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Chaplain (COL) David C. Moran Office of the Chief of Chaplains Director, Soldier and Family Ministry. The Army Family Covenant: The Strength of our Soldiers Comes from the Strength of their Families. Healthy and Resilient Relationships and Marriages Provide Long Term Benefits
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Chaplain (COL) David C. Moran Office of the Chief of Chaplains Director, Soldier and Family Ministry
The Army Family Covenant:The Strength of our Soldiers Comes from the Strength of their Families • Healthy and Resilient Relationships and Marriages Provide Long Term Benefits • Challenge: Strengthen the Family Bond in Persistent Conflict
How the Military is Supporting Couples and Families Barriers and alternatives Enduring traits Emergent traits Does the marriage dissolve or endure? Marital resources Adaptive processes Marital satisfaction Nonmilitary circumstances Military experiences RAND MG599-2.1
Standardizing Strong Bonds Non-Negotiables • Relationships strengthened by skills-training • Training is conducted in a Retreat-Format to reach a broad population, leveraging Army, Soldier, and Family systems to extend learning and normalize common challenges. • Minimum: 12 Hrs of Programmed Training • Unit Chaplains conduct training, in partnership with other community providers: Builds connection to enduring resources • Curriculum is evidence-based, validated, and respected • Thorough leader training through various means – live, manual, video, website • Specialized Modules to Support Unique Situations (Deployment, Wounded Warrior, Family of Deployed Soldier)
Strong Bonds Funding Existing Family Programs and Services —A Family Covenant Success 1999 | Divarty, 25th ID 4 Events 90 Couples 2001 | 15 BDEs 60 Events 900 Couples 2003 | 39 BDEs 160 Events 3000+ Couples $1M 2004 | RC begins Marriage Weekends $5M 2005 | 500 Events 18,000 Couples $6M 2007 | 1007 Events 35,000 Couples $17M 2009 | 3000 Events 165K Participants $60M 2010 | • Commander’s Program: Unit Based, Chaplain Led • Supplemental Funding => Chief of Chaplains Grants • Proven Effectiveness: Retreat-Based Training • A couples “get-a-way” - relationship skills training • Spans Soldier-Family Life Cycle • Single Soldiers: “How Not To Marry A Jerk or Jerkette” • Couples • Family Skills / Solo Parenting Skills • Pre-Post Deployment and Stay-behind Spouse and Children • Linkage to Military-Community Family Support Programs • (e.g. FRG, ACS, AFTB) Requests 4,000 Events 365K Participants $100M
What’s New for 2010 • Significant increase in POM Funding to $32.3MIL (PBR1115LOCK) • AC $19 MIL • NG $7.3 MIL • RC $6.0 MIL • Command requested FY10 demand is about $101 MIL • If demand is funded, validated Cost Model shows about 9% of the force receives Strong Bonds training • Multiple Methods for Event Arrangements • Local arrangements with funding from HQDA Chief of Chaplains MIPR or local command Appropriated Funds • Partnership with FMWRC (Armed Forces Recreation Centers) • Centralized HQDA Event Management Contract
Process Improvement • Resource Management : • Centralizing contracts • Partnerships • Building Demand Model to better Assess • Event Programming: • Web-based tracking • Data collection capabilities • Tools to improve assessment Important! Quality Mgt Soldiers/Families Satisfaction
Road Ahead • Validate Effects (Effects => Funding) • Continue 5yr Longitudinal Study of PREP • Study and Compare Remaining Protocols • Continue to Improve Offerings • Standardize and Fully Support Programs • Expand Training Opportunities • Improve Child Care Process • Improve Contracting Processes • Large Scale Logistics Contracts • Hotel/Food/Child Care