- Servicemen’s Group Life Insurance (SGLI) increased from $50,000 to $200,000
- Expanded dental insurance plan that increased coverage for dental procedures and some orthodontic services.
- Temporary Lodging Expense increased from 4 to 10 days.
- A standardized military Identification Card for Reserve Component family members.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Fort Meade Community Symposium AFAP?
The Fort Meade Community Symposium is a grassroots effort in which delegates selected from the Fort Meade Community come together to discuss quality of life issues.
Who can participate in the AFAP process?
The process encompasses and is available to everyone closely associated with Fort Meade. We are speaking of the entire Community – Active and Reserve Component Military Service members, retirees, civilians who work at Fort Meade, and family members of all those groups. These are the individuals who make the Community Symposium (AFAP), who serve as delegates or as volunteers to help plan and run the symposia.
Where do the issues come from?
AFAP Issue Management System
Submit ARMY Quality-of-Life Issues Online
MyArmyOneSource
Ft. Meade community members at the installation level are now able to submit quality-of-life issues through the new online AFAP Issue Management System (IMS).
The AFAP IMS, provided through the Army OneSource Portal, will allow for review, submission, escalation and tracking of issues throughout the issue-resolution process.
What kind of issues can be submitted?
There is no limit to the type of issue that can be submitted for consideration. Suggested categories are listed on the Issue Submission Form – Entitlements, Benefits, Education, Family Support, Leadership, Reserve/National Guard, Relocation, Transition, Health Care, Consumer Services, Housing, Family Support, Dental Care, Volunteers, Employment, Youth, Force Support, and Youth.
Do the issues submitted have to be local issues?
The process allows for any level of issue to be submitted. Some issues can be resolved at the local level; however, some issues require higher-level resolution such as new legislation.
How are the delegates chosen?
A demographic category listing of delegates is formulated and the majority of the delegates are requested throughout the Fort Meade Community. Anyone can submit a Delegate application for consideration through the Community Symposium office located Army Community Service. All delegate applications are subject to a delegate selection process in order to gain a diverse delegation representative of the total Fort Meade Community.
What actually happens at the conference?
The delegates are broken up into different work groups to examine the issues, recommend resolutions and determine which issues they consider the most important to the Fort Meade Community. Each work group must prioritize their issues, and select no more than three that they recommend be incorporated in the Army Family Action Plan. All issues recommended for the Plan are briefed to the Installation Commander for approval.
What happens to the issues that are presented to the leadership?
The issues that can be handled at a local level are assigned to the appropriate directorate to be worked toward resolution.
What happens to issues that cannot be resolved at the local level?
If an issue prioritized at the local conference is applicable outside of the local community, it is forwarded to the major Army command (MACOM) and incorporated into the MACOM AFAP Conference. Here again, if the issue is MACOM specific, it becomes part of the MACOM action plan and is worked at that level. If the issue has Army-wide applicability, however, it is forwarded to Community and Family Support Center (CFSC), where the AFAP staff consolidates all issues from the field and prepares them to be reviewed by delegates at the HQDA Community Symposium.
How do we know when and how the issues are resolved?
Local issues that are adopted into the local Army Family Action Plan are tracked for status and resolution by a Steering Committee. The DA level Plan is followed by a General Officer Steering Committee; at this level issues may be resolved by changing existing programs and services or establishing new ones, by changing or establishing Army or DOD policy, or by changing or enacting legislation.
What changes have we seen due to the AFAP Community Symposium?
To get an idea of what AFAP has done for the Army family; take a look at some of the benefits available today as a result of the process.
When is the Fort Meade Community Symposium?
The Fort Meade Community Symposium is scheduled every year. As the symposium approaches, the detailed information will be on the Happening section on the top of this page.
Where can I get more information about the program?
In addition to the information found on this web site, you can visit the Army-wide web site at www.myarmyonesource.com or call the local AFAP office at +1(301)677-5590.
