AF.mil  
Join the Air Force

News > Officials prepare to launch morale, welfare, recreation survey
Officials prepare to launch morale, welfare, recreation survey

Posted 7/22/2009 Email story   Print story



by Samantha L. Quigley
American Forces Press Service


7/22/2009 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Defense Department officials are preparing to launch the first militarywide survey to assess morale, welfare and recreation programs.

"We've established standards for all the services," said Arthur Myers, principal director for the deputy undersecretary of defense for military community and family policy. "Now we want to get feedback from the (servicemembers) on how we're doing with our programs."

Mr. Myers' office is conducting the survey with the help of CFI Group, an international customer-satisfaction consulting firm with headquarters in Ann Arbor, Mich. It will be e-mailed July 27 to about 600,000 randomly selected servicemembers and will appear as being from CFI Group "on behalf of DOD."

"So, remember, when you get that, it's not spam," Mr. Myers said.

Some 120,000 active duty servicemembers in each service will receive an invitation to participate, and another 120,000 surveys will be spread across the 26 joint-base installations.

Though the survey will collect data on participants' service branches and, if they choose to provide it, their ethnicity, the responses will be completely anonymous, Mr. Myers emphasized.

It's also important, he added, that those who are selected participate in the survey to ensure the best level of accuracy in the results.

Though the survey will be sent only to active-duty servicemembers, Mr. Myers encouraged those selected to take their families' opinions into consideration when responding. As more data is gained, future surveys will be open to the reserve components, he added.

Those receiving surveys will have about three weeks to participate. When the responses are collected and analyzed, the findings will be published on the Defense Department Web site, as well as on Military Community and Family Policy's Military OneSource and Military Homefront sites.

"This survey will actually tell us what (servicemembers') needs are so we can meet those needs," Mr. Myers said. "We really believe our programs are a key thing in keeping our military ready and (in helping to retain them)."



tabComments
7/23/2009 11:44:03 AM ET
Considering that we keep promoting the idea of a total force it would be nice to consider the thoughts of our reserve/guard members and thier families.
jack watts, travis afb
 
7/23/2009 10:35:09 AM ET
Agree on the retiree comment above. I consider installation accessaccess to PXCommissary AND MWR facilities as a portion of my retiree benefits. We should have a 'customer' voice too
Jim W, Retired in MI
 
7/23/2009 10:14:09 AM ET
Also why not include reservists Understand the active duty are the main users but both retirees and reservists are eligible to use MWR and thus contribute to supporting the base.
Col Jeff Smith, Deployed
 
7/23/2009 7:41:11 AM ET
I agree with Mr. Pelletier's comment. My first thought after reading the article was Why aren't they surveying the retirees? The last time I checked we were a part of the military community. We patronize MWR facilities and contribute to them through our patronage of the BX and Commissairy and by volunteering to help them out.
Richard Berry, Northern Virginia
 
7/22/2009 9:09:16 PM ET
Why would you not include retirees in your survey as they use Services facilities. We would hope our opinions would be useful and important.
David M. Pelletier, Charleston AFB SC
 
Add a comment

 Inside AF.mil

ima cornerSearch

tabMore HeadlinesRSS feed 
Feb. 8 airpower summary

HAW mission growing, aids international relief support

Airmen provide intelligence needs for Red Flag

Kyrgyz community tour Transit Center at Manas

Keesler medical teams provide Haitian victim care

Altus officials temporarily relocate aircrew training

Macedonian officials visit Ramstein to advance partnerships, integration

Luke chapel gives for Haiti relief

480th ISR Wing Airmen aid Haiti recovery

Officer Training School celebrates 50th anniversary  
1


Feb. 7 airpower summary

Airmen support space shuttle launch  
1


Air Force secretary to headline symposium at Academy

Canadian delegation visits Barnes Center to further PME initiative

tabCommentaryRSS feed 
Every little bit helps

A mentor's influence


Site Map      Contact Us     Questions     Security and Privacy notice     E-publishing