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There are many programs to help Airmen take care of themselves and their families so they can focus on the mission, but sometimes those programs can be a bit off-focus.
To help improve the effectiveness of Airmen support and quality of life programs, the Ramstein Integrated Delivery System is hosting a Caring for People forum from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Woodlawn Golf Course on Ramstein.
“The Caring for People forum is an important tool for the IDS,” said Jan Devitt, 86th Airlift Wing community support coordinator and IDS chairwoman. “The data collected is used to improve installation and Air Force programs.”
A top priority of Brig. Gen. Jon T. Thomas, 86th AW commander, is “Care for one another.” Thomas stresses that caring for one, or oneself, must come first so that caring for another can be accomplished.
The biennial Caring for People forum supports this priority by offering Ramstein members the opportunity to have their voices heard about the programs and aspects of their lives that allow them to take care of themselves.
Devitt says that is a more personable way of gleaning insight into the needs of the installation community.
To better concentrate their focus, the Ramstein IDS team will separate groups into the following times:
• 9 to 9:45 a.m.: Key Spouse Group — key spouses
• 10 to 10:45 a.m.: Family Group — active duty, civilian, local nationals, and spouses; families with or without children
• 11 to 11:45 a.m.: Active-Duty Group — active-duty Airmen age 21 to 25
• 12 to 12:45 p.m.: Single Parent Group — single parents
“The groups are broken down because different populations have different needs and concerns,” Devitt said.
Like other installations’ IDS, the Ramstein IDS is comprised of members from the helping agencies outlined in Air Force Instruction 90-501, Community Action Information Board and Integrated Delivery System.
However, the Ramstein IDS also includes members from the Adolescent Substance Abuse Counseling Services and Military & Family Life Consultants. The morale and quality of life of Airmen, civilian employees and their families are the key focus for the IDS.
The information they collect at the biennial event will be given to the Ramstein Community Action Information Board, comprised of commanders and other base leaders who have the authority to enact changes.
The IDS and CAIB are designed to work together with the IDS collecting and compiling information for the CAIB to make decisions to ensure Airmen and their families are capable of caring for themselves and those around them.
To help make sure the information they are giving to the CAIB is the best representation of the base demographic, the IDS requests max participation from the base populace.
“The Air Force’s quality of life programs are fundamentally important,” Devitt said. “I encourage anyone interested, anyone with a good idea, to be involved and help make these programs even better.”
The ideas do not have to solely affect Ramstein, as 86th AW leadership will forward select topics to U.S. Air Forces in Europe leaders, who will then forward the major command’s collective themes to Air Force leaders. The Air Force leaders will review the topics at the Air Force Caring for People forum and implement initiatives if applicable, Devitt said.
However, Air Force leaders cannot implement those initiatives without the ideas and issues collected from installations’ Caring for People forums. Don’t miss a chance to affect the Air Force programs that affect you.
