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There were a lot of questions from the community at the first U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz Information Exchange Nov. 24 at the KMC Onstage on Kleber Kaserne. This promoted an additional question of “Can we get more time for questions and answers?”
There were so many questions from the audience and via Facebook that they couldn’t all be answered in the closing 10 minutes allotted at the end of the live AFN radio and web stream broadcast of the 50-minute program.
“We listened to what our audience said and we’ve changed things up a bit for the second INFO-X,” said Col. G. Shawn Wells Jr., garrison commander, referring to the next iteration of the town-hall style forum Dec. 18 at 10 a.m. at the same location.
“Instead of six panel members providing current information on community topics, we’ll have three or four. And, instead of five minutes each, they’ll get two to three minutes,” Wells explained. “That will ensure we have plenty of time in the second half of the program to address the issues our community members want to ask us about.”
INFO-X is the garrison’s new initiative to “share information and exchange ideas about improving our community,” Wells said, adding that it’s also an evolving program geared toward the audience needs, hence the prompt format adjustment to better meet those needs.
The first event kicked off with an endorsement from Maj. Gen. Duane A. Gamble, Commander, 21st Theater Sustainment Command, who addressed the audience of Soldiers, civilians and family members to open the program.
“This is about direct contact between the community and the garrison team, and maximizing the opportunities that exist within the garrison for our Soldiers, our families, our civilians and our whole workforce,” Gamble said. “We need feedback from the community. If some of the things (we do) aren’t working for you, and if we need to tweak them, then we’ll tweak them. If we need to replace them with something else, then we’ll replace them with something else. This is about making our community better.”
That sentiment was echoed by Wells, who added, “This is an opportunity for community members to voice their concerns and get the answers from me and my command team face-to-face. In addition to hearing what the community has to say, it’s an opportunity for us to update folks on the hot-topic items within the garrison.”
Those topics included force protection and security in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks provided by the Director of Emergency Services; upcoming holiday events offered through Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation; and planned construction projects through the public works division.
Information on new programs were also shared by the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, the USO and the Army Family Action Plan. INFO-X also serves as the garrison’s forum to take AFAP submissions on quality-of-life issues and to provide status updates of current submissions.
In addition to the AFAP updates, the Dec. 18 program features current information on safety and security, financial readiness, holiday worship and fellowship and, of course, more time for questions.
