AF to release community assessment survey Published April 5, 2006 By Senior Airman J.G. Buzanowski Air Force Print News WASHINGTON -- Air Force leaders will launch the Community Assessment Survey in late April in an effort to better understand what issues people face at their individual installation. The survey is conducted every two to three years and this year will include both active duty and Reserve Airmen, their spouses, and for the first time, some civilians. “Everyone is important to completing the mission, but it’s also important for us to meet their needs,” said Maj. David Linkh, the Air Force Family Advocacy Research director. “The survey is a way for us to understand how we can better meet those needs more effectively.” The 320,000-person survey is Web-based and takes about 25-30 minutes to complete. It is also somewhat personalized, so it will only ask questions pertinent to the individual taking the survey. For example, if an Airman checks “single with no dependants,” the survey isn’t going to ask him about local schools, the major said. The survey results should be compiled by September 1 and will give a snapshot at each individual base, as well as across the Air Force as a whole. Base leaders can then look at what most concerns their people so they can make informed decisions on how to serve them, Major Linkh said. “Everyone benefits from the Community Assessment Survey,” Major Linkh said. “There are lots of success stories that have come from this. One base increased employment, another added more playgrounds - all because of the results of the survey.”