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Three-tiered fruit baskets — full of fresh bananas, apples and oranges — are now among the snacks at Pulaski Barracks’ shoppette, thanks in part to a suggestion made through the local Army Family Action Plan.
Stopping in for a late-afternoon snack, Spc. Chris Lujan, 21, a Soldier from the 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery on Rhine Ordnance Barracks, was surprised to learn that community input led to healthy food offerings among the shoppette’s snacks.
“It shows that the program works,” Specialist Lujan said. “If people make more suggestions, then maybe we’ll see more changes like this in the community.”
On Oct. 27, a U.S. Army Garrison-Kaiserslautern will hold a three-day AFAP conference at the Kaiserslautern Community Activity Center on Daenner Kaserne. But it’s important for the community to get involved now, offering suggestions and volunteering to support the conference, AFAP program manager Kimberly Lazarow said.
“We need community involvement for this to be a success,” Ms. Lazarow said. “This process only works when people step up and be a part of this.”
It all begins with a community member’s suggestion — just an idea jotted down and slipped in a locked letterbox. AFAP volunteers routinely collect suggestion slips and compile lists of issues and concerns.
In late-July, suggestion boxes were placed in key locations around Army posts in Kaiserslautern. Ms. Lazarow speaks during family readiness group meetings and at newcomer briefings.
Ads are posted on websites and in local publications. Still, organizers hope to have more input before the conference.
The program is Army-wide, but begins at the local level. It gives Army community members a chance to voice concerns to Army leaders and recommend changes.
“Our first step is to see if the submitted issued affect the local community or is it something Army-wide,” Mr. Lazarow said. “About 90 percent of issues submitted are worked at the local level, others are pushed higher.”
Delegates then present broader issues during subsequent conferences at higher commands.
Some reach the Department of the Army level for action. AFAP issues have led to legislative changes as well as changes of Army and DOD policies.
In 2009, the top issues were GI Bill education benefits to dependents, priority employment for spouses, and tax credits for employers of mobilized reserve Soldiers.
The first Army-wide AFAP conference was held in 1983. Some early issues dealt with child care standards and support for volunteers on post. Since then, milestones have included changes to pay, healthcare, insurance, single Soldier programs and school liaisons, among many other issues. In recent years, AFAP suggestions led to an increase of annual leave carryover, toll-free hotlines for wounded service members and education benefits for surviving spouses.
Last year, AFAP suggestions in Kaiserslautern mentioned that Pulaski Barracks’ shoppette didn’t have products customers needed, to include household goods and fresh food. AAFES managers rely on customer feedback, to include AFAP suggestions, said Tom Gross, AAFES manager for the Kaiserslautern area.
The shoppette has since doubled its inventory, Gross said. Taller shelves now hold more household items. Another grill was added for fast food. Plus, fruit baskets now stand near the coffee machines. Since displaying fresh fruit, customers have bought roughly 100 pieces a week, he said.
“They asked for them and we got them,” Mr. Gross said.
Another suggestion — show kid-friendly films in the afternoon at Vogelweh’s Galaxy Theater. The change was easy to make and is now a success with 70 to 200 patrons taking in afternoon films, Mr. Gross said.
“Through AFAP people asked to have PG-rated movies, to keep kids occupied, especially during summer months,” Mr. Gross said. “With the feedback from the community, we have opportunities to do things better.”
The deadline for submitting AFAP issues is Oct. 20. For more information on supporting in this year’s AFAP conference, call 0631-3406-4357 or visit www.mwrgermany.com/KL/acs/afap.htm
