“We put together a year’s worth o lesson plans by a sta member who just

happened to have a masters degree in

art, loved to teach children and by just

looking at a student could keep order in

the chaos,” she said.

“he kids loved to come and create

with ‘Miss Helena’. Some o the many

projects they have done include: ice

loating; multi colored, votive, and pillar

candles; soap to include plain, colored,

multi-colored, botanical/grit and

scented; puppets; birdhouses; jewelry;no-sew baskets; pottery to include hand

building, coil slab rolling using leaves

rom trees to cut shapes; cookie cutter

un with clay; beads rom clay; kites to

include sewing rom rip-stop nylon to a

precut kit that was painted or design; a

photo class and more.

“hese classes were two, one-hour

sessions per week or a month. hey

have been highly successul in a time

slot when we are usually not busy – a

win-win or all.”

Newberry also partnered with the Red Cross and Medical

and Dental Activity to provide classes or Soldiers with

raumatic Brain Injuries and Warrior ransition Units.

“Our BI Soldiers come in twice a week or about two or

three hours to pour ceramics and paint,” she said. “he idea

is to give them a simple process to remember, be creative

and relax. he painting process is where the real creativity

comes in. Many o the Soldiers ind it relaxing just to clean

the green-ware. Most o them will bring their Family in to

use the acility once they are comortable with the process o

creating unique ceramic pieces.“We do pretty much the same process with the Warrior

ransition Unit Soldiers, although they help us with

dierent jobs within the acility such maintaining the wood

shop or pouring ceramics and pottery items. Providing these

Soldiers with something constructive and skill-building,

helps keep them in a better rame o

mind.”

For more inormation about Army Artsand Crats, visit www.ArmyMWR.com.

HOW TO: MAKE YOUR ARTS ANDCRAFTS CENTER RE LEVANT ANDPROFITABLEDonna Van Winkle, a 30-year veteran o Army MWR Arts and Crats on Schofeld

Barracks, Hawaii, oers these suggestions to MWR Arts and Crats shop managers:

• Contract a portion o your acility to a “name” business, such as Kinko’s or

Michaels. I contacted a locally owned crat supply and a picture raming

business and oered them an opportunity to open satellite stores in our

acility.

• Keep your program continually ront and center on electronic marquees, in

the local MWR magazine and command inormation newspaper.

• Schofeld Barracks holds a weekly newcomers’ meeting that is mandatory or

all new Soldiers. MWR Marketing uses this as a orum to showcase all

programs and acilities.

• Partner with other MWR programs and events: We have been teaching a year-

round children’s art class since we began partnering with our SKIES program,

which ormerly contracted art instructors. Now we keep the money in-house.

We also provide all trophies or the intramural sports programs and areworking to incorporate trophies or all CYSS sports teams.

• Make programs available to Family Readiness Groups and incorporate their

meetings within a crating class.

• Partner with the Warrior Transition Battalions – we have been very ortunate to

have dedicated and caring instructors who do not hesitate to go the extra

mile to work with our Soldiers and help them in fnding calmness in creativity.

In today’s digital era, Arts and Crats Centers must ind new ways to be

relevant to the local populations. Partnering with CYSS, Wounded Warrior

programs, and even local businesses can ensure your garrison’s center

remains viable.



New Moms Use Strollers orFitness, Education and Inspiration

By Rob McIlvaine

FMWRC Public Aairs

Stroller Fitness is the hottest orm o Family tness at USAG

Schinnen. Parents bring their children and strollers every

uesday to the class at Schinnen’s Community Activity

Center and participate in a workout conducted by Marcy

Bitner, an American Council on Exercise Certied Personal rainer,

as well as an American Council on Exercise Certied Group Fitness

instructor.“I’m happy to volunteer my time or this class because the

women are so appreciative o having a class such as this oered. o

see the smiles on the aces o the moms and their children is all the

reward I need,” Bitner said.

First oered in November, 2009 by the installation’s New Parent

Support Program, the cost-ree, hour-long class has grown to about

30 moms and their kids.

As the only New Parent Support Program in the ri-Border

region o the Netherlands and Germany, it serves both Army and

Air Force Families assigned to U.S. and NAO installations on both

sides o the German-Dutch border.

Program Manager Sarah Classen, a registered nurse, also teaches

several labor and delivery classes throughout the year and oers

home visits to help with everything rom breast eeding to inant

care.

“Te NPSP is designed to prevent Family maltreatment and child

abuse,” Classen said.

“With this goal in mind, the Stroller Fitness Program wascreated as a means o primary prevention. Tis encourages parents to

get out o the house, talk with each other about personal issues, and

exercise,” Classen said. “At the same time, the children are learning

about the importance o tness and are included in the class through

the use o nursery rhymes, songs and counting.”

Bitner is sympathetic to the needs o new moms… having “been

there” hersel when her children were inants.

“When my kids were younger and my husband was deployed, I

spent many days pushing them or about ve miles a day in the jog

stroller, while continuing to teach tness classes. Some o those runs

on my own were hard,” Bitner said.

“Tis encourages parents to get out o the house, talk with each othe

about personal issues, and exercise. At the same time, the children a

learning about the importance o ftness and are included in the cla

through the use o nursery rhymes, songs and counting.”

Sarah Classen, New Parent Support Program manager



“When we moved to the Netherlands I had a hard time nding

a place to teach or work as a personal trainer in the community.

With both o my children in school now, I talked with Sarah about

oering a class here and she was really receptive to the idea,” she

said.

Te class allows moms to exercise without having to worry aboutchild care. Te kids, in their strollers, are actually part o the

exercises.

“While it’s possible to teach Stroller Fitness with just a stroller,

we also use resistance bands, weights and balance balls to add some

variety,” Classen said.

Tese extra materials are loaned rom the Fitness Center on base.

Mats also have been purchased with Family Advocacy unds or sit-

ups and push-ups.

“Everything is provided. All they need is a stroller and a water

bottle. Tey can bring their own mats i they choose, but most moms

just use what is provided here. Tis spring we’ve been outside or a

large portion o the class, though, so it has been working out just

great,” said Bitner, who has been teaching tness c lasses, such as

Step, Circuit training, Interval training, and Kickboxing, to name a

ew, since 1996.

Te class is ree, another plus or young Families.

“Te only money I spent was on gas to get to class, a 35-minute

drive, which was worth it. I would make the drive twice a week or

the class because it is so educational and inspiring,” Kim Depper,

mom to daughter Sophia, said.

Depper said she became involved with the stroller tness class to

lose baby weight and to learn new strength training exercises she

could incorporate into her individual sessions.“We were lucky to have a trained instructor who volunteered her

time to teach us,” Depper said.

Tese exercise classes help new parents get in shape and

encourages interaction between parents, as well as between parents

and their children.

“I learned exercises I can do with Sophia,

but it also had the added benet o providing

time or us to bond not only with each other

but with other moms and their children,

too,” Depper said.

“Because it’s dicult or children

older than three to sit or long periodso time in a stroller, the class is geared

to children three and under,” Classen

said.

“Te classes are all part o a larger

goal to make parenting a little

easier, considering the

other challenges military

Families already ace

when living overseas,”

Classen said. She knows

those challenges too well,

having moved to Germany as a new mother when her husband’s

corporate job required relocation.

Te classes are not aliated with any national or internationally

trademarked programs, so the class can be oered or ree to the

moms in any community.

“I enjoy teaching tness because it’s a way or me to give a littlebit o sunshine to other military moms and to me. Tat’s what lie is

all about. Seeing them smile when they come in the door and seeing

them being so excited to come each week is the absolute best eeling

ever,” Bitner said.

For more inormation:[email protected]

“ I learned exercises I can

do with Sophia, but it also had the added beneft o providing time or us to bond,not only with eachother, but with other moms and their children, too.”

Kim Depper,

Stroller Fitness participant



Soldiers tell Army

wo years ago, Family and Morale, Welare & Recreation Command

began oering Army battalions a pilot program called Warrior

Adventure Quest. WAQ includes high-adventure recreation activities

to help Soldiers transition rom combat operations to a “new normal,”

reducing the potential or high-risk behaviors that are counterproductive or

otherwise harmul.

“During the research and development stages o WAQ,” said John O’Sullivan,

Outdoor Recreation Program Manager at FMWRC, “behavioral health specialists noted many Soldiers did not

talk about their experiences during war simply to maintain a stoic image. Consequently, the new guys didn’t gain

much knowledge about what to expect beore, during and ater a deployment. Te idea behind WAQ began as a

way to introduce a better outlet or stress, but has also developed into a tool to help break down these communication

barriers and enhance unit cohesion.”

Beginning in March 2008, WAQ was vetted by an Integrated Process eam o Army medical, psychology and

behavioral health, social service, religious, and saety proessionals.

Representative organizations involved were the Oce o the Surgeon General, Army Medical Department, Medical

Command, Combat Readiness/Saety Center, Army Substance Abuse Program, Army National Guard, Army Reserve, Army

Center or Enhanced Perormance, Special Operations Command, FMWRC, and Installation Management Command.

A Soldier perorms an ice climb during Warrior Adventure Quest training at Fort Lewis, Wash.

Army photo

& statistics agree

WARRIORADVENTURE

QUESTreduces high-risk

behavior & establishesresiliency

Winter 2011 P E R S P E C T I V E

By Rob McIlvaine

FMWRC Public Aairs



Te Army, through a partnership

between FMWRC and the Oce o the

Surgeon General, tested WAQ with three

pilot programs during Sept., 2008. Using

lessons learned rom these initial activity

oerings, the program began ocially in

Jan. 2009.

“Ultimately, the Army will oer this

one-day program or all returning Soldiers,”

O’Sullivan said. “Te target group is

Soldiers in ‘reset’ – a period up to 120 days

ater returning.”

Following the peak stress experienced

during the execution o a mission,

Soldiers enter the redeployment and post

deployment phase. Tis is when many can

experience maniestations o numbness,

invincibility and inevitability. Tese eelings

can lead to destructive behavior, such as

alcohol and drug abuse, driving at excessive

speeds, marital problems and suicide.

According to the Army’s Combat

Readiness/Saety Center, between October

2001 and October 2009, 287 Soldiers died

rom motor vehicle and personal injury

accidents within one year o returning romdeployment. Approximately 21 percent o

these deaths occurred within the rst 30

days o post-deployment and approximately

67 percent within 180 days o post-

deployment.

During the Warrior Adventure Quest

program, Soldiers at the platoon-level learn

about resiliency through bonding, cohesion

and esprit de corps.

Te platoon is provided a high

adventure activity, such as white water

rating, skydiving, mountain biking orpaintball skirmishes. Following this activity,

the platoon participates in a Leader-led

Ater Action Debrieng. Te debrieng

was developed by the Army Medical

Department Center and School or the

Army’s psychological resiliency building

program to assist Soldiers in reaching a

“new normal,” as they transition back rom

deployment to their home station. While

talking about the WAQ activity, they learn

how to discuss the high-adrenaline combat

experiences they’ve had, and might have

kept bottled up.

At Fort Benning, Ga., Outdoor

Recreation Manager Farrah Myers

remarked on how well the program is being

received.

“We have received nothing but positive

eedback rom the groups o Soldiers who

have gone through the program. Last week we had a emale Soldier, who couldn’t swim

and was terried o water, make it through

a day o scuba,” Myers said.

SSG Shimeca illis is with Bravo

Company, 14th Combat Support Hospital.

“I thought I’d never be able to overcome

a personal ear o water. I wasn’t even

planning on participating because I can’t

swim, but I was encouraged by other

Soldiers to at least give it a try. A little

motivation goes a long way,” illis said.

illis thought the scariest part o thewhole day was the ear o the unknown and

having to step outside her comort zone.

“I really elt kind o silly at rst. But

everyone really put me at ease. Tis really

made me eel part o a team by not being

pushed to the side just because I couldn’t

swim. Everyone was really positive and

helped me through it. I’m honestly so

grateul that I experienced this,” illis said.

As o April 2010, there are 35 garrisons

conducting WAQ activity programs,

while another 6 garrisons are in various

Soldiers use the buddy

system while white water

rating during Warrior

Adventure Quest training at

Fort Lewis, Wash.

Army photo

“We have received nothing but

positive eedback rom the groups

o Soldiers who have gone through

the program…”

Outdoor Recreation

Manager Farrah Myers,

Fort Benning, Ga.



planning stages, preparing to implement

their programs in the coming months. Te

program has so ar served approximately

1,450 platoons, or 37,554 Soldiers.

Recently at Fort Lewis, Wash., Soldiers,

NCOs and ocers o the 377th FieldArtillery Regiment returned rom a year in

southern Iraq.

Tey ound a cure or their “adventure

bug” by taking a white water rating

expedition down the scenic White Salmon

River in the southern part o the state.

Sponsored by the FMWR Joint Base

Lewis-McChord Adventure Center, the

team-building event gave the Soldiers an

opportunity to experience a high adrenaline

event in a saer environment.

At 42 degrees Fahrenheit, the Salmon’s

water temperature proved numbing when

the 28 “Bulldogs” navigated the treacherous

waters with the help o their rat guides.

Although the team gured they could

successully challenge the 14-oot dropdown a waterall, they plummeted into the

river’s cold water. With the buddy system

rmly established, though, they all were

recovered without injury.

A series o measurements are in place to

test eectiveness o the program.

Tere are indications that participation

may have a long-standing impact

in reducing high risk behaviors and

establishing resilient actors, or cohesion.

According to a U.S. Army Combat

Readiness / Saety Center report, research

specically examining post-deployment

motor vehicle and personal injury accidents

recounted (as o Oct 07), “186 Soldiers

died within one year o returning rom

deployment. In act, almost 30% (50) o

these Soldiers died within the rst thirty-

days post-deployment and 63% (118) died

within 180-days o return. Additionally,

60% o our Soldiers involved in atal

accidents were grade E-5 (SG) or below,

(while) 40% were our senior leaders”.

Army National Guard 1SG MichaelMullins, Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver

raining Center Warrior Adventure Quest

Noncommissioned Ocer in Charge in

Indiana, believes the program is a chance to

change Soldiers’ lives.

“I believe that the National Guard is

really the ideal setting or this program

because Soldiers literally redeploy to

the U.S. rom OIF or OEF and within

one week they are back at home in their

communities and with their Families. Tis

sudden change can make reintegration achallenging time or them,” Mullins said.

CSM Rodney Spade attended a

conerence to hear a presentation about

WAQ and he became convinced that this

could be a tool to help Soldiers at Camp

Atterbury. He volunteered to be the pilot

program or the National Guard since the

camp is a premier mobilization platorm

CSM Spade went about selling senior

leadership on the idea, and CSM Daniel

Jensen rom the installation’s Directorate o

BY THE NUMBERS:WAQ program analysts reported 50.4 percent ewer deadly/debilitatingaccidents involving Soldiers who had participate in WAQ.

WAQ Soldiers also had 32.8 percent ewer accidents involving Soldierswho had participated in WAQ. A similar data comparison throughDFAS records indicates WAQ participants were involved in 13% ewerincidences than overall Army norms.

21.8 percent o Soldiers who initially had a negative or neutral perceptionabout group cohesion in their unit changed their response to positive at

the conclusion o the program.

There was a 17 percent positive change in believing the Army caresabout Soldiers, and 8.6 percent change in believing company-levelleaders care about their Soldiers.

A Soldier takes a backward leap

during his WAQ bungee jump at Fort

Lewis, Wash.

Army photo



Plans, raining, Mobilization and Support

provided the vision and leadership. Mullins

became project manager.

o resource the program, the team had

to use ingenuity, sweat and just plain hard

work to build everything rom the ground

up.

“We literally went out into the woodsand carved our own new bike trails. We

built our own paintball courses. And we did

it without using civilian contractors,” said

Mullins, who along with Spade and Jensen

has deployed three times to combat zones.

“We lived it and we want to help

returning Soldiers experience the benet o

this program and our personal experiences,”

Mullins said.

For Soldiers returning rom deployment,

the National Guard and the Active Army

dier in what awaits them.Active Army Soldiers return to an Army

installation with a ull complement o

Soldier resources, programs, and activities

specically designed to help them

reintegrate. Tey have a support system and

a military community who ully understand

what they went through and what they

need to successully reintegrate.

“When a National Guard unit returns,

the Soldiers go through a demobilization

process that ranges rom our to seven days

and they are immediately returned to theirormer lives, Families and civilian jobs,”

Mullins said. “Te WAQ program should

prove to be exactly what’s needed.”

“Unlike other programs, WAQ is unique

in that it identies and addresses problems

Soldiers might be having and provides

alternative solutions through supplementary

behaviors. Aecting change in their

behavior is the key to unit readiness,

because we know he will be called again,”

Mullins said.

“Tis has a residual eect which leads to

a stronger, healthier and more eective

Army,” Mullins said.

“I have known many Soldiers, including

many riends, who have returned rom

a deployment with uncharacteristically

negative behavior. Whether it is alcohol or

substance abuse, divorce, or even suicide,

negative behaviors maniest in a variety o

ways, with a variety o consequences. I have

had riends who have taken their own lieand this drives me to champion WAQ,”

Mullins said.

WAQ is not therapy, but according to

Mullins, it can have therapeutic eects on

Soldiers.

“When I was a young paratrooper

stationed at Fort Bragg years ago, I

remember seeing lots o great young

Soldiers come and go. We were known

to live hard and ast, oten with short

career cycles due to the consequences o

negative behavior. It was oten said whensomeone got in trouble or doing something

seemingly outrageous, ‘what do you expect

rom someone who jumps out o planes or

a living?’ I think in hindsight that it was

that adrenalin addiction that pushed them

to do some o those things,” Mullins said.

Mullins believes participation in WAQ

gives a Soldier an eective coping outlet

that can be drawn upon during the

reintegration process, when they begin

to see a pattern o high-risk behavior in

themselves or their battle buddy.“Te events in WAQ provide a climate

o un and high adventure that the Soldiers

can enjoy together. Tis type o cohesion

and esprit de corps reinorces resilience and

builds and strengthens teams,” Mullins said.

Te Army National Guard comprises

approximately one-hal o the U.S. Army’s

available combat orces and approximately

one third o its support organization.

National coordination o various state

National Guard units is maintained

through the National Guard Bureau.

Te Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver

raining Center, activated in February

2003, has trained thousands o regular and

reserve orces just prior to deployments to

Aghanistan and Iraq. Tis garrison and

Camp Shelby, Miss., are the two primary

Guard bases with this mission.

Notwithstanding Mullins’ anecdotal

evidence, WAQ now has a year o empirical

evidence that suggests WAQ is making adierence.

WAQ utilizes a series o surveys to

measure short and long-range eectiveness.

Te long-range eectiveness o this

program is being tracked with assistance

rom the Combat Readiness / Saety Center

providing data on accident rates, and the

Deense Finance and Accounting Service

providing data on accident and behavioral

incidents.

Furthermore, garrisons use Recrac™,

MWR’s system that provides a datacollection repository, to capture and track

personnel who have participated in the

WAQ program and monitor those Soldiers’

involvement in other MWR activities ater

the WAQ program.

“With 41 garrisons currently involved

and another 45 with outdoor recreation

operations waiting in the wings to

participate,” said O’Sullivan, “we now have

the statistics to suggest this program may

contribute to reducing accidents caused by

unsae behavior and to reducing behavioralincidences.”

In an initial data check o nearly 10,454

Soldiers participating in WAQ, compared

to a total Army population o about

747,000 in 2009, WAQ program analysts

reported 50.4 percent ewer accidents

resulting in atality, permanent or partial

disability. Tey also reported 32.8 percent

ewer accidents resulting in restricted work

ability or one or more days away rom work

A similar data comparison through Deense

Finance and Accounting Service records

o behavioral incidences resulting in pay

adjustments indicated WAQ participants

Statistics suggest that WAQ is having a positive eect on the behavioral patterns o Soldiers

returning rom combat.



A Soldier traverses mountainous terrain on a

bike during Warrior Adventure Quest training

at Fort Lewis, Wash.

Army photo

were involved in 13% ewer incidences than overall Army norms.In surveys providing immediate impact o a WAQ event, 21.8

percent o Soldiers who initially had a negative or neutral perception

about group cohesion in their unit changed to a positive response

at the conclusion o the program. Likewise there was a 17 percent

positive change in believing the Army cares about Soldiers, and an

8.6 percent change in believing company-level leaders care about

their Soldiers.

“We’ve had great buy-in rom Army senior leaders,” said

O’Sullivan, “but we need the tactical mission commanders to

incorporate WAQ into their re-set schedule.”

As in so many things, word-o-mouth will undoubtedly spreadthe message that WAQ is helping Soldiers with tools to help nd

their new “norm” ater deploying downrange.

When adventure programs are oered to Soldiers in a supervised

and saety-conscious environment, they serve as a stimulating

alternative to sel-destructive behaviors, an outlet or stress, a vehicle

or team cohesion, and a tool or coping with the transition back to a

non-combative environment.

For more inormation, contact John O’Sullivan, FMWRC WAQProgram Manager at [email protected].



Families Take Big Strides TowardsFitness in Vicenza

By Peggy J. Schadler

Chie, Family and MWR Marketing

Even young parents need to exercise. But what are

the alternatives when child care is not readily

available?

Recognizing this need, Vicenza garrison itness

center managers established the Family Fitness Room. On

one side is a well-equipped room with cardio equipment,

hand weights, stretching mats, itness steps and balls, two

elliptical machines, two treadmills and a recumbent bike. On

the other side, through a glass wall so parents can keep aneye on their little ones, is a room equipped with a V and

DVD player, as well as little tables and chairs or the kids to

play with toys brought along by their parents.

“We average about 45 people per day, so we recently

added another treadmill. he room is really popular with the

moms during the deployment cycle,” Facility Manager Scott

Gordon said.

Another program or parents with small children is the

track stroller itness class. his nine-week session, oered in

the spring, gives moms the chance to bring their babies out

to the running track in strollers.

Miranda Vanscoy leads them in a mix o cardio and

strength

training activities or one hour, two times a week.

“he moms enjoy doing something or themselves

without leaving their baby behind. As a mom mysel, I know

how important this time can be. Hopeully, we’ll be able to

add another session in the all,” Vanscoy said.

he two new programs are an expansion o this garrison’s

‘oddlers in ow’ program which began when spouses wereencouraged to bring their toddlers along in strollers, while

they used the cardio room during minimal usage, weekday

morning hours.

“he scheduling allowed parents to take care o their

personal itness needs when the itness center wasn’t being

used by Soldiers,” Gordon said. “It makes the most o

operational hours in our acility.”

For more inormation, contact Scott Gordon [email protected].

The USAG Vicenza Fitness Center’s

Family Fitness Room allows parents

to watch their children in a glass

enclosed playroom while working

out.

Photo by Peggy J. Schadler,

Vicenza FMWR Marketing Chief



he U.S. Army Child, Youth and School Services has

teamed with contracted European driving instructors to

oer a Driver ’s Education Teory program or teens atselect U.S. Army garrisons in Europe.

eens at Bamberg, Baumholder, Benelux, Graenwoehr,

Kaiserslautern, Mannheim, Stuttgart and Wiesbaden, Germany, and

Vicenza, Italy, can now enroll in the program through the Schools o

Knowledge, Inspiration, Exploration and Skills Unlimited program.

Te equipment was centrally purchased by the Europe region.

“Driver’s education and earning a driver’s license in Europe

has continually been an issue or our teens,” said Judi Patrick, a

School Liaison/ransition Specialist or Installation Management

Command’s European Region.

Speakers at European een Panel and Army Family Action

Plan meetings conrmed that driver’s education and obtaining adriver’s license is a dicult challenge or Family members stationed

overseas.

Because o the Status o Forces Agreement, teenagers must be 18

years old and have a German or U.S. driver’s license beore driving

in Germany. Tis makes it dicult or 16-18 year olds when they

return stateside. Te lack o driving experience or driver’s education

makes it dicult to obtain a stateside license, especially in areas

where driver’s education is taught in the school system in thereshman or sophomore years. Installation Management Command

Europe Child, Youth and School Service and the Department o

Deense Dependent Schools collaborated to oer a new program to

help European-based high school students learn how to drive.

he Driver’s Education heory Program uses state-o-the-art

simulators to provide students a basic understanding o driving,

without the threat o real danger.

he simulator, built with original parts o a Ford Focus, consists

o a steering wheel that vibrates while the engine is running, gas and

brake pedals, a manual gearshit and a hand-brake.

Although participation in the program does not result in

obtaining a driver’s license, it does provide the 50-hour classroomrequirement accepted by most driving certiication agencies in the

United States, and earns hal o a high school credit.

he classroom training is open to 17 and 18-year-old students,

and 16 ½ year olds can participate on a space-available basis.

By im Hipps

FMWRC Public Aairs

Driving Simulators Help PrepareTeenagers in Europe for Stateside Driving

ABOVE: MG Reuben D. Jones, Commander, FMWRC, takes a test drive in Baumholder’s new driving simulator. The simulator provides students with a virtual

driving experience as part o their training to obtain a driver’s license. The driving simulator provides students a wide range o driving conditions in a sae

environment.

Photo by Ignacio “Iggy” Rubalcava



By Mary Kne

Chie, Family and MWR Marketing, USAG Stuttgart, Germany

Stuttgart Child, Youth and School Services

Motivates Youth Fitness throughKnowledge, Skills and Prizes

Caitlin Smith, CYS Services Acting Director of Sports and

Fitness, exercises with a toddler during April’s Month of

the Military Child.

Photo by Brittany Carlson,

USAG Stuttgart, Public Aairs

In hopes o combating the “couch

potato syndrome” and to open

the door to what sports and

itness is all about, U.S. Army

Garrison Stuttgart oers a large

variety o clinics, including Gym Ratz (where young students are introduced

to itness activities), Start Movin’ -

Start Livin’, Weight Room 101, and

Boot Camp in a Bag.

Last al l, Child, Youth & School

Services continued the quest or youth

itness with a walking program dubbed

Lauen Sie Uber Deutschland (Walk

Across Germany).

Free or kids rom six to 18, the

youth each received a pedometer and a

map o Germany. he middle and highschool children then counted their

steps and tracked on a map how ar

they’d have walked i they were actually

walking rom Berlin to Munich.

Younger School Age Services children

took shorter “walks” between the our

USAG Stuttgart installations.

Along the way, they earned prizes at

each destination city.

“he point o the event is to help

get children in the habit o walking,

and to enjoy this healthy habit or the

rest o their lives,” Youth, Sports and

Fitness Specialist Caitlin Smith said.

he program was measured a

success, not only because over 100kids participated, but because they

became more aware o their everyday

movement and the surrounding

environment.

“As a society, our youth are less

active. here’s an obesity epidemic.

We’d like to take a proactive role in

combating this,” Smith added.

But the youth un and itness didn’t

stop with the walk around Germany.

In addition to Lauen Sie Uber

Deutschland , USAG Stuttgart alsooered Gym Ratz. his incentive-

based, once-a-week program

encouraged kids to become more

physically active. Registered youth

received a tracking sheet and were

asked to log their daily physical

activity. his could include anything

rom walking the dog or riding a bike

to practicing sports, dancing and

physical education.

Students earned points which could

be turned in or prizes, providing a

little extra motivation to keep moving.

opics on nutrition were also covered.

Along with the usual sports clinics

like soccer, basketball, and lagootball, gol, tennis, cheerleading,

mountain biking, bowling,

skateboarding, and a jump roping club

were also oered.

Following this initiative, the

summer also included Start Movin,’

Start Livin.’ his program, designed

to oster daily itness, ran or eight

weeks and was geared towards youth

in the 12-18 category. he irst two

weeks, called Weight Room 101, were

spent teaching proper weight litingtechniques and gym etiquette. he

next our weeks, called Boot Camp in a

Bag, covered speed, agility and various

methods to exercise without a gym and

weights. he inal two weeks ocused

on cardio respiratory itness.

For more inormation, contact USAGStuttgart CYSS Sports and Fitness Oiceat 0703-115-2612 or DSN 431-2616.



PBA BowlersTeach, Mentor

throughout

South KoreaBy Ronald Buss

FMWR Program Manager

F or the past four years at Army installations on

S. Korea, training with professional athletes has

been a reality for over 300 bowlers, including

85 youth, who received personalized instruction

from three Professional Bowlers Association bowlers.

Even more enjoyed watching demonstrations of trick

shots and learning inside tips of the game.

Yongsan Family and MWR Business Operations

Director Dan Melton and Bowling Center Manager

Robert Victorine took advantage of networking

opportunities at the annual International Bowl Expo.

They met with industry representatives to seek out

opportunities to promote Army Bowling in Korea, with

a focus on providing affordable and unique bowling

opportunities for Soldiers, Families, Civilians and retirees

stationed there.

The annual International Bowl Expo brings proprietors

and bowling industry manufacturers from all over the world

to present their latest products and to honor the best the

sport and bowling business community has to offer.

Through their professional contacts, Melton and

Victorine determined that PBA stars Parker Bohn III,

Sean Rash and Jason Belmonte would be in Korea for a

professional tournament.

Through timely coordination between the PBA and

regional and garrison MWR staff, the pros agreed to make

a visit to installations a part of their tour. Since the tour

organizers were covering the cost of the overseas travel,

MWR avoided this expense and only funded appearance feesand local travel expenses, keeping the cost way under budget.

A total of four clinics, for both youth and adult bowlers,

were held on Camp Walker, and on garrisons Casey,

Humphreys and Yongsan in Seoul.

PBA bowler Sean Rash sees positive results from these

clinics.

“Every year that I come back, I see bowlers who make me

think, ‘wow,’ their game has really improved since working

with them last year,” Rash said.

Clinics were held just before league bowling at each

garrison to ensure maximum turn-out with the customers

who would appreciate it the most. League officials were also

used in the promotional efforts to get the word and flyers

out using league email notification lists.

Promotional and advertising materials were created at the

IMCOM Korea Region-level. These visual products

presented a consistent message and were provided to garrison

marketing offices for localization.Region Staff managed the logistical effort, freeing

garrison FMWR staff to focus on making their local clinic a

community success.

Rash said he enjoyed presenting the clinics with Bohn

and Belmonte and hopes they can return again the next time

they are in Korea.

For more inormation, contact Dan Melton [email protected].

Pro bowler Jason Belmonte signs a bowling pin at the Yongsan Lanes

Bowling Center.

Photo by Chae Hun Chang



At Fort Belvoir,

Students Build Skateboards Ater School

By Richard oppings

Fort Belvoir Multi-Crats Manager

In EDGE, the ater-school

program which stands

or Excel, Develop, Grow

and Experience, students

teamed up at the Fort Belvoir,

Va., Kawamura Arts and Crats

Center and learned to build their

own skateboards.

For six weeks every uesday,

students applied the principleso math, science, and physics –

knowledge they never thought

would be used or un – and

planed, cut, sanded, painted and

attached hardware to their own

custom-built skateboard.

On the inal day o class, the

anxious skaters took their inished product to the Fort

Belvoir Skate Park, where they were met by proessional

skateboard instructor Marcos Rezaikis rom Caliornia.

Ater talking about general saety and the importance o

wearing proper saety gear, Marcos perormed tricks beoreteaching some basic stunts.

“It didn’t take long or the students to catch on, and they

quickly began snapping, popping and jumping,” Kawamura

Arts and Crats Center Multi-Crats Manager Richard

oppings s aid.

According to oppings, some o the challenges in

teaching the class are organization o work low. Adequate

drying time or the two coats o paint on the boards, design

application and installation o hardware and wheels needs to

be coordinated. While this is happening, wood shop saety

is taught. Although wood shop personnel actually cut the

boards, students still need to wear goggles, breathing masks

and ear plugs.

Skateboard videos are also shown to hold interest,including one provided by CreatAskate.

“CYS Services and the Kawamura Arts and Crats Center

anticipate this becoming an ongoing program, and consider

the class as just another way o keeping the promise o the

Army Family Cove nant,” oppings sai d.

For more inormation, contact Debra S. Taylor [email protected] or Renae Robinson [email protected].

Robbie begins the process of

sanding the edges on a skateboard

of his own design, during a

skateboard building class recently

held at Fort Belvoir’s Arts and

Crafts Center Wood Shop.

Photo by Rick oppings,Fort Belvoir Kawamura

Multi-Crats manager

During the last class, Marcos Reyzakis, a

skateboard riding instructor, volunteered to teach

a ew new tricks to students in the Skateboard

building class recently held at Fort Belvoir’s Arts

and Crats Center Wood Shop.

Photo by Rick Toppings, Fort Belvoir Kawamura Multi-

Crafts manager

perspectives magazine winter 2011

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