ACC Services targets Airmen, families with 2005 programs

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LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (ACCNS) --  A $1 bill is exactly 6.14 inches long, but in the hands of the people at Air Combat Command's Services Directorate here, it will stretch for miles in 2005.

Undaunted by an almost 20 percent reduction in morale, welfare, and recreation funds this year, the directorate staff developed a budget plan that's the fiscal equivalent of the "smart bomb."

"In the operations world, the days of our Airmen dropping thousands of tons of bombs to destroy a single target are long gone," said Col. Jim Cox., director of the ACC Services Directorate. "Now, we identify the target and choose the right weapon to achieve the effect we want. We've got to use that same mindset when budgeting for our Services programs."

Applying that mindset meant taking a hard look at all recreation programs and putting the money where it will affect the most people, according to Lt. Col. Mark White, chief of the directorates community support branch.

Early in the evaluation process, the Services staff placed an emphasis on programs supporting new Airmen and family activities and decided to discontinue programs with limited participation. Programs that wont be continued in 2005 include the ACC Fitness & Sports Challenge, the ACC Bowling Tournament, and the ACC Golf Tournament.

Those programs were popular, but the people who participated represented a very limited portion of the audience we serve, said Colonel White. Had we continued those programs in 2005, they would have taken up about half of our recreation budget. Not only would that have been poor budgeting, it would have meant less service to our military communities in ACC.

Instead, ACC Services will spread the wealth literally by funding much needed facility improvements and equipment upgrades across the command. The directorate will also continue to fund special family programs such as the Kids Golf, Family Adventure, and Outdoor Adventure programs, as well as more traditional teen and pre-teen programs and Club Dollar Days programs.

The Family Adventure and Outdoor Adventure programs are great services because they are available to military and family members, said Carole Barton, ACC Services marketing director. Through these programs, we can offset or buy down the cost of some activities so that theyre affordable for military families. In one case, we were able to buy down an overnight kayaking trip for one group so that, instead of $165 per person, it cost them $50 per person. Thats a substantial savings when youre a family living on a limited budget.

Families arent the only ones who should benefit in 2005, Ms. Barton said. Though still in the planning stages, Services people here are working with the ACC Personnel Directorate to build a two-phased program that each year will introduce about 9,600 new Airmen across ACC to recreation opportunities available through Services. Under the program dubbed Services Day, Airmen enrolled in the First Term Airmen Center program will participate in a day-long orientation to base-sponsored activities. Future programming calls for even more Airmen involvement by adding leadership and team building scenarios at selected Services activities.

There is some form of this program in place at five ACC bases and we know it works, Ms. Barton said. Not only does it take the guesswork out of whats available on the base, it also fosters team building, fitness and esprit de corps. Its a perfect example of nurturing our young Airmen and were very excited about it being implemented across the command.

The broad appeal of the 2005 Services programs will have a direct impact on the commands readiness and warfighting capability, according to Lt. Gen. Bruce Wright, ACC vice commander.

The benefits of maintaining strong Services programs are enormous, General Wright said. They promote physical fitness, provide an outlet for stress and generally improve the quality of life for both Airmen and their families. That translates into being more mentally and physically prepared for the demands of the mission.