Recipient Organization
TEXAS COOPERATIVE EXTENSION
(N/A)
COLLEGE STATION,TX 77843
Performing Department
Texas AgriLife Extension Service
Non Technical Summary
The military provides educational progamming for soldiers and families on a myraid of topics. Extension provides professional educators to teach and provide programming in the most effective way. The project was started to meet the needs of soldiers and families for edcuatioanl programming on the installations that could not be met with the shortage of qualified instructors. Through the Interservice Agreement the program was realized using the best of both agencies to provide quality progamming to military families.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Fort Hood is one of the largest installations in the US Army. There are approximately 45,000 soldiers that are stationed there. The InterService Agreement between Texas AgriLife Extension and Army Community Service has been a vital program effort since 1996. This year the focus of many of the programs will continue to be reintegration programming for families. Classes are taught by Extension Agents to cover all areas of family concerns for the troops as well as for the family members. Topics covered are domestic violence prevention, communication skills, children coping with deployment and return. Family Readiness is also a major are covered. Agents teachclasses on how to organize and effectively implement and maintain Family Readiness Groups (FRG's) for families of units. Along with this are pre-deployment briefings and rear-detachment training. Financial management is very important to families and Agents teach classes on basic finances, care buying, home buying and investing. Also,Agents are active in working to save soldiers and family members money and from deceptive marketing plys through the Consumer Affairs educational programming. Services are provided to Exceptional Family Members by office support staff andinformation and referral has become essential for families. An Extension program assistant developed and maintains the ACS web site. Through Relocation Readiness programs are provided to waiting spouses of deployedsoldiers, foreignborn spouses, and providing services to family memebers that aer arriving at Ft. Hood. THey also provide educational programs on applying for citizenship.Employment Readiness provides classeson resume development, skills to get a job and works closely with the community to assist family members with information for referralsto jobs in the surrounding areas. Army mandated classes are taught by Family Advocacy. The mission of the program is the prevention of child and spouse abuse. Agents teach prevention education through parenting classes, awareness training to child and youth services staff, monitor a helpline, stress management classes, communication skills classes, couples communication classes and major events such as Child Abuse Prevention Month, Month of the Military Child, and Domestic Violence Awareness month. Volunteer education is provided by staff throught the Ft. Hood Volunteer programs, the Army Family Action program and Army Family Team Building. Volunteers are also recognized for their contributions to the programs and the Ft. Hood community. The Army Substance Absue program has Extension Agents that provide mandated education to soldiers on a quarterly basis. Prevention education is also provided through community awareness programs such as Tie One On, Red Ribbon and Summer Sense. THe programs also works with community schools to provide sustance abuse prevention programs to youth. Violence in the workplace classes are held for employees and supervisors on the installation. Employee Assistance programs referrals are also provided by Agents to assist families.
Project Methods
Educational methods used are lecture, briefings, workshops, tours, series, interactive classes, retreats, home visits, displays, community awareness Programs are evaluated on pre-test post-test and on the spot evaluation of particpants.