Reservists asked to participate in Community Assessment Survey

4/9/2013 - ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- The 2013 Air Force Community Assessment Survey launched April 5, and all members of the Air Force Reserve team who are asked to participate are encouraged to do so.

The assessment is designed to assist chaplains and people working in installation-level Airman and family readiness centers, family advocacy programs, health and wellness centers, mental health clinics, and child and youth programs to better meet the needs of service members and their families.

"We need to make sure our programs are meeting the needs of Airmen and their families," said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody. "This survey is one way we can learn how well we're doing that. It's every Airman's responsibility to provide some honest feedback to help."

Topics covered in the survey include personal and family adjustment, individual and family adaptation, community well-being, deployment, resiliency, post-traumatic stress, and help-seeking stigma.

The Community Assessment Survey is a total force effort. Approximately 160,000 active-duty members, 40,000 reservists, 40,000 Air National Guard members, 160,000 spouses of active-duty members, 10,000 spouses of reservists and 10,000 spouses of ANG members will be randomly selected to participate in the survey. All appropriated fund civilians also will be asked to participate in the survey. The survey will be available through May 30 and is completely anonymous.

A notification letter, including a link to the Web-based survey, will be sent out to the work email address of each service member selected to participate. Spouses will be sent a postcard in the mail with the Web link. Everyone selected is encouraged to participate to aid in the success of the project.

The survey should take participants 30-45 minutes to complete.

Data collected from the survey will be analyzed and briefed to wing and Air Force leaders. The information will help make community-wide program planning and resource allocation decisions, which ultimately enhance the quality of life, readiness and retention of Air Force personnel.

"Everything we do depends on our people, the living engine of our Air Force," said Air Force Secretary Michael Donley. "The entire Air Force leadership team is committed to doing all we can to support our Total Force Airmen and their families. We know that through your valuable input, the state of our Air Force will remain strong, ready and capable of delivering airpower, whenever and wherever the nation calls."

Previous survey results are credited with expanding financial counseling programs to members and their families, developing a user-friendly support network for Air Force single parents, and setting up marriage-support seminars for junior enlisted members and their spouses.

"This survey has been done every two years since 1988, giving a long-range perspective of trends," said Chaplain Lt. Col. David Sumrall, executive director of the AFRC Community Action Information Board. "AFRC will receive a consolidated Reserve population breakout and Reserve installations will receive a report specific to their location. Reserve tenant units will be incorporated into the host base report and should participate in the host base CAIB and Integrated Delivery System to develop a community action plan that meets the requirements of the total force base population."

This survey is not to be confused with the Chief of Staff Climate Survey, which was administered in the spring of 2012 and the results of which were recently released.