Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III makes opening remarks for attendees of the Caring for People forum at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on Sept. 26, 2012. This is the fourth annual forum that recognizes Air Force-wide key Ssouses and provides strategies for helping Airmen and their families. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III makes opening remarks for attendees of the Caring for People forum at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on Sept. 26, 2012. This is the fourth annual forum that recognizes Air Force-wide key spouses and provides strategies for helping Airmen and their families. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
by Senior Airman Lindsey A. Porter
11th Wing Public Affairs
9/26/2012 - JOINT BASE ANDREWS-NAVAL AIR FACILITY WASHINGTON, Md. (AFNS) -- Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III offered remarks to more than 100 Air Force and civilian leaders here as he opened the 2012 Caring for People forum at Joint Base Andrews Sept. 26.
Split into four working groups, forum attendees are slated to spend the next two days discussing hot-button Air Force issues such as tuition assistance, installation youth programs, digital communication, Air Force key spouse initiatives and suicide prevention.
Before dividing into sections, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Roy offered his thoughts on the forum's significance and how its outcomes will impact Airman resiliency.
"The topics your command has brought up are very, very important to us," said Roy. "I encourage you to think outside the box in your groups. We want to know how we can push the envelope to make what's going on in the Air Force right. Ultimately, what you discuss here is what we need to make our Air Force stronger."
The forum will end tomorrow after participants vote to determine the top Air Force issues. The issues will then be sent to the Air Force Community Action Information Board who will determine a proper course of action to resolve the concerns.
