Commentary by Col. Carl D. Bird, USAG Stuttgart commander

Happy New Year from everyone at U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart!

As we bid farewell to 2011 and welcome 2012, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on the last year and look to the year ahead of us.

Because of the hard work and generosity of the units stationed in Stuttgart, 2011 ended on a high note and leaves big shoes for 2012 to fill.

The Stuttgart military community wrapped up last year with several successful campaigns to help numerous organizations. The local Combined Federal Campaign-Overseas drive raised over $733,000, shattering our goal of $500,000. Stuttgart’s Army Community Service, with your help, brightened the Christmases of more than 70 families through the Angel Tree program, and our local USO provided dozens of free Thanksgiving meals to families in need. Times are tough for a lot of families, and it’s touching to see that people in this community still dug deep to make a difference.

I’m very excited to announce that one of our garrison facilities ended 2011 with a Department of the Army-level award.

The 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Consolidated Dining Facility won the top 2011 Phillip A. Connelly Award in the military garrison facility category. The hard-working Soldiers and civilians there provide a top-notch service to the community, and this honor is well deserved. The next time you stop by, pass on your congratulations to those that work in the Army’s best garrison dining facility.

The dining facility wasn’t the only garrison service awarded for excellence in 2011. Stuttgart’s Army Substance Abuse Program was recognized for having the Best Drug Awareness Program in the Army, and our local Army Community Service achieved a 99 percent rating during their accreditation, which is almost unheard of. Congratulations to both and thanks for the continued hard work.

During this holiday season we saw a significant decrease from the same time period last year in incidents of driving under the influence and shoplifting. Though we just had only a couple incidents, even one is too many, so let’s all make it a goal to get it to zero in 2012.

The garrison has even more to look forward to in 2012. Although we’re working with a shrinking budget and resources, we will continue to provide great events and services in the most efficient way possible. This will take your help and participation, though. Because of budget cuts, we’ll have to scale back on some events, and we will evaluate the need to continue those events not well attended.

If you enjoy our community events and services, get out and support them so we can keep them going. And don’t forget to let us know what you think about them on ICE.

But 2012 isn’t only about things going away.

This year, look for the completion of the mini-mall adjacent to the food court on Patch Barracks, as well as a Warrior Zone for single and unaccompanied service members, a new pedestrian turnstile at Robinson Barracks and the renovation of the Kelley Fitness Center.

We’ll also be upgrading other facilities, to include Vehicle Processing on Panzer Kaserne. The building will be redesigned and upgraded to not only cut down on customer wait times, but also to make the process easier and more comfortable.

Later this year, we’ll also start a project to add solar panels to building roofs around the Stuttgart military community. This project will save the garrison thousands of dollars in energy costs as we move ahead.

2012 is shaping up to be a fruitful and promising year for the Stuttgart community. I’m making it my New Year’s resolution to make sure it is.

Wishing you a wonderful holiday by Col. Carl D. Bird

As we enter the holiday season, Hope and I wish each of you in the Stuttgart military community the timeless treasures of the season: the warmth of home, the love of family and the company of good friends.

We also want to take this opportunity to thank the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen and their families, the civilian and local national employees, and all the volunteers for their dedicated service to the nation and our community.

Throughout the year, whether at a school function, scouting activity or a community event such as the Run 4 Life, or in the day-to-day business of managing a garrison, we’ve been awed by your selfless spirit and eagerness to serve, and energized by your dedication to duty.

We’ve also been deeply humbled by those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

Each and every one of you has contributed to making the Stuttgart garrison a great place to live, and Hope and I are blessed to belong to such a caring and supportive community.

Because you all play an important role in our community, as you take time to celebrate, do so safely.

Carefully plan your activities and be mindful of the possible hazards during this time of year.

Have fun at holiday parties, but don’t drink and drive.

Use a designated driver or take a taxi. Cab fare is a minor inconvenience compared with what could happen if you are caught driving intoxicated: loss of rank and pay for military, and stiff fines for civilians, not to mention having your driver’s license suspended or revoked.

It’s simply not worth the risk.

If you plan to travel, make sure that your vehicle has the proper tires for the weather and road conditions, and that you have the basics in your vehicle in case of an emergency.

And take care of your battle buddy.

Again, thank you for all you do and have a happy, blessed and safe holiday season.

Making the most of the holidays with your ‘family’

We must all be aware that heightened stress, relationship problems and impending holidays can trigger inappropriate coping behaviors in vulnerable individuals.

My family and I are looking forward to all of the activities that make this a special time of year … parties, excursions to
the German Christmas markets, decorating the house, family gatherings and walks in the snow.

It should be the happiest time of year, right? Yet for many people, it’s the time when frustrations begin to build, and anxiety and depression set in.

Between preparing big meals, shopping for that perfect gift, decorating the house and spending money on others, many people find the holidays are a time of overwhelming stress.

Add to that day after day of gray, dreary skies; being stationed thousands of miles away from families and friends; or a family separation because of a deployment, and suddenly, life can seem very tough.

To combat stress, experts recommend that you should keep up a regular exercise routine, maintain a healthy eating schedule, get plenty of sleep and take a break from a hectic schedule whenever you need to.

They also say you’ve also got to make sure that holiday goals are realistic and accept that things aren’t always going to go as planned.

It’s good advice. But while it may be normal to feel overwhelmed during this time of year, as part of the military family we must all be aware that heightened stress, relationship problems and the impending holidays can trigger inappropriate coping behaviors in vulnerable individuals.

Pay close attention to the personal needs of those around you, and be on the lookout for signs of stress and depression.

If you see signs of either in someone you know, don’t ignore them.

It doesn’t matter what we label ourselves — battle buddies, shipmates, wing men or devil dogs — we need to make sure we are promoting a climate of mutual “buddy care” among all services and across the entire community.

by Col. Carl D. Bird
USAG Stuttgart commander

New system allows Passport Office customers to manage wait time

 

Col. Carl D. Bird III, commander USAG Stuttgart, Germany

Hi,

On Oct. 19, I completed 90 days as the US Army Garrison Stuttgart commander. During that time I got to know my staff and meet the community. It’s apparent the people in our diverse joint service community have a passion in all the quality of life programs that impact their lives.

In the Sept. 23 edition of the Citizen Community newspaper I said the ICE—the Interactive Customer Evaluation program – is my tool to listen to the voice of the customer. I value your comments and am committed to doing the right thing in addressing the top concerns across our five US Army Garrison Stuttgart installations.

The ICE program is just one instrument I use to help improve the services in our community. I’ll share the top three monthly concerns and publish them in the Citizen ICE Box. I’ll also select one of the three topics for a conversation using my blog.

Before I get started, I want to thank all of you who took time to voice what matters to you. It’s one way to impact your community.

The Passport Office topped the garrison’s customer service scorecard in September. The common concern was the long wait lines. The effects of personnel turnover continues to delay the time that elapses between various passport services. Also, the hiring and training cycle of passport agents also delays the relief. It’s understandable how frustrations build while you wait. It’s the unknown of when your name will be called. Let me share one aspect of the passport application process that has improved.

In November the Passport Office will deploy the Fully Automated Customer Tracking System or FACTS-2. This web-based system follows the customer and is intended to reduce the service time between customers. Once a customer logs-in the tracking begins. The entire cycle is monitored. Whether you come in for a basic passport renewal or process a new report of birth, time is monitored to improve efficiency, and effectiveness. With this type of automation, accountability to good customer service is built in to improving the process and customer’s experience.

Click here and turn to page 3 of the Citizen for more about the FACTS-2.

Sincerely,

Col. Carl Bird,

USAG Stuttgart commander

Award-winning programs proof of our commitment to you

I’m honored to report that I have just returned from a trip to Washington, D.C., where the U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart Army Substance Abuse Program received the 21st Annual Secretary of Defense Community Drug Awareness Award.

The award is presented to programs in each of the services and National Guard that exemplify the Defense Department’s best efforts to promote healthy, drug-free lifestyles.

Under Secretary of Defense, Personnel and Readiness, Dr. Clifford L. Stanley, left, and Director, Operational Readiness and Safety, Joseph Angello Jr., right, honor U.S. Army Stuttgart Army Substance and Abuse program staff, Bala Fischer, and Howard Krout, center, along with USAG Stuttgart Garrison's Commander, Col. Carl D. Bird III and Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony M. Bryant, with the 21st Annual Secretary of Defense Community Drug Awareness Award in the Pentagon Hall of Heroes, Oct. 20, Arlington, Va.

This prestigious award recognizes the garrison as having the Army’s best drug demand reduction program for 2010.

That’s right … the best in the Army.

The garrison’s ASAP has long been a leader in the education, treatment and prevention of substance use and abuse. In fact, this is the second time in three years that Stuttgart’s ASAP has won the award.

The efforts of Bala Fischer, Howard Krout, the ASAP staff and volunteers truly enhance the quality of life for our community.

Fischer and his team are doing some great things, such as Warrior Pride Challenge, a program that offers free recreational activities to service members in ranks E-5 and below, the most at-risk group for alcohol-related incidents.

They partner every year with our local Department of Defense Dependents Schools for extensive Red Ribbon Week observances. They’re at the C.A.R.E. Fair every August. You probably saw them last month at the Panzer Exchange, offering depression screenings.

Simply put, ASAP is a model for other agencies to follow.

But it’s not the only USAG Stuttgart program to be lauded by the Army … far from it.

In July, the Stuttgart Law Center received the coveted Chief of Staff Award for Excellence in Legal Assistance for 2010, as well as the Judge Advocate General’s Excellence in Claims Award for 2010.

USAG Stuttgart Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s Arts and Crafts, Entertainment, and Sports and Fitness professionals have consistently earned top honors for the garrison in past Installation Management Command-Europe and Department of the Army-level award programs and continue to deliver award-winning programming.

Just last week the Stuttgart Theatre Center won five awards in the 2011 U.S. Army Festival of the Arts for its summer production of “Nunsense.” This is in addition to the seven Tournament of Plays “Topper” Awards that the STC won in May.

Awards, however, aren’t the only means to validate superior programs.

We all know quality child care is critical for a military family, and accreditation represents the mark of quality. In USAG Stuttgart this year, all four school-age centers achieved accreditation through the Council of Accreditation (a child- and family-service, and behavioral health care accrediting organization), a first in Europe.

Meanwhile, the Panzer, Patch and Kelley Annex Child Development Centers maintained their National Association for the Education of Young Children accreditation, while the new Kelley CDC, eligible to apply for accreditation only since August, is working toward that goal.

And Army Community Service just wrapped up its triennial accreditation process at the end of September, passing with flying colors.

Or course, the garrison’s success in striving to improve the quality of life for its residents lays not so much in its programs, but in the people who drive them.

USAG Stuttgart employees are dedicated, seasoned professionals who are committed to making a difference in the lives of service members and military families in the Stuttgart military community.

And thanks to their efforts, whether it’s teaching someone how to connect words to emotions … or being a role model for a young child … or comforting a grieving family, I’m reminded every day that USAG Stuttgart is a great place to live and work.

Commentary by

Col. Carl D. Bird III
USAG Stuttgart commander

Holiday season is all about giving, making a difference

With the holidays just around the corner, I want to remind everyone what the season is all about … giving.

Today, we find people struggling at all levels, in all walks of life. In today’s fragile environment, it’s important to look inside ourselves and find a way to give … to make a difference for the people of our community, at home and around the world.

Within the Stuttgart military community, there are two excellent ways to give.

You can share the spirit of the season with others in our community who are less fortunate through Army Community Service’s Angel Tree program. It couldn’t be more simple … you select an angel ornament from one of the trees located in the Patch, Kelley and Robinson Barracks Commissaries, the Panzer Exchange or the ACS lobby, and purchase a gift for the age and gender of the child indicated on the ornament.

You can also make an impact year-round by participating in the Combined Federal Campaign-Overseas.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the program, which is the largest and most successful philanthropic fundraiser in the world, due in part to the commitment and generosity of people like you.

The CFC-O has over 2,400 charities to choose from, covering almost every initiative you could possibly think of. Finding a cure for cancer, supporting the families of our deployed troops, protecting the environment, stopping animal abuse — whatever cause most touches your heart, CFC-O has a charity that supports it.

Overseas service members also have the opportunity to give back to their military community by donating to the Family and Youth Support Program. One hundred percent of the funds designated for FYSP come right back to the military communities of the donors to fund quality of life programs.

Last year, U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart received almost $33,000 in FYSP donations, which were used to purchase equipment for the Stuttgart youth tackle football program, and refurnish the Hub and Panzer Youth Center. We were even able to offer free fan buses to and from the World Cup soccer matches earlier this year. These are all initiatives that we would not have been able to do without your support to FYSP.

Last year, USAG Stuttgart and our tenant units collected over $79,000, while the Stuttgart community as a whole, to include U.S. European and Africa Commands, came together to raise almost $613,000 for CFC-O.

Overall, the five overseas combatant commands raised more than $13.8 million in 2010 to reach out with life-saving and life-enriching services benefiting millions of people.

For the 2011 campaign, we have set a goal to top last year’s total.

I encourage all of you to join me in making a contribution to the CFC-O this year. Your support will “make a world of difference.”

For more information, visit www.cfcoverseas.org or talk to your unit’s CFC representative.

by Col. Carl D. Bird
USAG Stuttgart commander