Air Force officials overseeing morale, welfare and recreation, or MWR, for Airmen testified before the House Armed Services Committee military personnel subcommittee March 15.

Maj. Gen. Paul Essex, commander of the Army and Air Force Exchange Service, or AAFES, and Arthur Myers, director of Air Force Services, both spoke of their organizations’ commitment to serving their customers -- servicemembers and their families.

“Our primary job is to maintain the number one weapon system in our nation’s arsenal: our people,” Mr. Myers said.

The two testified alongside six other MWR and military resale representatives from the other branches of service, all to give an overview of the morale and welfare of troops worldwide.

Both commented on the effects the global war on terror and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita played in the mission of their organizations.

“Today, in the era of an all-volunteer force with operational tempos not seen in decades, the importance of MWR programs to the quality of life of servicemembers and their families is more significant than ever," General Essex said. "AAFES takes pride in its support for these programs, and their contribution to military readiness and retention.”

Some of the committee members related stories of their own time in military service, including one tale about the effect dead batteries had on homesick soldiers in Vietnam who wanted to listen to the Beach Boys on their tape player. Each member expressed praise and understanding for the need of MWR programs and military exchanges and commissaries.

General Essex agreed that today’s AAFES customers understand the value of the organization. He quoted recent surveys, noting an increase in customer satisfaction.

“Our 2005 internal customer satisfaction index score was 73, which duplicated our highest ever overall score achieved in 2004,” he said. “Customers are also recognizing the value AAFES provides in comparison to the competition. AAFES is regularly saving customers an average of 22.09 percent on the typical military family’s basic, everyday necessities -- and that’s without considering the fact that they receive sales tax relief.”

General Essex also spoke of AAFES’ ability to serve those in foreign, deployed locations. AAFES currently has 62 contingency exchanges in operation with about 490 civilian volunteers supporting the operations downrange.

“I am proud and honored to say that AAFES volunteers understand the shared sacrifice and the importance of their support to deployed servicemembers,” he said.

From overseeing childcare to mortuary affairs and everything in between, Air Force Services is also busy continuing its support of servicemembers and families, Mr. Myers said during his testimony.

In his written statement, one of the programs praised by Mr. Myers was the family liaison officer program.

“Since the inception of the survivor assistance program six years ago,” he said, “more than 1,400 FLOs have been appointed to serve our families. Each case is different and the needs of each family vary; therefore, the FLO program remains flexible and responsive.”

He pointed out an example of an Airman who was seriously injured in Iraq. The Airman’s family traveled from New Orleans to be at their son’s side while he received treatment at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C. During this time, however, Hurricane Katrina struck and the family lost their home and almost all their possessions.

“With the help of the individual’s FLO, we worked day and night to locate relatives of the family,” Mr. Myer said. “A dozen relatives who were spread from Mississippi to Arkansas were all located and put in touch with one another. Such actions are the norm for the survivor assistance program, and lend credence to our charter: ‘whatever the family needs.’”

Mr. Myer also testified that the Air Force continues with its aggressive program to reduce the current shortfall of spaces needed in child-care activities.

“We realize that child-care ranks among the top priorities of all Air Force parents,” he said. “With today’s high operations tempo, the challenge to ensure this care is affordable and available has taken on even greater importance.”

Mr. Myer said he is proud of his services team and their motivation and unwavering morale.

“An organization is only as good as the support it provides to its members and their families,” he said. “This fact drives our commitment and focus to take care of Air Force families.”