Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/14
Outputs
Target Audience: The target audience for this grant were the military members, Family members and civilians of Ft. Bliss, TX. It also reached residents of the El Paso, TX community as Ft. Bliss is in the center of the city. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? All staff members have been to training throughout the grant. All training are specific to the areas that the individual covers. Many are military trainings and certifications. The Family Advocacy agent became a certified instructior for passenger safety and the Family Member Employment agent became a certified career counselor. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? All results have been shared regularly with military command. They have been very supportive of the program throughout the years. Extension leadership is also briefed regularly. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The partnership between Army Community Service and Extension has continued to be a positive working relationship. In the past 5 years we have decreased staff due to transition of Extension held positions to Civil Service positions but Extension employees were hired into the GS positions where possible. No Extension Service staff lost their jobs. We have gained some positions back due to funding and changed in requirements for having civil servce positions also. We currently have 17 staff at Ft. Bliss. All provide assistance to Soldiers and Family members on a daily basis. Even the sole administrative staff members helps clients regularly. She also is in charge of assisting all staff and leadership in maintaining accrediation standards. Ft. Bliss did pass accrediation during this grant cycle. Programming areas have changed somewhat as we did not have staff in the volunteer program until the last months of 2014. The program assistant that was added back into the staffing in 2014 has assisted the volunteer program manger in providing assistance in placing volunteers into volunteer positions throughout the Ft. Bliss community. They assist in the training of volunteers to the volunteer management system that is part of the accrediation process. This computer program allows all volunteers to track their hours and file completed required trainings into the system. The program assistant is the troubleshooter for the program with volunteers and manages the program at Ft. Bliss. She also assists with all volunteer events and recognitions for the installation. Family Advocacy Extension staff is the core of the program when the InterService Support Agreement (ISSA) began in 1987 between Texas A&M Extension Service and Ft. Bliss. Currently the staff is down to one agent and one program assistant. The agent provides stress mangement classes, relationship skills classes, child abuse prevention classes to child care providers and passenger safety classes. The agent this past year has become a certified car seat instructor. This has enabled more staff members in the Ft. Bliss communtiy to become certified car seat technicians. She has taught classes on Ft. Bliss, Ft. Hood, and for Extension at state locations. The program assistant is also a certified technician so can install car seats for clients as needed. All classes are held monthly at least so over the 5 years of the grant over 500 classes have been taught by the agent and this does not include activities that are held for child abuse prevention month each year and special requested classes on subjects of relevance in stress and communication to units. The agent and staff assistant have reached over 5,000 individuals in the period of the grant. This does not count the people that attend community events such as fairs where information on programming are distributed or events for Child Abuse Prevention Month and Domestic Violence Prevention Month which the Family Advocacy Program is in charge of. The Exceptional Family Member Program provides resources to families that have a special needs family member. The agent provides educational programs and activities for the community. The programs are done in conjuction with specialists of a certain illness or condition. Actitives are done with other staff members and can be tours, swimming activities, sport activities, or educational outings for families. The agent works closely with agencies in the community to be aware of resources for families and is also active with the staff at the child development centers to help provide the information and resources needed to help family members. They work as an advocate for all families with special needs in the communty. The Employment Readiness Program agent provides individual assistance to family members seeking employment. She provides classes in interviewing techniques, how to apply for a federal job, resume writing--with individual follow up with the client, how to turn volunteer experience to job experience, job search skills, and dressing for success ( the program started a dress for sucess clothes closet that takes dontations of clothing apprpriate for interviewing and gives to individuals that need assistance). She has a 80% placement rate. The agent has completed a certification program and is an employment placement specialist. A program assistant assists in the financial assistance program by providing educational awareness briefings to new soldiers that are coming to Ft. Bliss. This is done 4 days a week to a mandatory class that soldiers arriving at the installation must attend. She also assists in processing soldiers that are deploying with required forms and information. She also assists the GS trainers in their subject matter classes. The program assistant also maintains all the accrediation records for the program. Mobilization and Deployment has been busy this past 5 years. Staff members to include all Extension staff of all programs meet every plane that has come home to welcome our troops back and to provide processing back to the installation that is done on site. They have also cooked hotdogs and burgers for the returning soldiers. Every plane is met no matter what time it comes in. Staff members also are there when troops deploy. They provide assistance with the final steps to leaving and are in the hanger that the troops load the plane from. This is also a 24hr operation as they are there for all deploying planes. the mobilzation and deployment agent teaches Family Readiness Groups how to organize, leader and treasurer required training, key caller training and rules on fundraising. She also assists in helping teach and maintain volunteer accountability for FRG's. All FRG's must be registered on Post with their leadership and treasurer listed. The agent accounts for all that information. She also assists FRG's in programming needs. The Family Readiness staff is also responsible for the Readiness Center which is a large facility that is for trainings, meetings, and ceremonies for command. It also contains a computer center for soldiers and families. It is open in the day as well as evenings and weekends for FRG's to use. Resilency training is also provided by an agent. These classes teach how to "bounce" when military life becomes overwhelming. They teach stress relief techniquest, problem solving, and coping strategies. This is a program that was developed by the Army and they provided the curriculum. A program assistant is also trained. This is a several day class with multiple trained educators. Information and referral and relocation provide customer assistance to everyone that comes into Army Community Service. This has grown to over 9,000 individuals per month. They also handle phone calls that come into the building for resource information. They maintain a resource file that is updated quarterly for agencies on post as well as in the El Paso community. The program assistants brief the incoming soldiers 4 days out of the week on resources on the installation and in the community. This is done at the newcomers briefing. It is a mandated program for all incoming soldiers to the installation. The agent provides programs and activities for the incoming spouses that choose to attend. These are three day classes that include tours and educational programs of Ft. Bliss and the El Paso area. The agent also provides leadership for the Hearts Apart program which is a program for waiting spouses for either unaccompanied tours or deployments. This is a monthly program that provides educational topics and activities for spouses when the partner is not stationed in the same location as the family. The agent is also responsible for working with teens of family members that are stationed at Ft. Bliss and works with them to make sure that they are aware of resources availabe to them. This is done with support of the youth centers on the installation.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/12 to 08/31/13
Outputs
Target Audience: The military personnel and families of Ft. Bliss, Texas. There are approximately 45,000 troops stationed at Ft. Bliss Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Agents and Program Assistants have attended training provided either by the military or to national conferences in the areas in which they provide programming. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The Ft. Bliss leadership and MCOM leadership of the military program areas have been kept informed. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? The programming will continue as required by the miltiary. All programming efforts are continuing and classes are provided daily on the installtion.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Extension employees work daily within the Ft. Bliss Army Communtiy Service to provide educational programs and activities to the soldiers and family members of Ft. Bliss. Family Advocacy Extension Agents provide Army regulated madated training to all soldiers once a year on the installation. The Extension agent is one of 4 individuals assigned to provide this educational programming and she has reached over 15,000 individuals. These classes are regulated but the Extension Agent can be as creative as possible to engage the audience to learn the signs, and reporting requirements of child and spouse abuse. One Extension Agent provides all stress management classes, couples relationship skills, and anger management classes to both soldiers and family members that are either referred or voluntarily attend the classes. Extension agents also provide a passenger safety program that checks for the proper installation of car seats in military personnels personal vehicles. Employment skills are taught by an Extension Agent for the Employment Readiness program. This program assists family members with developing resume's and learning how to interview for positions in the El Paso/Ft.. Bliss community. All participants are given followup on their resume's and are also given informaiton on job propects. A lending closet of "interview clothing" is maintained by the staff in the program. Families with Exceptional Family members are given referrals and provided educational programs and materials to assist them in finding the resources and information on the handicap or developmental issue they are coping with in their families. FInancial education is provided to all incoming soldiers. The Program Assistant at Ft. Bliss assists in providing the educational programming that is required for the certification of 8 hours of training in financial mangement. Program Assistants also provide the information and referral program that is required to know community resources both on the installation and in the El Paso communtiy. They answer phones and deal with indivduals that come to Army Communtiy Service daily. They average seeing approximately 8,000 individuals a month. A program assistant also does the same information and referral program at the Soldier and Family Assistance Center that is set up to assist families and wounded soldiers in a "one stop" facility. Relocation Readiness classses are taught by an Extension agent. These classes provide intormation to families that are arriving at Ft. Bliss and for families that are leaving for another installation. They also provide a spouses program that introduces them to communtiy resources and the programs offered at Ft. Bliss. Extension Agents and Program Assistants work with family members by providing Reslisency training, care team traning and Assist training which focuses on suicide prevention. Classes are also given in the area of Army Family Team Building. This is a program that has 3 levels that begin with the new spouse to the miltiary and then progresses to leadership roles for family members in Family Readiness Groups and community activities.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: There were 95,227 contacts made by staff to soldiers and family members during the reporting period. These contacts consisted of 626 class presentations on subjects that covered stress management, couples communication, domestic violence prevention, child abuse prevention, parenting classes, reintegration training, resume preparation and job skills classes, assist training for education in the prevention of suicide, Family Readiness, financial readiness, resiliency training, mobilization and deployment, care team training, and the family action program. These classes are part of the entire Army Community Service program that educates soldiers and families and meets the Army regulations for programs that must be taught. Also the staff must meet all ACS accreditation standards as set by the Army. PARTICIPANTS: Army Community Service is the partner agency. Ms. Peggy Brown was the ACS Director for the majority of the year. Mr. Anthony Lovett is the current ACS Director. TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audience for the project continues to be soldiers and family members of the Ft. Bliss community. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: The only major change is the decrease in staff members and program areas covered. This is due to the military changing positions from Extension to Civil Service and funding limitations to not fill non-essential positions.
Impacts
All classes are evaluated. Evaluations are used to update classes and as part of the ACS accreditation standards. All evaluations are kept on file. Staff maintains effective teaching skills, attend training so that they are up to date on the latest information for their subject area.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 09/01/10 to 08/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Extension programming continues to work as a partnership with Army Community Service at Ft. Bliss. Extension employees work in several of the program areas of the agency. Those program areas are: Family Advocacy, New Parent Support, Army Family Action Plan, Relocation Readiness, Information Referral & Outreach, Employment Readiness, Exceptional Family Member Program, Financial Readiness, Resiliency Center, Mobilization and Deployment, and Army Family Team Building. Educational programs and activities are held in all of these areas. Over 50,000 contacts were made by Extension personnel to Soldiers, Family members, DA civilians, and retirees. Educational programming in Family Advocacy includes stress management, couples communication, parenting, and the required training on prevention of child and spouse abuse. New Parent Support programming focuses on expecting and parents of children 0 - 5 years old. The Army Family Action Plan provides facilitator training and then coordinates the AFAP conference which focuses on the needs of military Families. Relocation Readiness provides classes to foreign born spouses, a "Hearts Apart" program for spouses of soldiers stationed overseas on unaccompanied tours, and resources for Soldiers and Families as they arrive and leave Ft. Bliss Employment Readiness provides programming to Family members seeking employment in the area. Exceptional Family member program provides advocacy and educational information to Families with special needs family members. The Financial Readiness Extension Agent teaches classes such as "Dinner on a Dime" and budgeting classes that are required for all first term Soldiers. Mobilization and Deployment Extension Agent provides required educational programs for Family Readiness Group leaders and members and works closely with FRSA's to meet Unit needs. Army Family Team Building provides levels of educational programs for Soldiers and Family members to have a productive life as a military family. Resiliency training focuses on Family strengths and problem solving for Soldiers and Family members. PARTICIPANTS: The partnership with Ft. Bliss is maintained with the ACS Director Peggy Brown. There are currently 22 Extension staff that work at Ft. Bliss. All staff attend required training and budget is set aside to attend professional development programs offered through the military or to professional organizations and training outfits. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience continues to be Soldiers, Family members, DA civilians and retirees of the Ft. Bliss community. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
This partnership between Ft. Bliss Army Community Service and Texas AgriLife Extension has been continuous since 1987. The relationship has been able to continue due to Extension's ability to meet emerging needs in programming that is required by the military. Extension staff work well within Army Community Service to meet the needs of Soldiers and Families and complete all required programs for ACS. They work to meet all of the standards of the ACS accreditation standards.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 09/01/09 to 08/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Extension programming is accomplished with Ft. Bliss by working within Army Community Service to provide educational programming and support to Families and Soldiers through the programs of Family Advocacy, Exceptional Family Member, Army Family Action, Relocation Readiness, Information and Referral & Outreach, Financial Education, Employment Readiness, Mobilization and Deployment, Army Family Team Building, Army Community Service and Volunteer. Over 30,000 contacts were made by agents and program assistants by teaching classes on the topics of domestic violence prevention, child abuse prevention, stress management, couples communication and relationship skills building, parenting, shaken baby, and a very successful parent/child play group that teaches developmental games and activities for parents and children to play together. It also provides the parent with an outlet for getting out of the home and being around other parents. Classes are taught for the parents while interacting with the children. Exceptional Family members agents and program assistant provide educational support to the families of special needs family members by hosting educational seminars, newsletters, and working with agencies and school systems to educate families on the types of conditions their family member is experiencing and how to best get the services and resources to meet those needs. They also serve as advocates working with the families and agencies to get the best services for the family member. Relocation Readiness and Information Referral and Outreach provide educational programs for families coming to and also leaving the El Paso/Ft. Bliss community. With the influx of troops and families coming to Ft. Bliss due to BRAC the office has had over 8,000 individual contacts per month seeking information and attending newcomers classes. Relocation Readiness also assists in teaching classes and working with international spouses, Hearts Apart-a series of classes and activities for family members who's spouse is on a overseas assignment in which the family can not relocate (unaccompanied tour). Employment Readiness provided classes to spouses that are seeking employment. The classes taught by agents include resume development, interviewing skills, they have started a closet of appropriate interview clothing so that individuals may come and go shopping to make that good impression on an employer if they are unable to afford. Mob/Deployment agents and program assistants provide educational programs for Family Readiness Groups and provide on site assistance at the arrival and departure of planes to the war zones. The Army Family Action plan is the needs assessment and community coming together to look for solutions to community issues. Agents and program assistants work as facilitators for the program which sets the needs of the installation and if Command sees as an Army issue will elevate them to the new level at Installation management. An issue can go to Department of the Army and even to Department of Defense for action if it is seen as a positive for all and needs to be addressed as a need for Families. PARTICIPANTS: This project is a partnership with Ft. Bliss Army Community Service that has been in place since 1987. Extension Agents, Program Assistants, Office Associates, and Staff Assistants have worked within the programs of the agency to enhance and provide the required educational programming for Soldiers and Families as well as enhance those teaching programs by enhancing the learning methods and applications of educational programs and activities. Agents are trained to be educators and bring with them the knowledge and skills to be effective teachers and leaders to the program. Programming reaches a broader audience by the use of program assistants in the way of providing support to the programs that they assigned to. All personnel attend professional development programs in the year to enhance their skills and to maintain the latest information for dissemination to Soldiers and Families. TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience of this program are the Soldiers and Family members, DA civilians and retirees of the Ft. Bliss community. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.
Impacts
Army Family Team Building is a volunteer program and the program assistant assists volunteers with presenting programs to other family members. The Volunteer program also works with all the programs on recognition and retention of volunteers but trains the volunteers in leadership, resources, and record management. They also provide leadership to the major volunteer projects that are implemented on the installation and in conjunction with the El Paso community. This project continues to meet the needs of the Ft. Bliss community by providing educational programs and activities to the Soldiers and Families that are required by the installation and assists in meeting all the Army Community Service accreditation standards as set by the Dept. of the Army.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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