An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Home : News : News
JBSA News
NEWS | June 20, 2008

Base officials seek more responses from spouses on 2008 CA Survey

By Robert Goetz Staff writer

More than 700 Team Randolph servicemembers have participated in the 2008 Community Assessment Survey, but with the closing date just 10 days away, more spouses are being asked to respond to the biennial appraisal. 

As of Monday, only 131 spouses had responded to the survey, which helps determine the base community's most pressing needs. E-mails with a link to the Web-based survey were sent to 1,000 randomly selected active-duty personnel and letters were mailed to 1,000 spouses at Randolph asking them to take part in the survey. 

"Spouses are typically low in their response rate, but we're trying to get that number up," said Beth McKinley, Airman and Family Readiness Flight chief and co-chairman of the Integrated Delivery System Working Group, which sponsors the survey. "Now we're asking any spouse at Randolph to respond. Their responses can help us tremendously with getting valid results." 

The 2008 survey includes sections on community needs and issues as well as sections on deployment effects on Airmen, families and communities. Results of the survey give the IDS working group information regarding work and family life at Randolph, she said. 

"Then we take that information and develop a community action plan," Ms. McKinley said. 

Lt. Col. Joseph Yakubik, 12th Mission Support Group vice commander and co-chairman of the working group, called the survey a "top priority." 

"It is the best way for us to listen to community members and then provide services to help them meet their needs and the needs of their families," he said when the survey was announced in late March. 

Ms. McKinley said community issues have an impact on readiness. 

Results of the 2006 survey indicated that family members had difficulty coping during deployments. 

"We developed the Key Spouse Program in response to that," she said. 

Key spouses are spouses of active-duty and retired servicemembers who volunteer to enhance communication with the families of Airmen who are deployed or assigned to remote tours. They give families a direct line of communication and support to the Airman and Family Readiness Flight and unit leadership. 

A previous survey resulted in Operation Families Learning About Global Support.
"With Operation FLAGS we try to educate spouses and children on what military members go through with deployment," Ms. McKinley said. 

Operation FLAGS, an annual event that took place June 13 at Randolph, is a deployment simulation activity for families that allows them to experience the mobility process their loved ones go through before they are deployed. 

Ms. McKinley said deployment also impacts servicemembers who stay behind when other personnel are deployed because they may be required to work more hours, which affects their family lives. 

She said results of the survey should be ready in December. The community action plan will be submitted to Headquarters Air Education and Training Command in June 2009. 

Ms. McKinley said it's imperative that more spouses respond to the survey. 

"We need as many as responses as possible to make this a valid survey," she said.
The survey can take as long as 45 minutes to complete, Ms. McKinley said, but the effort is well worth it. 

"We really listen to what they report," she said. "They have an impact in creating change for the better." 

The survey can be found at http://spouseafcasurvey.com. For more information, call 652-5321.