IDS holds Community Action Plan conference

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Marissa Tucker
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --   Officials from Seymour Johnson attended a two-day conference to create a Community Action Plan for Airmen and families of the 4th Fighter Wing, Oct. 25-26.

The conference was facilitated by two representatives from Aligned for Results Inc., which is a consulting firm that specializes in effective team building and problem solving techniques, said Susan Berry, one of the representatives. The goal is to create a two-year plan, in which base leadership will work towards improving the mental, physical and spiritual health of the Seymour Johnson community.

"What we do is come and help guide businesses through a plan," Berry said. "We are not here to push what we believe on anyone. When dealing with such a large community, a solid, logical plan is required to make sure the things you want to make happen actually happen, as opposed to just talking about them."

The Integrated Delivery Service, a group of helping agencies on-base, comprised the team, and leaders from offices here such as mental health, family advocacy and the Airman and Family Readiness Center shared their input on how to better communicate with the base populous. The ultimate goal with every program that will be implemented from the plan is to make members of Team Seymour people who choose healthy ways to meet life and mission challenges, said Jane Hammonds, A&FRC director.

"We have a duty to meet the needs of our Airmen and families here," Hammonds said. "Through this conference, we are learning how to meet that goal through an open discussion of what we need to do and how to do it."

The conference is a result of the 2011 Caring for People Survey which showed a need in the Air Force community for better communication and resilience training for Airmen and families. Studies show that since 2010, destructive behaviors such as DUIs have gone down Air Force-wide since more educational programs were implemented.

"These surveys show us what is really going on in the community," Berry said. "When you effectively target the areas that need improvement, you will get results."

The biggest issues identified here for Airmen were alcohol abuse, financial issues and personal coping skills. At the conference, there were not many new programs created, because there are many resources Airmen and families have available to them, they just are unaware they exist, said Jerome Ellis, family advocacy officer.

The IDS plans to better inform the base community on programs and activities designed to meet their needs. Airmen with questions or concerns can contact the IDS through the A&FRC at (919) 722-1123.