Family Townhall questions answered Published July 6, 2010 EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The second Year of Air Force Family townhall meeting was held on base June 4. Many people offered questions to a variety of base agencies and the wing commander as well. Below are the questions and responses from that meeting. Q: (Civilian Personnel Office ) Is there a place where spouses can find out about what services you offer. Can spouses apply directly for jobs through your office? A: There is a new executive order for priority placement and some jobs can be filled directly. The point of contact for the Military Spouse Program is the Civilian Personnel Office and they can be reached at 882-3326. Q: (Child Development Center) Is there a possibility of using alternative sunscreens? Currently, the CDC has one sunscreen approved and my daughter cannot use that sunscreen. Do we have to see a doctor for a note stating which sunscreen she can use? A: According to the letter we have on file from our medical advisor, "any brand of sunscreen with UVA and UVB protection and an SPF of at least 30 may be used." Each center provides one type of sunscreen that meets these criteria, but if the parent chooses to provide a different type, it only needs to fit the criteria and a doctor's note is not necessary. Q: (96th Air Base Wing commander) Of the 710 square miles (approx) of Eglin AFB, why is it so hard to find land, space or a range for an action shooting 13-gun firing range? A: Out of 724 miles of Eglin property there are environmental restrictions, mission requirements, and basing of the 7th Special Forces Group which actually means there is not a lot of space. A skeet range was just opened six months ago which is managed by Hurlburt Field Outdoor Recreation but is actually on Eglin property and in closer proximity to Eglin. It is located off Lewis Turner Blvd, turn left on 6th Ranger Road, and drive 1/2 mile to the Skeet Range. Contact the Skeet Range at (850) 884-6939 for further information. Q: (AAFES) If we are a fit Air Force and are increasing physical training standards, why do we still have unhealthy places to eat on base? It is the person's choice; however, we need better choices to choose from at mini mall/BX. A: All AAFES Food facilities offer healthy menu choices along with their regular menu items. One specifically, Robin Hood, offers customers a wide variety of healthy options. Q: (Health and Wellness Center) My wife is deployed. Is there a place I can do PT with my 5-year-old? A: The fitness center annex has a child/parent fitness area. Q: (Safety) Anyone thought of adding speed bumps to the area by the baseball field for safety of pedestrians? Why not install speed bumps? A: The 96 ABW/CC has directed signs be posted within 30 days and at least one speed bump be added in each direction within 60 days. Traffic management will consider other options at their next meeting. Q: (Mental Health) Will there be a child psychologist coming to the Eglin medical center as part of the 7th Special Forces coming? A: Unfortunately, no child psychologist or psychiatrist is expected to come our way in the near future. We sincerely hope this will change at some point. In the mean time, we have no choice but to refer families requiring this service off base. There are very few child psychologists or psychiatrists remaining in the Air Force, but because we recognize the need, will continue to advocate for this service. Q: (Airmen and Family Readiness) For parents that are new to the base that are Q coded what is the status of a central location for special needs support? A: A central location for medical and nonmedical special needs support has been proposed to Eglin leadership. The Airman and Family Readiness Center provides Exceptional Family Member Program support. Information, referral and follow-up services assist individuals and families to identify and to clarify needs, determine appropriate forms of assistance, and provide linkage to resources, including exceptional family member resources. The 96th Medical Group provides special needs identification and assessment coordination. The SNIAC process identifies sponsors whose family members have special needs for reassignment purposes. The SNIAC process assists the Military Personnel Flight in updating the Assignment Limitation Code Q that is assigned to the sponsor for the purpose of ensuring availability of medical and/or educational services upon PCS. Therefore, SNIAC enrollment is mandatory for active duty sponsors whose family members meet enrollment criteria established by DoD and U.S. Air Force policy. Agencies work together to provide support to exceptional families. Q: (A&FRC) Why was the DePLAYment program not started until late and I was not able to get the pass until I got my husband's orders. A: The DePLAYment program was initially launched in October 2009, but Force Support Squadron could not provide services to our customers until the accounting and program guidance was released in December 2009. The program guidance requires a copy of the member's orders in support of an active operation in order to enroll in the program and to receive the program's benefits. If a person does not have access to orders yet, staff at A&FRC can assist them in acquiring a copy. Q: (Okaloosa Schools) For children whose parent/parent(s) have multiple deployments and the children need time to spend with them either before they leave or during reintegration, will the schools work with the individual families? A: We do work with individual families to make sure the children get time to spend with the parent. Children can have nine absences in a semester without taking an exam and these must be excused. This is the bottom line answer. The schools can't deviate from the amount of days given. Q: (Okaloosa Schools) Can you educate teachers and administration on the interstate compact and how it works? A: We are providing training this summer on the legislation and how it works. The training will be provided to administrators on July 17th and is not open to the public. The administrators will then take the information garnered from the training and present it to their staff at a time determined by each principal. This training at the school level will hopefully take place during pre-planning. Q: (Community Services) Is there any way that we as customers can pay more for services at the woodshop in order to save it from closing? A: Historically the Eglin wood shop has failed to generate enough income to cover operating costs. That figure currently stands at approximately a $20,000 net loss annually. Low customer counts failed to generate the necessary income to cover payroll and operating costs. The cost versus customer's income was way out of balance and the commander made a decision to close the wood shop, so unfortunately this will not change. Q: (School Age Program) The SAP provides great trips and other activities for our kids during the summer, but the cost is a bit much for summer care. Why is it that two E6's have to pay what two O4's pay? A: Child Care fees are based on total household income, not rank, in accordance with with DoD guidelines. There are six fee categories to which our families' child care fees may potentially fall. Each household member's income is added together and they are assigned a category based on where the total income falls. For example, Category 6 covers any total income of $70K or more. Two E6's total income could added up to $75K+ and two O4's total income could equal $125K; these two families would both fall into Category 6, the highest category, and charged the same amount. The following chart lists the fee categories and the weekly fees: CAT I (Up to $28,000), CAT II ($28,001-$34,000), CAT III ($34,001-$44,000), CAT IV ($44,001-$55,000), CAT V ($55,001-$70,000), CAT VI ($70,001+ $62 $76 $89 $102 $116 $125) Q: (Housing) Is the automated housing website the best website to use to find rentals, specifically short term rentals? A: Yes, it is Department of Defense approved and is the only website the housing office supports. Additionally, customers can visit the housing office to pick up brochures or an availability listing for rental homes and apartments. Q: (96 Civil Engineer Group commander) Is there something that can be done to keep construction at Hidden Oaks away from children? A: The site for the temporary crushing operation was selected to ensure it was located a significant distance from any housing. Q: (Okaloosa Schools) How are you addressing social bullying? A: Calls should go to Okaloosa School District and our director of security. We take each call extremely serious, we meet with the parents and thoroughly investigate and address at every level. Curriculum is specific at each school that addresses bullying. Jerry Sansom, Director of Safe Schools, can explain the different programs in each school more thoroughly. Contact at 833-5861 or call Kaye McKinley, Deputy Superintendent, at 833-5888. Q: (Okaloosa Schools) Is there an avenue for parents to provide feedback about schools and teachers in Okaloosa County? A: We have an annual climate survey, and the results are provided to the public at our website, www.okaloosaschools.com, and we also have a School Advisory Committee at each school. Additionally, a School Liaison Officer has been selected and is anticipated to start the end of August. The SLO is located at the Airman and Family Readiness Center, Bldg 205, and will serve as our family advocate to ensure open communication with the local schools. Q: (96 ABW command chief) Why can't Airmen move out of the dorms if they get married, and don't have a joint assignment? A: It is an Air Force policy; we are working this policy to try to change from AF level down through MAJCOM so our Wing can make a decision of how we want it to work here. Q: (96 ABW vice commander) - Is there a possibility of getting a gated dog park on Eglin? Somewhere close to housing where dogs can run? A: We are currently looking at putting these in privatized housing due to come Fiscal Year 2013; there is also a gated dog park in Niceville. Twin Oak Hills is located at the intersection of Highway 85 and College Boulevard in Niceville. Q: (796th Civil Engineer Squadron) Is it possible to have a gate added to the area around the water park at Unity Park? It would be great to know that little ones couldn't escape into the parking lot. A: Roy King from 796 CES Structure Shop completed a site visit Jun 10 and stated it is possible to have a gate added to the existing fence resulting in an enclosed area. This was accomplished within 30 days. Q: (TRICARE) Why is it not possible to get off-base referrals? I have not been able to get referrals through Tricare or Military One Source. A: The Eglin Medical Treatment Facility provides mental health services to all active duty service members. A referral is placed by the mental health provider after the active-duty member is seen and an "off- base" provider is determined necessary. The member is then notified and authorized to be seen off-base at the appropriate MTF. Q: (Education) Counselors are undereducated on options for members. Unless I am applying for tuition assistance they cannot help me besides telling me to "Google it." I am attending a seminary which is a degree granting school, but not yet accredited. They could not provide any recommendations for scholarships or grants to assist. They should have more resources to assist in all military education matters. A: The education office is set up to provide services to military members who are attending college. However, there are many programs in the Air Force that are specific to the nature of the degree one is seeking, i.e., Chaplain, Lawyer, Medical to name a few. These types of programs are unique to their requirements and change constantly. "Google" is one of the many sources for seeking information. Accreditation of a specific program is an issue that should be addressed to the university/college in which the person is applying. The Education Office provides information on the G.I. Bill and suggests several programs to aid in tuition assistance. The Education Center now provides resources on scholarships, grants and other financial aid programs. Visit www.dantes.doded.mil/Dantes_web/DANTESHOME.asp. Scroll to Counselor Support; select "Scholarships & Student Loans". Also visit www.militaryonesource.com/MOS/FindInformation/Category/MilitarySpouse CareerAdvancementAccounts/MilitarySpouseFinancialAidResourceList.aspx. You will find an extensive list of "Alternative Education Funding Resources." Students are also directed to Air Force Virtual Education Center links to "Quick Links", which outlines federal financing programs, scholarships & grants. Visit www.usa.gov. Q: (Okaloosa Schools) Could student assignments be on the webpage along with links to the online versions of books and forms? (Kids forget work and we need to have access to get homework done overnight) A: It is each teacher's choice to set up a web-page that provides daily assignments, etc. Many teachers in the district have these web-pages established. Online versions of textbooks are copyrighted and not available for home use. However, online resources pertaining to the textbooks are available and are provided through the classroom teacher. Also, a parent can access daily assignments through the school district web-page parent internet viewer. Visit www.okalooseschools.com and select your particular school. Q: (Childcare) Eglin and the local area seem to be lacking in after-hour and weekend babysitters. A: Eglin Family Child Care Program has licensed home child care providers who are open 24/7 and willing to work with parents with irregular work schedule. We also have state licensed providers affiliated with the Family Child Care Program residing off base (Shalimar, Fort Walton Beach, Niceville and Crestview area). A referral listing of providers with space availability is posted at www.eglinforcesupport.com. We can also be reached at 882-2994. Q: (Hurlburt Field Housing) I work on Eglin, but I live in Commando Village. What are we doing about the wild life? We have bears that climb the fence and tear up trash. They are endangered, so what is being done to protect the families? A: In 2008, latches were purchased and installed on refuse containers in Live Oak housing area on main base. In 2009, we installed 400 latches on 200 cans in Pine Shadows housing on main base to bear-proof garbage cans. Worked with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to set up booths at the Care on the Road, a housing family expo, held in all three housing areas. Educational materials, safety whistles and information was provided to residents on bear safety, awareness and primary message to secure garbage. Coordinated/assisted with workshop on bear safety and awareness by FWCC for approximately 100 school children at the base youth center. FWCC conducted aversive training for security forces and environmental personnel to assist with management of bear issues in housing areas. In 2010, standing educational articles regarding bears are on the Hurlburt and Eglin websites. The latest informational article focused on residents maintaining their garbage is posted in the newspaper www2.hurlburt.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123207264 Funds are currently being reallocated to purchase 300 bear-proof containers for all of Commando Village. Hurlburt and Eglin work closely with state and local wildlife officials to coordinate efforts for management of bears and other wildlife; communication team meeting held in April. Removing the food source is the key to bear control. Always keep trash containers secured; do not set out bags of garbage and do not leave pet food unattended outdoors. Q: (96th MDG commander) It was mentioned that military demand is the major driver for specialized program offered with the hospital. This dictates the financial resources and manpower allocated for each program. Knowing this, why is the PRK/LASIK so stagnant? It appears to me that this program is a highly demanded program, but frequently overlooked or undermanned. A: Eglin is not one of the Air Force sites for refractive surgery (PRK/LASIK). These refractive surgery centers are located at Air Force medical centers, such as Lackland, Wright-Patterson, Keesler, and Travis Air Force Bases. Although we do not perform refractive surgery at Eglin, we have a role in screening local candidates for the procedures and in providing follow-up care for those members who have their surgery performed at one of the centers. Eglin is not turning anyone away who wishes to be evaluated, as long as they are an active duty member and meet basic criteria. There is a public web-site dedicated to answering questions about the procedure and its governing policies, which is located at: www.airforcemedicine.afms.mil/idc/groups/public/documents/webcontent/know ledgejunction.hcst?functionalarea=RS_USAF&doctype=subpage&docname=CTB_070655 To my knowledge, there is adequate manning at the sites where refractive surgery is performed and appointments often go unfilled. The Army and Navy have similar programs. Eglin has received inquiries from Army facilities advertising their availability which would indicate that they also have excess capacity.