Have you ever thought “there has to be a better way?” I’ve had several of these in my relationship with the Army. Apparently, I’m not the only one either. More than 25 years ago several Army spouses got together and formed the brainchild that is Army Family Action Planning (AFAP). And get this, we’re special — the Army is the only branch of the DoD with such a program. 

AFAP is a very valuable program to military families, but unfortunately most have no idea how to utilize this very powerful opportunity to have their voices heard. AFAP is a forum that takes input from the Army community and relays it to Army leadership. This gives Soldiers, civilians, retirees and families a chance to comment on what’s working, what’s not, and what they think will fix any Army-wide issues. As a result, Army leaders are made aware of the issues that need their attention and it will work to resolve them. 

What’s in it for you? That’s easy, change. Since the first AFAP conference in 1983, 99 changes have been made to legislation, 145 policies and regulations have been revised, and 164 programs and services have been improved at the Department of the Army level.  

AFAP has also made improvements to the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), increased the Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) from $50,000 to $400,000, boosted Basic Allowance for Housing increasing by 11 percent, increased Family Separation Allowance to $100 per month, and created Family Readiness Groups (FRG).  

So how does it all work? Let’s break it down: Installations hold AFAP forums where Soldiers (Active, National Guard, Reserve, and retired), DA civilians, and family members identify issues they believe are important for maintaining a good quality of life. The commander sees to it that the issues are resolved. Though estimates show some 90 percent of issues are taken care of at the local level, some issues go beyond that to the “big” Army. These are sent to the MACOM AFAP Conference or to the HQDA Worldwide Conference, where many of them are put into the overall Army Plan.

How do you get involved? If you’re a part of the Army you can be an AFAP participant. If you are a commander you can support a strong AFAP program in your community and you can draw on the real-time quality of life information AFAP provides. If you’re a Soldier, retiree, civilian or family member (active, Guard or Reserve) you can be part of local, MACOM and HQDA AFAP programs. 

The first and most important step is something everyone can do. Do you want to address any Army-related issues? Can you find a “better way”? Then prepare and submit your issue paper with recommendations. This is the most important aspect of the process because this input provides the basis for the local AFAP conference. Your installation should have an AFAP program manager usually at your local Army Community Services building. They’ll have AFAP issue forms for you to fill out and submit. 

Want to jump in feet first? Volunteer to help with a conference, assist with the program or be a member of the local AFAP Advisory Committee. They need administrative support, to those that discuss and vote on the issues (delegates).  

During the AFAP event, delegates are divided into groups to evaluate and prioritize issues. Subject matter experts are on hand to provide information a pertinent issue. At the closing, each work group provides a report out of their top ranked issues to command and installation leadership. 

Then, after the forum, the action officer reviews and provides feedback to the individuals who submitted issues and the community. 

Lastly, the Garrison commander convenes a steering committee to facilitate action on the issues selected by the delegates. A plan of action is developed for each issue and those requiring higher coordination are forwarded for further consideration for action in the MEDCOM AFAP Conference. 

Bethany Jones, AFAP Assistant Program Manager for Fort Sill, Okla. says it best: “AFAP has the ability to change your quality of life. The only way the Army knows what you need is if you tell them. Take this opportunity to have your voice be heard.”