The Bugle Boy www.southcom.mil/usag-miami/mwr.html
July/August 2011
U.S. ARMY FORCES COMMAND ARMY FAMILY ACTION PLAN (AFAP) CONFERENCE 1
SPOTLIGHT: FOCUS ON ARMY FAMILY ACTION PLAN CONFERENCE
Bonuses • Post 9/11 GI transferability Rights for Excluded Retirees
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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WHAT’S UP IN SOUTH FLORIDA
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FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER NEWS
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WHAT’S UP IN FAMILY & MWR
Family Support • Standardization Training for Exceptional Family Member (EFMP) Program Manager and School Liaison Officers (SLOs) • Re-License/Recertification for Military Spouses relocating
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GOING GREEN
15 SPOUSES’ CORNER / WHO’S WHO 16 FAMILY & MWR FUN BUS TRIPS
United States Army Garrison-Miami Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation 9301 NW 33rd Street Doral, Florida 33172 305.437.2665 Sign up for FMWR E-mails and Send Your Customer Comments to: Mwrcustomerservice@ hq.southcom.mil
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Major LaVondra T Scarver. Photo by Juan J. Chiari Jr.
The U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) Army Family Action Plan (AFAP) Conference convened 7-11 March 2011 in Atlanta, Georgia. The theme for the conference was, “Helping to improve the lives of soldiers and families one issue at a time.” A USSOUTHCOM representative, Major LaVondra Scarver, and a U.S. Army Garrison-Miami representative, Ms. Mary Ortiz, had the distinct opportunity to voice the concerns of USSOUTHCOM personnel in the Benefits and Entitlements and Family Support Workgroups. Collectively, the two workgroups covered 36 issues ranging from military family educational benefits such as Rosetta Stone to special duty pay for humanitarian missions. At the end of numerous discussions on the issues, each workgroup was able to select two top issues to present to the FORSCOM commander. The following issues were raised:
Benefits and Entitlements • Tax Free Active Duty Soldier Retention
Major Scarver was selected by the Family Support team to represent the group’s top two issues during the brief-out with LTG Bromley. Upon conclusion of the outbrief, all issues were ranked according to importance. Standardization training for EFMP program managers and School Liaison Officers was selected among the conference Top Five Issues. The top conference issues will now be addressed at the Department of the Army level. Notably, this was USSOUTHCOM’s first opportunity to attend at a mid-level conference. LTG Bromley personally recognized USSOUTHCOM’s efforts and extended a warm welcome to come back to support mid-level planning efforts. If you are interested in the process and want to participate at the local level, contact Mary Ortiz about the Military Family Action Plan that will be held this Fall to review USSOUTHCOM issues. For questions or concerns, contact Mary Ortiz, Military Family Action Plan Program Manager at 305.437.2677 or mary.ortiz@hq.southcom. mil.