Unattainable Issues
As of 2nd Qtr FY 09
These issues were submitted by the community through
Community FIRST/AFAP. Responses are
provided by the organizations/directorates on
ARMY & AIR FORCE EXCHANGE SERVICES (AAFES)
CIVILIAN PERSONNEL ADVISORY CENTER
(CPAC)
DEFENSE MILITARY PAY OFFICE (DMPO)
DIRECTORATE OF
FAMILY MORALE, WELFARE, & RECREATION (DFMWR)
DIRECTORATE OF HUMAN RESOURCES (DHR
DIRECTORATE OF INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
(DOIM)
DIRECTORATE OF LOGISTICS (DOL)
DIRECTORATE OF LOGISTICS AND ENGINEERING
(DLE)
DIRECTORATE OF PLANS, TRAINING, MOBILIZATION, AND
SECURITY (DPTMS)
DOMESTIC DEPENDENT ELEMENTARY
AND
INSTALLATION HOUSING OFFICE / PRIVATIZED
HOUSING
MONCRIEF ARMY
COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (MACH)
Issue 1: Professional Clothing at the PX.
Soldiers are retiring and
transitioning to a civilian career, they need to have a professional attire
section at the PX.
Recommendation: Bring in a Professional section: Men’s suits, coats, dress pants,
overcoats; and Women’s suits, coats, dress pants, skirts, and overcoats.
Response: AAFES
clothing buyers shop the same fashion markets that buyers for
However, our clothing assortments vary
from exchange to exchange and are based on customer demand and available
space. At Ft Jackson, we do stock and
sell dress clothing, but the vast majority of sales is casual wear. Adding a line of suits or other “professional
clothing”, would require us to reduce or eliminate other, more popular
departments and while we try to satisfy every customer with special order or
internet options, just don’t have the physical space to carry every line in the
PX.
Satisfying all our customers in regard to
clothing styles and sizes has always been a challenge, but we will continue to
work hard to offer the best possible selection.
Status: Unattainable (1st
Qtr FY05)
Issue 2: DOD Civilian employees can not purchase
items at the Commissary, Post Exchange, or Shoppettes other than food.
These
establishments are losing out on DOD Civilian business. These employees are purchasing items from
privately owned businesses off post.
Recommendation: Allow DOD Civilians to shop and purchase
items at the Fort Jackson Commissary, Post Exchange, and Shoppettes. If tax payment is the issue, have the DOD
Civilians pay taxes on items as is done at off post businesses.
Response: Shopping privileges are set by DOD and Congress,
AAFES does not have any control over this issue. The common roadblock to
allowing this is local businesses that believe they will be hurt by unfair
competition in terms of no tax etc… AAFES is more than willing to expand our
customer base however we do not have the authority to accomplish this. I would
suggest the customer address this issue through their Congressional
Representative.
Status: Unattainable (3rd Qtr FY05)
Issue 3: Civilian Employees having access to
Shoppette/PX
Recommendation:
Response: Previously submitted (3rd Qtr FY 04)-
First, I want to mention AAFES
does not determine the qualifications under which individuals are granted
exchange privileges. Only those
personnel approved by the House Armed Services Committee and authorized by
Department of Defense (DOD) directives may shop in exchange facilities. The duty of AAFES in this area is to ensure
those using our facilities are authorized to do so. Under AR 60-20/AFJI 34-210, exchange
privileges are authorized for:
Active duty military
Retirees
Reservists
National Guardsmen
Dependent family members of the categories above
Other categories of individuals affiliated with the
armed services (which includes 100% disabled veterans).
Some government civilian employees
have shopping privileges when they are assigned or TDY overseas-or they are
"TDY and residing" in government quarters on posts/bases in the
Status: Unattainable (Civilian Employee Focus Group)
(1st Qtr FY 07)
Issue 4: Post Exchange
privileges for Purple Heart Veterans
Veterans who received the Purple Heart do not have
Post Exchange privileges unless they are separated in a retirement status. This affects Veterans who have served in the
military; were wounded fighting for their country; but were not discharged with
retirement benefits as well as those that are medically disabled. Veterans who
have received the Purple Heart may have disabilities that limit their financial
income, placing a burden on them and their family members.
Recommendation:
Response: AAFES does not determine the qualifications under
which individuals are granted exchange privileges. Only those personnel approved by the House Armed
Services Committee and authorized by Department of Defense (DOD) directives may
shop in exchange facilities. The duty of
AAFES in this area is to ensure those using our facilities are authorized to do
so. Under AR 60-20/AFJI 34-210, exchange
privileges are authorized for:
Active duty
military, Retirees, Reservists, National Guardsmen, Dependent family members of
the categories above. Other categories
of individuals affiliated with the armed services (which includes 100% disabled
veterans). Some government civilian employees have shopping
privileges when they are assigned or TDY overseas-or they are "TDY and
residing" in government quarters on posts/bases in the
Update (Mar
07): Issue has been approved and
forwarded to TRADOC level AFAP Conference.
TRADOC DISPOSITION: Workgroup determined Issue was too broad in scope. While we owe many thanks to those who serve; the
fact remains that we can not put a value on whether it’s a great or small
injury. Delegates felt it unfair to
grant that entitlement base on one award - - where would we draw the line?
Update (June 07): Presented issue to WB Action Council
and voted Unattainable.
Status:
Unattainable (1st Qtr FY 07)
Issue 5: Inadequate Post Exchange
The
Post Exchange does not serve all customers adequately. Non-transient customers are forced to shop
off post to find a better variety of services and products. This creates a financial burden on customers
who have to compete with the local populus for limited merchandise, leaving the
customer with a loss of entitlements.
Recommendation:
Response: AAFES has changed to centralized
selection and buying based on installation demographics and sales
information. The current PX is 7 years
old and has a 25 year turn around. This
issue is broad; there are specific issues within the AAFES manager capability
to solve.
Update (June 08): This issue was voted unattainable at
this time by the Installation Action Council.
Status:
Unattainable (2nd Qtr FY 08)
Issue 6: Ethanol and Diesel Fuel Availability from
AAFES on
Currently neither type of
fuel is available on post. As the price
of regular gas rises, there is an increasing demand for alternate fuels. Stocking ethanol would continue to put the
Army on the cutting edge of environmental reform. Additionally, family members who travel to
visit Soldiers for graduation come from areas where these fuels are more
common.
Recommendation:
Install ethanol
and diesel fuel pumps at service stations on
Response: Currently ethanol and diesel fuel pumps
are under review by AAFES.
Update (Dec
08): In order to carry E85 or any other alternative fuel, an entire
underground tank would have to be devoted to this type of gas.
Currently, our
gas stations have 4 underground tanks and both gas stations are very stressed
as it is with regular fuel. If we were
to convert to E85, we would lose 25% of our capacity for regular fuel. While
E85 is becoming more popular, it is not at the point yet where it has become
25% of our market. This is why you
rarely see any E85 fueling stations off post.
We will continue monitoring the market and as more customers switch to
E85 we will consider converting our tanks as well.
Update (Dec
08): The Installation Action Council voted
this issue unattainable.
Status:
Unattainable (2nd Qtr FY 08)
Issue 1: I am a low grade GS employee and I am having
trouble affording housing around
I
hear all the talk about how there are duplex's and apartments on base that are
sitting empty and have been for a very long time. Is there some way that civilian employees
could use some of the housing? (Put some $$ back into FJ). My concern is that the housing around FJ is
very costly because of FJ's position in
Recommendation: If this is not possible, could there be
some kind of assistance for off-post housing for civilian employees? Thank you for your time. Make some of the
empty quarters available to civilian employees.
For example, base it on their grade and income, or provide some
assistance for off-post living for civilian employees to help with the high
cost of rental property in the Fort Jackson/Columbia area.
Response: AR 210-50, paragraph 3-6 j.
states "DOD civilian employees, except key and essential personnel as
determined by the installation commander, shall rely on private communities for
housing support."
Status: Unattainable (3rd Qtr FY05)
Issue 2: Ability to donate sick leave instead of
having to use annual leave.
There have been several
requests asking for time donations to someone that has an extended
illness. We are forced to use our annual
leave if we would like to help.
Recommendation: Allow employees to donate sick
leave instead of annual leave.
Response: The Voluntary Leave Donation Program is
authorized under 5 U.S.C. 6331-6340; 5 CFR part 630, subpart I. This law allows Federal employees to donate
annual leave only to other Federal employees who have a personal or family
medical emergency and who have exhausted their available paid leave. Any
changes to this law would have to be made by Congressional action.
Update
(March 07): Upon review,
the CG decided not to forward this issue for consideration. As he explained, the sick leave provision is
for the protection of the workforce. [It is not designed as an entitlement for
discretionary use for any purpose other than illness of the individual earning
the entitlement.] Unlike normal leave
which is completely predictable, both in timing and duration, sick leave is for
the purpose of covering those unforeseen circumstances that occur unexpectedly
and can last for an indeterminate period of time. While it is admirable that people would be
willing to assume this additional risk for their fellow employees, in the end
it would be unfair to the donors, and compel them to depend on the
situationally dependent generosity of others -- not a guaranteed course of
action. For this very reason, sick leave
is non-transferable and, therefore, readily available to the workforce at the
time they least expect to need it.
Update: Issue was
voted to be forwarded by WBAC.
Update (Mar 07): Issue was
not recommended for forwarding by CG.
Status: Unattainable (Civilian Employee Focus Group)
(1st Qtr FY 07)
Issue 3: The use of Post Laundry by Civilian
Employees.
CONUS Civilian Federal
employees are not authorized to use the on post laundry facilities in
accordance with AR 210-130,
Recommendation:
Response: (Previously submitted – 1st
Qtr FY 06)
AR 210-130
Update (Mar 07): Issue has been
approved and forwarded to TRADOC level AFAP Conference.
TRADOC DISPOSITION: This
issue was deemed not clearly written by the work group. Laundry was too vague. Cleaning or Washers/dryers? AAFES contracted services or Army contracted
services? Group felt that in CONUS there
are plenty of places that offer these services.
Discussion determined this issue does not impact the Army community as a
whole.
Update (June 07): Voted
unattainable by WBAC.
Status:
Unattainable (Civilian Employee Focus Group) (2nd Qtr FY07)
Issue 4: NAF Retirement System
NAF Retirement System does not allow
a NAF employee covered by TRICARE as a family member to take NAF Health
insurance into retirement. It does allow
a NAF Employee who is a prior military member and the primary holder of TRICARE
to take NAF Health Insurance into retirement.
Appears that military family members who are on their spouses’ TRICARE
for dependents is not provided at no cost so why is the fact that the
individual that is not the primary holder of the insurance a factor in what
benefits are available at retirement.
Seems that the employee is saving the NAFI funds while covered under
their spouses’ insurance and then penalized for doing so. It should not matter whether or not the
individual is the primary member covered or a covered spouse, eligibility
should be based on coverage in a DoD health plan at retirement. This fine point on health insurance is not
explained to employees when they come on board and finding out at the end of
your career impacts negatively on your future standard of living.
Recommendation: Change
the NAF retirement system to eliminate the requirement that the coverage in
TRICARE is for primary members only not spouses of the primary member. Afford NAF employees who are family members
on their military sponsor’s TRICARE the same opportunity to elect NAF health
insurance in retirement.
Response: An employee
who retires under the NAF retirement system must have a minimum of five years
of participation immediately preceding retirement to be eligible to receive the
subsidized retiree medical and dental insurance. Also an active employee who retires between
the ages of 62 and 65 on an immediate annuity and has 15 years of participation
in the Army NAF medical program, of which five years must immediately precede
retirement, will receive free medical and dental insurance until age 65. After age 65, the retiree is eligible for
subsidized retiree medical and dental insurance.
During
in-processing, employees who are eligible to enroll in medical and dental
insurance are provided information regarding coverage as employees and a
pamphlet on the insurance program. That
pamphlet provides information regarding an employee's eligibility to continue
health insurance after retirement.
Update: This issue
was returned to CPAC for further clarification, upon receiving clarification,
will be forwarded based on IAC recommendations.
Update: In
determining eligibility for retiree medical in the NAF retirement system,
cumulative participation in all federal health insurance plans, including
Federal Employee Health Benefit Program (FEHBP) and Department of Defense
Health Benefit Program (DODHBP) (including HMOs) is counted. However, TRICARE is not.
Recommendations for changes to the NAF Health Benefit Plan can be submitted to
the Chief,
Update (May
08): Issue was not prioritized at the TRADOC level
AFAP Conference; will re-evaluate pending issue disposition from TRADOC.
TRADOC Disposition: According to Human Resources Department the
information stated in this Issue is incorrect.
Neither the Military Member nor the covered dependent under TRICARE can
count that time toward retiree medical eligibility, and neither the NAF Health
Benefit Plan nor FEGBP count TRICARE participation for retiree medical
eligibility. Therefore the delegates
chose not to work this issue.
Update (Sep 08): Voted
unattainable by the IAC.
Status: Unattainable (1st Qtr FY08)
Issue 1: Commissary privileges
for Purple Heart Veterans
Veterans
who received the Purple Heart do not have Commissary privileges unless they are
separated in a retirement status. This
affects Veterans who have served in the military; were wounded fighting for
their country; but were not discharged with retirement benefits as well as
those that are medically disabled. Veterans who have received the Purple Heart
may have disabilities that limit their financial income, placing a burden on
them and their family members.
Recommendation:
Response: This is a Congressional issue. Only Congress can make that change. The
Commissary can not recommend this be forwarded.
The constituent group representative must submit through channels.
Update (Mar 07): Issue has been approved
and forwarded to TRADOC level AFAP Conference.
TRADOC
DISPOSITION: Workgroup determined Issue was too broad in
scope. While we owe many thanks to those
who serve; the fact remains that we can not put a value on whether it’s a great
or small injury. Delegates felt it
unfair to grant that entitlement base on one award - - where would we draw the
line?
Update (June 07): Voted
unattainable by WBAC.
Status: Unattainable (1st Qtr FY 07)
Issue 1: Special Duty Pay for
Drill Sergeants
Drill Sergeants spend the
majority of their time training and working with new recruits. The hours are EXTREMELY long and it can
sometimes be a very “thankless” job.
Recommendation: Increase Special Duty pay for Drill Sergeants
to that of a Recruiter – from SD-5, to SD-6 ($375 - $450).
Response: This issue
was previously submitted by the Soldier Focus Group in 4th Quarter, FY05. Issue will be resubmitted to DMPO for an
update.
Update: The local
Military Pay Office cannot increase or decrease amounts set by Congress for a
soldiers pay. The Deputy Chief of Staff G1 must approve all changes for Special
Duty Assignment Pay. It is recommended that the council is allowed
to vote to elevate this matter to a higher authority.
Update: IAC voted to forward issue. Issue submitted to CG for approval for
forwarding to HQDA.
Update: The issue
was submitted to the Commanding General and was not recommended for forwarding
at this time.
Status:
Unattainable (3rd Qtr FY 07)
Issue 2: Post Hazardous Duty Compensation Pay
There is an inconsistency in
deployment of Soldiers into hazardous duty areas. Some Soldiers have never deployed while
others have had multiple deployments.
However as both Soldiers deploy into a hazardous duty area compensation
is the same. This has an adverse impact
on Families and Soldiers decreasing moral in the units.
Recommendation:
Establish Post
Hazardous Duty Compensation Pay determining compensation based on deployment
time by months and location where hazardous duty pay was received. If Post Hazardous Duty Compensation Pay is
adopted, establish permanent benefits while on active duty.
Response (May 08): The local DMPO cannot authorize
entitlements without Congressional authority.
With the many entitlements already being paid to Soldiers downrange this
may be difficult to push. DMPO
recommends a vote by council to forward to the CG for approval/disapproval.
Update (June 08): The Installation Action Council voted
this issue unattainable.
Status:
Unattainable (AFAP – 3rd Qtr FY 08)
Issue 3: Increase in Pay for Career Soldiers
Newly enlisted Soldiers are
receiving bonuses from $10,000-$50,000, while the Soldiers responsible for their
training are offered little incentive to remain committed to the military. Soldiers that have served more than 10 years
and are not currently offered additional incentives to remain on active duty. This affects the morale and welfare of career
soldiers who are most likely going to remain on active duty until they reach
retirement eligibility.
Recommendations: Offer
monetary incentives to career soldiers with more than 10 years, or an increase
in pay.
Response (May 08): The local DMPO cannot authorize a
special pay without Congressional Authority.
We are offering large dollar amounts to new recruits, early
reenlistments, and special reenlistments.
There are no incentives for the mid-term Soldiers who are over the
ten/twelve year mark to remain on active duty.
It is recommended the council is allowed to vote to
elevate this matter to higher headquarters.
Update (June 08):
The Installation Action Council voted this issue unattainable.
Status:
Unattainable (3rd Qtr FY08)
Issue 1: It makes
no sense to have to wait 6 months for a crown from dental.
Recommendation: Contract outside Dental offices.
Response: This issue only affects
Soldiers since family members, civilians, retirees and veterans are not
authorized routine treatment in military dental facilities. It is unfortunate that Soldiers cannot get a
crown placed on a tooth in a timelier manner.
Currently the Army Dental Corps is understaffed by over 200 dentists and
Status: Unattainable (1st Qtr FY05)
Issue 2: Dental Benefits of Family members
Currently the Dental
Activity on Post does not provide dental care for Family members. The dental care given to Family members
through the TRICARE Dental program pales in comparison to that given to
Soldiers.
Recommendation: Provide dental care for Family members through the Dental
Activity on Post.
Response: This
issue surfaced in 2nd Quarter, FY04 and is being resubmitted to the
DENTAC.
Update (June 07):
After DENTAC review, issue was presented to the WBAC. Voted unattainable by WBAC.
Status:
Unattainable (3rd Qtr FY07)
Below
is the issue that was previously submitted (2nd Qtr FY 04):
Issue: Family Member Dental Costs
The
associated insurance costs covered by Concordia is falling short. The standard payment for family members
regarding specialized dental care is steadily increasing Increase the amount
taken out of the Service Members pay to bridge the gap between coverage and
actual cost or put a standard rate specialized treatment. (i.e. root canal,
bridge work, orthodontist visits).
Change from Concordia to another carrier.
Response: Military
Dental Treatment Facilities are not staffed or budgeted to treat anyone other than
uniformed personnel. In order to provide
a treatment option for family members, the TRICARE Dental Program (TDP) was
implemented on
Diagnostic (exams) and preventive
(cleaning) treatments are performed at no cost to the member while basic
restorative (fillings) are performed with member paying only 20% of the
dentist’s fee. Cost shares for other
services vary by type of service. The
plan also provides reduced cost shares for pay grades E-1 through E-4. To ensure the least amount of “out of
pocket” expense, it is important for the member to choose a “participating
provider” who has agreed to accept an established fee schedule. A “participating provider” is required to
charge a set rate for all treatment to include specialized treatment in
accordance with United Concordia’s fee schedule. If a family member chooses a non
participating provider, the service member assumes risk and will be required to
pay the difference between United Concordia’s rates and the provider’s
fees.
For more information about the TDP, to obtain a list
of participating dentists, or to download a copy of the benefit handbook,
beneficiaries may log onto the UCCI website at:
www.ucci.com or call United Concordia
toll-free at 1-800-866-8499. Information
concerning the TRICARE Dental Program can also be obtained at any
Issue 1: CDC-Why do they
include BAH and BAS as a part of our income when determining our ability to
pay?
Response: This
issue has already been addressed at the DA AFAP Conference – DA AFAP Issues
#368, Child Care Cost. Regulatory and legislative guidance authorizes childcare
as an employment issue, not an entitlement.
TFI definition resulted in a more effective way of determining a
family’s ability to pay a “fair share”.
The other branches of service did not support the change. GOSC declared this issue unattainable based
on the absence of support from DOD or the other Services.
Status:
Unattainable (2nd Qtr FY04)
Issue
2: The CAC does not have adequate locker rooms for males.
Lockers are small. Seating is
limited. Floor is always wet (moisture). Locker room always hot due to the fact
that the steam room/sauna and showers are located in the same area.
Professional employees should not have to “hang” their suits on the clothes rack,
especially when there have been instances of theft.
Response: Due to cost
restrictions when designing the CAC, the original square footage of the
project was cut in half. Subsequently,
the locker rooms had to be downsized from the original plan. Unfortunately, it
would be cost prohibitive to expand the locker rooms.
Status:
Unattainable (3rd Qtr FY04)
Issue 3: Currently, there are
limited options: Junior High at Decker
and High School at Northeast.
Alternative schools providing better curriculum and less “issues” (i.e.
Blythewood and Spring Valley HS) are only accessible if child/family member
provides transportation.
Response: Expanded choice is offered to each student in
DLE Transportation Division has indicated that regulation does not
allow them to provide transportation to school when provided by the local
school district. Since the school
district does provide transportation to and from the schools for which children
are zoned, providing school bus transportation to alternative schools would
require a revision of the regulation and sufficient funding to offset the
costs.
Status: Unattainable (3rd Qtr FY04)
Response: Living on post does not impact on a parent's
ability to choose an alternative school for his/her child. Expanded choice is offered to each student in
Status: Unattainable (3rd Qtr FY04)
Issue 5: Housing priorities for Single Parents
The cost of Guest housing
should be changed to Housing allowance rates.
Example $39 X 30 = $1170. SFC and
below do not get paid this high for housing allowance.
Recommendation: Need to be on the same priority as Drill Sergeants. Guest housing should cost what the Soldier is
allowed for Housing.
Response:
Installation Temporary Lodging Facilities are
operated as a supplemental mission
activity that is primarily supported by Appropriated Fund Training and Travel dollars. Rates are established in accordance with AR
210-50 and Community and
Status: Unattainable (1st Qtr FY05)
Issue 6:
Response: The Auto Craft Shop is a CAT B activity
and receives minimal Appropriated Fund (APF) support. Until funding support increases, we can only
afford to open five days a week. These
days were determined based on participation and customer surveys.
Status: Unattainable (ICE) (2nd Qtr FY05)
Issue 7: MWR doesn’t offer facilities/instruction for Arts and Crafts and
families do not have a facility to do basic arts and crafts or a store that
sells arts and crafts items.
Recommendation: MWR to provide facility for craft instruction/store for user fee,
with additional charge for classes and supplies. For example:
pottery, woodcraft/framing.
Response: The arts and crafts facilities were closed on FJ several years ago when
APF funding was eliminated.
Additionally, the amount of revenue generated by the arts and crafts
operations was not enough to sustain these types of activities.
Status: Unattainable (Family Member Focus Group) (2nd
Qtr FY05)
Issue 8: Go-Cart or Laser Tag activities on
Recommendation:
Create a facility
for Go Carts and Laser Tag on
Response: The
installation population is not sufficient to support these types of
recreational facilities. These
facilities would need to operate as a business and continual use by a small
population would probably not be financially feasible for families. At one time, the Youth Services Program
offered Laser Tag at the
Status: Unattainable
(Teen Focus Group) (4th Qtr
FY05)
Issue 9: Swimming Pool Hours
Recommendation:
Extend the Knight
Swimming Pool hours so family members and soldiers are able to swim on a
regular basis. Have some late afternoon/early evening and weekend hours for the indoor
pool. This is the only place on post to
swim laps. It is a great pool, but the
current hours do not always work for those who have duty, work, or school responsibilities. Exercise is important!
Response: It is always a difficult decision to
reduce hours in any program. These
decisions are made only after every option and alternatives have been
explored. With the seemingly endless
budget cuts, we could not operate the same number of hours in a safe manner
with the funds available to us. We
researched the participation records from Knight Pool and adjusted the schedule
to accommodate the majority of the users.
It was found that we only had a total of 72 users after 1400 hrs on
weekdays and on weekends per month (estimate of 8 actual patrons per day). This equates to a per patron cost of $85.00
per month to operate those off peak hours for just those 8 people. After reducing the hours we were able to save
approximately $100,000.00 per year.
Facilities such as: pools, gyms, libraries, and sports should be
supported by Appropriate Funds (APF).
Unfortunately, Appropriated Funds are not sufficient to cover these
costs and the fees assessed for pool users does not begin to cover the annual
operating costs at Knight Pool.
Status:
Unattainable (1st Qtr
FY06)
Issue 10: DOD Domestic
Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools (DDESS) opportunities for off-post
dependant children
Soldiers with
dependent children stationed at
In
some cases none of these options are favorable to the Soldier.
Recommendation:
Allow Soldiers living off-post the opportunity to use DDESS.
Response: DDESS must follow a Federal statute in regard to school
eligibility. Section 2164 of Title 10
In order for those living off-post to attend
Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools, not only would Section
2164 of title 10
Soldiers are encouraged to contact
the School Liaison Office to assist them in getting information regarding
school options in their new location prior to any move. Contact the
Update: Issue
submitted to the Commanding General, not recommended for forwarding.
Status:
Unattainable (AFAP – 2nd Qtr FY07)
Issue 11: Respite
Care for Family Members of Drill Sergeants
There is no designated Respite Care for Drill
Sergeants and Family Members. Drill
Sergeants endure long hours leaving the spouse responsible for maintaining the
household. This imposes stress on both
the Drill Sergeant and the spouse, not allowing for personal time and time
needed for appointments due to a lack of funding for childcare.
Recommendation: Allow Respite Care
funding for Drill Sergeants and their Family Members.
Response: Contacted MWR in reference to regulatory guidance and funding. The Family, Morale Welfare
& Recreation Command (FMWRC) received FY07 GWOT funds for EFMP Respite Care
to be used for deployment-related stress of EFMP families in Mar 07. This
approval came from the Dept of the Army.
In accordance with policy letter dated 4 June 07, respite care is only
provided for EFMP family members.
Update: Voted unattainable by the IAC.
Status:
Unattainable (Drill SGT Spouse Focus Group) (4th Qtr FY 07)
Issue 12: Post Gym Shower/Locker Rooms
Post gym locker/shower rooms
are inadequate and outdated for usage.
Facilities cannot accommodate the number of users.
Recommendation:
·
Renovate
and expand existing facilities to accommodate the patron usage.
·
Build
new
Response:
Update (June 08):
The Installation Action Council voted this issue unattainable.
Status:
Unattainable (Soldier’s Focus Group) (4th Qtr FY 07)
Issue 13: Dedicated Space for Children’s Play Group
The Family Advocacy
children’s play groups do not have a dedicated space to meet. Currently the play groups for children under
4 years old are meeting at the Child and Youth Services Gymnasium. This space is inadequate and unsafe for the
ages of the children in the group. The
floor is slick and there are bleachers that the children climb. Continued use of this location could lead to
injuries.
Recommendation: Provide a building for this group that has been approved and
designated for play group activities, with a playground, an area for story
time, singing and dance, arts and crafts, pretend play, and infant crawl
areas.
Response (May 08):
ACS will ensure that the current area is safe, that the floors are not slippery,
and that the children are closely supervised to avoid any potentially harmful
situations. The reality is that this
program has to compete for available space, and we do not have enough space to
give every activity its own dedicated space.
We will continually search for ways to make the program better and our
facilities more conducive.
Update (June 08):
The Installation Action Council has voted this issue unattainable.
Statue:
Unattainable (3rd Qtr FY 08)
Issue 14:
Currently, there is no
recreation center for the WTU, families and guests. This adversely affects the WTU community
because there is no family friendly location for Soldiers to spend time with
their families/guests while rehabilitating on
Recommendation:
·
Build
a recreation center (billiard tables, air hockey, video games, & movies)
for WTU
·
Acquire
existing space for a recreation center
Response (May 08):
We currently have a recreation center in the SFAC that provides a safe
haven whereby the WTs and their Family members enter a warm, relaxed and
welcoming environment. The WTs and their
Family members may socialize in the lounge that is open to them 24 hours a
day. They may visit the TV room to watch
movies or just relax on the couch. We
have tables in the lounge that they may use to study/complete educational requirements. We have tables that they may play games
(cards, dominos, chess, etc.). We have
three PCs available that are connected to the internet and they may print
documents as needed. We provide MWR
sponsored recreational events to them and their Family members. We provide social gatherings for them and
their Family members once a month.
Although we are in the process of building a new SFAC that should be
completed in late August, it will not be large enough to contain large game
equipment.
Update (June 08):
The Installation Action Council has voted this issue unattainable.
Status:
Unattainable (WTU Focus Group) (3rd Qtr FY 08)
Issue 15: Free Child Care
for Drill Sergeant (DS) Families
Currently
there is no free childcare for DS Families. DS Families have to pay regular
childcare fees. Due to cost, availability and demands on DS spouses, there is
little opportunity to have stress-free time. Having to pay for childcare is an
additional stressor on DS spouses.
Recommendation: DS should be
considered mission-essential when determining childcare fees, in line with
dual-military, single, and deployed Soldiers who receive this consideration.
Response (Sep 08): A similar
issue regarding Respite Care was
surfaced during a Drill SGT Spouse Focus Group, 4th Qtr FY 07 and
was voted “unattainable”. The
response from DFMWR regarding policy
guidelines was as follows: “The Family,
Morale Welfare & Recreation Command (FMWRC) received FY07 GWOT funds for
EFMP Respite Care to be used for deployment-related stress of EFMP families in
Mar 07. This approval came from the Dept of the Army. In accordance with policy letter dated 4 June
07, respite care is only provided for EFMP family members”. The Installation Action Council requested that CMS research and provide
more detailed recommendations (desired days, hours, etc.) before voting whether
or not to forward this issue.
Update (Dec
08): Per DFMWR: The Army has not funded respite care for families of Drill
Sergeants. The only authorized respite
care at this point is for families with exceptional family members, families
with a deployed soldier, families of soldiers with a temporary change of
station, families of soldiers on a permanent change of station unaccompanied
tour, families of a Wounded Warrior or Warrior in Transition and families of
Fallen Warriors. Fort Jackson Child,
Youth and School Services has no authorization or funding to provide free child
care for families of Drill Sergeants other than the care associated with the
extended mission hours.
Update (Dec
08): The IAC voted this issue unattainable.
Status: Unattainable (Drill
Sergeant Spouse Focus Group) (4th Qtr FY08)
Issue 16: Support for Families of Deployed Soldiers
Family members of deployed Soldiers
are not being provided adequate support and some are not aware of the services
available to them. Despite the fact that the numbers of deployed families are
small, it is important that they are contacted on a monthly basis and are made
aware of programs such as “Hearts Apart”. The current “Hearts Apart” program
does not have someone devoted to marketing it and supporting families on a
full-time basis. Not having adequate support affects all family members of
deployed Soldiers and can have a negative effect upon mission readiness and
retention. Recommendation: Hire a full-time person to take on “Hearts Apart” and other
family member support groups.
Response
(Dec 08): Hearts Apart
is a component of the Mobilization and Deployment Program under Army Community
Service. It fills the gap for families that do not have an active Family
Readiness Group. Events are conducted monthly and are open to
Update:
(Dec 08): The IAC
voted this issue unattainable due to lack of resourcing for a new hire.
Status: Unattainable (1st Qtr FY09)
Issue 17: Parking at the
Use of the
Recommendation: Set aside parking spaces for gym patrons to use on days when
special events are being held.
Response:
Update (Dec 08):
This issue was voted unattainable by the IAC.
Status:
Unattainable (1st Qtr FY09)
Issue 18: Cost of Childcare
Childcare
rates per household income are too extreme.
Rates are not competitive with off-post facilities. Total family income is considered, not debt
to income ratio. This causes financial
strain on families which results in families finding alternate means of
childcare.
Recommendation: Change policy to
lower current childcare rates. Consider
debt to income ratio (disposable income) when setting fees.
Response (Dec 08):
This issue was voted unattainable by the IAC.
Status: Unattainable (Soldier Focus Group) (1st
Qtr FY09)
Issue 19: Extended Gym Hours
The
gyms across the installation close at 9:00pm on weekdays and between 2:00pm and
6:00pm on weekends. These hours are not convenient for patrons such as Drill
Sergeants who work odd hours. Current hours prevent maximum utilization of the
facilities and could create a hindrance to those desiring to exercise.
Recommendation: Extend the hours at one or two of the
primary gyms on the installation (Coleman’s and/or Andy’s) to midnight.
Response (Feb 09):
Per FMWR: “Community
Recreation Division currently operates 4 fitness facilities on
Status: Unattainable (Soldier Focus Group) (2nd
Qtr FY09)
Issue 20: FMWR Discounts for EFMP Families
Families enrolled in the
Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) would like to participate in more
on-post FMWR activities such as bowling, water park, and miniature golf. The only time these Families can receive a
discount is with EFMP-sponsored activities.
Family participation in recreational activities relieves some of the
stress on these Families and provides an opportunity for them to spend time
together. Discounts for these Families
may encourage them to use the on-post FMWR facilities without additional stress
such as financial issues due to special needs requirements.
Recommendation: FMWR provide discounts for Families with
special needs who are enrolled in the EFMP, and who participate as a Family at
the bowling center, water park and miniature golf.
Response (Feb 09):
Per FMWR: “ACS operates with Appropriated Funds and is prohibited from
using them to purchase tickets for entertainment events or food. Certain types of donations can be accepted by
ACS and used for this purpose. We agree
that the discounted tickets are a great benefit to our fa
Status: Unattainable (EFMP Focus Group) (2nd
Qtr FY09)
Issue 21: Lack of Funding for Childcare During EFMP Support Group
Meetings
Army Community Service’s
Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) provides monthly support groups that
are very informational. Families that
attend the meetings bring their children because they do not have the funds to
pay for additional childcare. Many EFMP
Families are experiencing financial difficulties due to medical expenses,
household expenses, etc. During the
meetings, parents are constantly distracted with attending to children’s needs,
causing them to miss important information they may need to assist them with
caring for their special needs child(ren).
Childcare cannot be provided by the EFMP staff or other parents due to
childcare regulations on the installation.
Recommendation: Provide funding for EFMP support group
meetings so that parents may attend the meetings to obtain needed information
and also encourage parents to attend who are unable to due to childcare
issues.
Response (Feb 09): After discussion among council and community members, the IAC voted this
issue unattainable.
Status: Unattainable (EFMP Focus
Group) (2nd Qtr FY09)
Issue 1: Family Member Tuition
Assistance.
Recommendation: Family
members would like to have tuition assistance money to attend college. At present there are no funds available to
assist in the education process.
Response (Nov
03): Issue
previously submitted and declared unattainable. The May 03 GOSC declared
this issue unattainable based on the cost of a spouse TA program and the
continuous demand for Soldier TA funding.
Status: Unattainable (FY 03)
Issue 2: Lack of Full-Time Veteran Affairs Representative on
Retirees, Veterans, Active
Duty and their beneficiaries are not able to obtain VA information on a regular
basis due to assigned VA Rep only being on
Recommendation: Recommend
Response: The Director of Human Resources has
previously requested that Mr. Ferguson, our Veterans Representative, be
assigned at
Status: Unattainable (AFAP – 2nd Qtr FY
06)
Issue 3: Retiree Pin
(Retired/US Army)
The new Retiree Pin just
issued this year is too large for the lapel of a male or female jacket. The pin could also represent the US Army
Reserve (USAR) and the Army National Guard (ARNG).
Recommendation:
·
Reduce
the pin in size.
·
Leave
the star with the black background as it easily recognized by Veterans and
Civilians.
·
The
only word on the pin should be RETIRED placed at the bottom, this way the pin
could also represent the US Army Reserve (USAR) and the Army National Guard
(ARNG).
Response: The Directorate
of Human Resources does not have anything to do with the design or size of the
Retiree Pin and has no authority to change it.
This recommendation should be forwarded to CSA Retiree Council, at the
address below, for consideration:
CSA Retiree Council
Update (June 07):
Voted unattainable by WBAC
Status:
Unattainable (3rd Qtr FY07)
Issue 4: Loss of Survivor
Premiums when Retiree Spouse predeceases Retiree
The
premiums paid to survivor benefits are lost at the death of the spouse. There are Retirees that have invested in the
Survivors Benefit Plan (SBP) who have lost their spouse and subsequently lost
all money paid into the program. The
monetary loss over an extended period of time affects the financial well-being
of our Retirees.
Recommendation:
·
Allow a change in regulation to stipulate
conditions for refund.
·
Require and enforce effective training/discussion
with Retiree and Spouse.
·
Authorize children as beneficiaries.
Response: SBP Primary Coordinator located in
To further
clarify the issue:
SBP was designed
as the sole means for retiree to continue a portion of their retirement pay to
their designated survivors. The retiree
pays only part of the SBP premium and the government subsidizes (47.5%) the
remainder. The retiree’s pay premiums
for SBP coverage after retirement and annuity payments start at the retiree’s
demise. Therefore, no premiums are
refunded if the designated survivors/beneficiary predeceases the retiree.
The Survivor
Benefit Plan (SBP) was signed into effect 21 Sept 72. SBP was not designed as an insurance policy
to accumulate a cash value or a return of the monies paid into the plan. All retirees are briefed on SBP prior to
retiring. Retirees cannot process out of
the Armed Forces without making an election.
Child (ren)
Option: Eligible
until age 18, or 22 if full-time, unmarried student. Unmarried incapacitated child (ren) is
eligible forever (if condition was incurred pre-18 or 22). The cost stops when
no eligible children remain.
Spouse Option:
Annuity provided 55% (pre-62), 35%
(post-62). Post-62 incrementally
increased to 55% effective 1 Apr 08.
Annuity paid forever (unless remarriage occurs pre-55), if remarriage
ends, annuity are reinstated. Annuity
increases by annual COLA.
The websites
that provides question and answer for SBP issues are: http://www.military.com/benefits/survivor-benefits/survivor-benefit-plan-explained
Update: Issue
submitted to the Commanding General; was disapproved for forwarding.
Status:
Unattainable (AFAP – 2nd Qtr FY 07)
Issue 5: Full-Time Veterans
Affairs Representative
There are currently no
provisions for a full-time Veterans Affairs (VA) Representative at
Recommendation: Provide a full-time VA Representative at
Response (May 08): The above issue falls under the purview
of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs and therefore cannot be addressed by the
Directorate of Human Resources. This
issue was forwarded to the
Update (Nov 08): The Department of Veterans
Affairs is mandated under a Memorandum of Understanding to provide a veteran’s
service representative to
Update (Nov 08):
This issue was voted unattainable by the IAC.
Status:
Unattainable (Retiree/Veteran Focus Group) (3rd Qtr FY 08)
Issue 1: Post Operator
There is no live post
operator for
Recommendation: Hire a “live” post operator for
Response
(Dec 08): A Department
of Defense (DoD) Business Initiatives Council (BIC) studied base operator
functionality for CONUS locations and as a result the Interactive Voice
Response System was certified and fielded for Army installations which is the
"Automated Directory Assistance System (ADAS)". The tangible benefits in going to this system
were elimination of telephone operators (costs savings) and reduced phone call
expenses through the exclusive use of an automated system. This process has been implemented in both DoD
and industry where a standardized menu has been established for platform
convergence. That said, the standardized
menu's are only as good as structured and updated by the customer in concert
with DOIM technical support. In the future, an OPORD will be submitted to
organizations to engage in the structure and update of applicable menu (minor)
changes that will not conflict with BIC objectives. It will be a prolonged
process and will not alter current business practice to bring back
"live" operators.
Update (Dec
08): This issue was voted unattainable by
the IAC.
Status: Unattainable (1st Qtr FY 09)
Issue 1: School Buses for on Post Housing
Lack of school buses on post
causes an inconvenience to Soldiers and Families during times of increased
mission readiness. In the past year
there have been a couple of attempted child abductions while walking to and
from school. This causes parents undue
stress and concern for their child’s safety.
Recommendation: Change DOD regulation and policy to include all quarters on
Post to be eligible for bus service.
Response (June 08):
This issue was resurfaced during the 2008
Status:
Unattainable (AFAP – 3rd Qtr FY 08)
Issue 2: Families with special needs children who
PCS from one CONUS location to another are having difficulty transporting two
vehicles.
Some Families that have two POV’s and have
special need children are having issues driving from one CONUS location to
another with their child(ren) who have medical conditions. Driving two vehicles separates the parents and
may cause the parent transporting the child with special needs to have
additional stress and distractions placed upon him/her while driving. For
example, if a child has an asthma attack and there is only one adult in the
vehicle, the driver could easily become distracted trying to drive the car to a
safe location to assist the child and could unintentionally cause an
accident. If both parents are in the
same car then the adult not driving could provide assistance while the driver
could concentrate on driving safely to a location.
Recommendation: Department
of the Army authorize CONUS shipment of one POV for Families PCSing with two
POV’s who have Family Members with qualifying medical conditions (ex. Autism, ADD/ADHD,
asthma, medically fragile conditions, etc.).
Response (Feb 09):
Per DOL: “The Joint Federal Travel Regulation, U5417, entitles
Uniformed Service Members the opportunity for transporting the entire family in
one vehicle. There are limitations to
the entitlement. The Member is required
to make his/her own arrangements to have the vehicle transported and then apply
for reimbursement. Members would be
advised to contact their finance travel office for specific details, prior to
making these arrangements. This
entitlement and reimbursement procedures are not handled, arranged or settled
by the transportation office. This
entitlement is associated with MALT and should be discussed with the finance
office”. The IAC voted this issue
unattainable.
Status:
Unattainable (EFMP Focus Group) (2nd Qtr FY09)
Issue 1: Bus Service to
On-Post Schools.
There is no bus service for
all children to the three on-post schools. Distances to the school can exceed 1.5
miles. Children are either required to
walk unsafe distances and the traffic at schools is excessively heavy.
Scope: Provide daily bus
service to and from all on-post schools for all children living in the Fort Jackson
Family Housing area.
Response: This
issue deals with walking distance and heavy traffic at crossing areas. This issue was voted on by the Well-Being
Action Council for forwarding to the Department of Defense Education Activity
(DODEA). It will be prepared for
submission to the commanding General for approval and forwarding.
UPDATE: This issue
was forwarded to TRADOC AFAP Conference – to be held June 06.
UPDATE: This issue
was returned to
UPDATE (June 07): This issue has been deemed Unattainable by the
Well-Being Action Council
Status: Unattainable (Family
Member Focus Group) (1st Qtr FY 06)
Issue 1: Use of Alcohol and
Tobacco by Initial Entry Training (IET) Soldiers
Underage drinking and the
illegal use of alcohol and tobacco products between AIT and BCT Soldiers is a
problem. This is causing an increase of
crime throughout the training environment.
As a result, there is a high strain on Cadre, Chain of Command and
Emergency Services.
Recommendation:
Response:
The following regulatory guidance outlines the possession of alcohol and
tobacco in the Basic Training and AIT environments.
1) BCT Soldiers are not allowed to
use Alcohol or Tobacco during the course of their training.
2) For AIT Soldiers, TRADOC Reg.
350-6, para. 2-2 states the following:
(7) Upon the completion of Phase IV (AIT).
Soldiers are granted privileges up to and including permanent party privileges.
Privileges may be withheld or withdrawn based on the Soldier’s conduct and
performance.
(a) AIT Soldiers who pass the initial APFT test with
only 50 points in each event will not be authorized to consume alcoholic
beverages and tobacco products.
(b) Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products may only
be used if the Soldier is of legal age. Alcoholic beverages will not be used
within 8 hours prior to reporting for duty. Soldiers granted these privileges
will not consume alcoholic beverages or use tobacco products in the presence of
those Soldiers who have not been granted these privileges.
Update
(June 07): Presented to the WBAC, voted
unattainable.
Status: Unattainable (AFAP – FY 07)
Issue 2: Post Museums
Museums are scattered across
the installation, not easily found, and in some cases (
Recommendation:
Response: This has
been addressed before in another forum.
Due to a lack of a single building that could possibility house all of
the exhibits, we would have to construct a building and to date there are not
enough funds to do this. We will request
that this project be added to the Installation MILCON List for consideration.
Update (June 07):
Voted unattainable by the WBAC.
Status: Unattainable (3rd Qtr FY 07)
Issue 1: Grade-Level Breakdown at Elementary
Schools
Because of the grade-level breakdown at the schools on
post (C.C. Pinckney and Pierce Terrace), there are parents who have children
who attend the two separate schools. This creates a dilemma because, in such
cases, one of the children is too young to travel to and from school alone. The
current breakdown creates an inconvenience for parents and poses a safety issue
for the young children.
Recommendation: Have at least one of each grade level attend the schools so
siblings will not be required to attend two different schools.
Response (Feb 09): “Pierce Terrace Elementary and C.C.
Pinckney Elementary were designed with children of different ages in mind. The
libraries are designed to accommodate children of specific ages. At Pierce
Terrace, the bathrooms, furnishings, display boards, sinks, etc. were all designed
with younger children in mind. Each school is able to focus on the ages and
needs of the students that attend these schools.
As per Policy Memorandum 5-3 Supervision of Children;
Children 6th grade and under may not babysit siblings. Having an
older sibling escort a younger sibling to school may be more convenient, but it
is not necessarily the best option for the safety of younger students. Children first grade and up may walk to
school alone or in groups only after the parent has considered the child’s
level of maturity and the hazards of the route. Children younger than first
grade must be accompanied by an adult or responsible caregiver.
There are children attending Pierce Terrace with no
older siblings in the family as well as children who attend half day programs
who also need to get to school safely. Parents are encouraged to escort or
drive their children to school. If a parent’s schedule does not allow for this,
Child and Youth Services provides before and after school care with
transportation for students in these schools. Younger children in half day
programs can get transportation to and from Pierce Terrace if enrolled in the
full day care program”.
This issue was voted unattainable by the IAC.
Status: Unattainable (Soldier Focus Group) (2nd
Qtr FY09)
Issue 1: Access to
Service-connected disabled
Veterans (20% or more) do not have easy access to
Recommendation: Provide a DoD decal to 20% or more service-connected disabled
Veterans.
Response: AR 190-5 specifically refers to the
registering of vehicles on post and who is authorized the decals: Military
Members, Military Retirees, Civilian employees, and NG or Reservists. The
Update: Veterans can join an entity on post and
obtain a decal. Will require further
research.
Update (Dec 07):
IAC voted this issue unattainable.
Status: Unattainable (Veteran Focus Group) (3rd
Qtr FY 07)
A similar issue was surfaced
during 1st Qtr FY09:
Issue: Access to
Veterans with a 50% or more
service connected disability do not have access to Fort Jackson unless they
have access due to some other affiliation (e.g., as a retiree or a civilian
employee). These veterans have to go through the same security measures as
those of a civilian in order to utilize services on the installation. This
negatively affects all non-retired veterans who have a 50% or more service
connected disability.
Recommendation: Give access to 50% service connected veterans to installation
by providing a sticker for their vehicle.
Response (Feb 09): IAC voted this issue unattainable.
Issue 2: Access to Entitlements on
Entitlements are not
provided to service-connected Veterans (20% or more). Any Veteran under 100% disabled
(service-connected) receives no entitlements on
Recommendation: Require
Response: Garrison Commander will review this
action for possible implementation.
Update (Dec 07):
IAC voted this issue unattainable.
Status: Unattainable (Veteran Focus Group) (3rd
Qtr FY 07)
Issue 3: Separate APFT Track for Permanent Party Service Members
The installation has no
physical training (PT) track designated exclusively for permanent party service
members. The current track at Darby Field is shared by Soldiers in training,
civilians, and permanent party. There also is a perception of limited availability
to other training facilities. Overpopulation of running tracks jeopardizes the
safety of the runners and confuses those taking the APFT (Army Physical Fitness
Test).
Recommendation:
·
Re-educate
units on Fort Jackson Regulation 350-1 (Fort Jackson Training Guidance).
·
Publicize
the scheduling procedures and post the confirmed reservations.
·
Build
an additional track designated for permanent party APFT.
Response (June 08):
The GC stated that each unit/organization on post has access to a
running track. This issue was voted
unattainable by the Installation Action Council.
Status:
Unattainable (AFAP – 3rd Qtr FY 08)
Issue 4: Pregnant Lady Parking
There are no
pregnant lady parking spaces at facilities on post- Commissary and PX. Not
having these spaces available makes it more difficult for pregnant women to
patronize these facilities since walking a great distance is sometimes a
problem for them.
Recommendation: Provide pregnant parking spaces at these facilities.
Response
(Sep 08): DES response: Per Section 5-2 of the FJ Supplement to
AR 190-5 the issue needs to be handled by the directorate or agency head, with
coordination through the DES. Areas or entities that don't have an agency head
would fall to the Garrison Commander, by default. Additionally, there is no regulatory
requirement to put this type of parking at any of the installation facilities.
Garrison
response: There would be no way to determine if the user of the parking space
is actually pregnant. Furthermore, a pregnant woman with limited mobility can
see her physician to get a statement to submit to the DMV and receive a
temporary handicapped parking decal.
The
Installation Action Council voted this issue “unattainable”.
Status: Unattainable (4th Qtr FY08)
Issue 1: Rent Disparity for On-Post Housing
The
policy for on-post housing specifies that a Soldier pays his entire BAH for rent.
This means that an E-3 residing next to an E-5 both give up their BAH- $1129
and $1283, respectively- regardless of unit size, number of bedrooms,
condition, etc. Furthermore, the E-5 does not receive any additional benefit
despite paying over $150 more than the E-3. The disparity in rent has a
negative effect upon the morale of Soldiers and family members residing in
housing.
Recommendation: Change rental rates to reflect unit size
and/or number of bedrooms rather than solely on rank.
Response (Feb 09): This
is a Department of Defense Issue.
Current legislation requires that members residing in on post housing
pay an amount equal to their Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH). The IAC voted
this issue unattainable.
Status: Unattainable (Soldier Focus Group) (2nd
Qtr FY09)
Issue
1: Coverage of Infertility through Tricare
Not only coverage of the
medication but also for the IVF process.
Response: Issue needs to be raised to a higher
level; infertility is not a covered TRICARE benefit. This is not a local MTF decision.
Status: Unattainable (3rd Qtr FY 04)
Issue 2: With the medical and dental insurance
having to pay for this benefit as a retiree spouse.
Response: Issue needs to be raised to a higher
level; as submitter indicates, “this would require Congressional
approval.” This is not a local MTF
decision.
Status: Unattainable (3rd Qtr FY 04)
Issue 3: Dependents going to a civilian doctor and having to pay a bill
without parent consent.
Tricare should help put a
stop to this.
Response: Issue needs
to be raised to a higher level. This is
not a local MTF decision and has other implications (HIPPA etc.).
Status: Unattainable (3rd Qtr FY 04)
Issue 4: OB/GYN on staff at MACH.
Twice
my wife went to MACH for emergency medical care as a result of two miscarriages
and twice I was sent away to another hospital.
Family Members help decide if a Soldier stays in the Army.
Recommendation:
Have an OB/GYN on staff
at MACH.
Response: The number
of doctors we have is determined by the Army Office of the Surgeon General
based on our enrolled TRICARE Prime/Plus beneficiaries, and our mission. We do
not provide OB services at MACH; therefore, when a patient arrives with an
Status: Unattainable (3rd Qtr FY 05)
Issue 5: Civilian Wellness Physical Training Program
Current Policy only allows
one-time six month duration of physical fitness training. Due to current world situations and resource
shortages, stress plays a great part in our daily work environment. Without the ability to participate in a
continuous physical training program, the well being of the entire work force
will decline.
Recommendation: Change the current policy to eliminate the six month time
limit.
Response: Covered under AR 600-63, Army Health
Promotion. This is a medical regulation.
Update (Jan 07):
Presented issue to WB Action Council and voted Unattainable Status:
Unattainable (Civilian Employee Focus Group) (1st Qtr FY 07)
Issue 6: Medical Benefits of
Family members
Currently, the medical care
given to Family members pales in comparison to the care given to the
Soldier. For example Soldiers are
authorized to have Lasik Eye Surgery and Liposuction procedures at no
cost. Family members are not authorized.
Recommendation: Increase medical benefits so that the benefits
provided to Family members is equal to the care provided to the Soldier.
Response:
Update: As for the
Lasik Eye Surgery, there is a special funding for that paid by the Army War
Fighter Refractive Program.
Update (June 07): Voted unattainable by WBAC
Status:
Unattainable (3rd Qtr FY 07)
Issue 7: Nurse Advice Line
Recommendation:
Establish a Nurses
Advice Line.
Response: Currently, MACH does not have an
official advice nurse. Someone does assist on the phone but we have no one
hired as an advice nurse.
Update (May 07): Moncrief currently has a nurse in the
UCC that can assist, answer questions and recommend treatment to callers.
However, Moncrief does not have a specific 24-hour Nurse Advise Line. Moncrief
does not have funds to pay for this service.
Moncrief is currently reviewing this process.
Update: Currently, MACH is conducting a mission
analysis in order to determine the necessity of a Nurses Advice line. If it is determined that a Nurse Advice line
will be established, the entire process will take approximately four to five
months to hire and train an individual.
Update: Voted unattainable by the Installation
Action Council
Status: Unattainable (2nd Qtr FY 07)
Issue 8: Orthotic Coverage for
Retirees
TRICARE does not cover
orthotics (shoe inserts) for Retirees off post, and
Recommendation:
Response (May 08):
Unfortunately, our facility does not make orthotics. Orthotics are not a TRICARE covered
benefit. TRICARE benefits are based upon
the law. The authority for this is contained
in Title 32 to the Code of Federal Regulations, part 199 (32 CFR 199). The TRICARE Policy Manual, which explains the
benefit set by law, Chapter 7, Section 4.3 addresses orthotics. Orthopedic shoes, which are not an integral
part of a brace, are specifically excluded from TRICARE coverage.
Update (June 08): The Installation Action Council voted
this issue unattainable.
Status:
Unattainable (3rd Qtr FY 08)
Issue 9: Over the Counter Medication at
Patrons who are eligible to
receive over the counter (OTC) medication from the pharmacy should be given
more than one option when using this service.
The way the program is presently administered at
Recommendation:
Response (May 08):
For the safety of our patients, OTC medications are entered as new
prescriptions into the patient’s medication profile to check for possible drug
interaction with any current medications.
Additionally, there is potential for abuse with some of the OTC
medications that we have visibility of through OTC tracking at the main
pharmacy, to ensure continuation of this program. On a good note, wait times in our pharmacy
have dramatically improved. Over 90% of
patients are served in less than 30 minutes.
Update (June 08):
The Installation Action Council voted this issue unattainable.
Status:
Unattainable (3rd Qtr FY08)
Issue 10: DoD proposal to
increase TRICARE rates for Retirees
Increased cost to Retiree
rates will have an adverse affect on morale and quality of life for
Retirees. Loss or reduction of
retirement benefits will adversely affect retention of all Armed Forces
personnel. Retirees may not be able to
afford an increase in TRICARE rates.
Recommendation: Eliminate the pursuit of increasing TRICARE rates.
Response:
Update: Issue is
currently being re-staffed for submission to the Commanding General for
approval for forwarding to HQDA.
Update: Issue has
been forwarded to the Commanding General for approval for forwarding beyond
Update:
Issue has been forwarded to TRADOC.
Update (May 08):
Issue was prioritized at the
TRADOC level AFAP Conference and is currently being staffed for forwarding to
HQDA.
TRADOC Disposition: Although this Issue was ranked by the delegates in the top 3, CG did
not approve for forwarding to HQDA. This
issue is currently being worked in Congress and has not yet been mandated.
Update (Sep 08): The
Installation Action Council voted this issue “unattainable”.
Status: Unattainable (AFAP – 2nd Qtr FY07)
Issue 11: Pregnant Lady Parking
There are no
pregnant lady parking spaces at Moncrief (MACH). Not having these spaces available makes it more
difficult for pregnant women to patronize the facility since walking a great
distance is sometimes a problem for them.
Recommendation: Provide pregnant parking spaces at this facility.
Response
(Sep 08): DES responded that per Section 5-2 of the FJ Supplement
to AR 190-5 the issue needs to be handled by the directorate or agency head,
with coordination through the DES. Areas or entities that don't have an agency
head would fall to the Garrison Commander, by default. Additionally, there is no regulatory
requirement to put this type of parking at any of the installation facilities.
Garrison response: There would be no way to determine
if the user of the parking space is actually pregnant. Furthermore, a pregnant
woman with limited mobility can see her physician to get a statement to submit
to the DMV and receive a temporary handicapped parking decal.
The
Installation Action Council voted this issue “unattainable”.
Status: Unattainable (4th Qtr FY08)
Issue 12: WTU Specialty Care Clinic
Currently there is no
consistent specialty care for WTU Soldiers.
Soldiers see multiple doctors for a single medical issue leading to
different plans of care and rehabilitation.
This confuses Soldiers and their Chain of Command causing hardship to
the Soldier, disposition of medical condition or case and longer rehabilitation
time.
Recommendation: Establish
a Specialty Care Clinic with consistent specialty providers for WTU.
Response
(Dec 08): There are very specific access to care standards for
WTU Soldiers. When
Update (Dec
08): This issue was voted unattainable by
the IAC.
Status:
Unattainable (WTU Focus Group) (3rd Qtr FY08)
Issue 13: Refills at the Pharmacy
Recommendation: Change wait time to 24 hours, with the exception of
controlled substances. If you call in by noon one day, the refill should be
available by noon the next day.
Response
(Dec 08): A review of the ICE Comments over the last 6 months
from the pharmacy and refill pharmacy did not show any that had issues with the
3 working day refill requirement. The volume of refills for our facility is
much larger than the pharmacies in the surrounding area. We average 2,300
prescriptions filled each business day and each prescription filled or refilled
must be verified for accuracy. Patient
safety, as well as timely service, is very important.
Update (Dec
08): This issue was voted unattainable by
the IAC.
Status: Unattainable (1st Qtr FY09)
Issue 1: Inadequate Means of Communication
Currently the means of
communication available to get information to on/off post military personnel
and family members is inadequate. Some installations
have a dedicated TV channel where only installation information is
publicized. In order to better reach our
Soldiers and Family Members,
Recommendation:
Establish a
dedicated television channel to publicize installation information.
Response: The Public
Affairs Office does not have the personnel, equipment or funding required in
order to accomplish the recommendation.
Update: The
Installation Action Council voted this issue unattainable.
Status:
Unattainable (2nd Qtr FY 08)
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