Army Family Team Building has two-star support

By RACHAEL TOLLIVER
U.S. Army Cadet Command
New Soldiers to the Army have a learning curve and an education process to go through before they are comfortable in their new environment. But what is sometimes forgotten is that new spouses are no different—there is a learning curve and an education process for them as well.
Enter the Army Family Team Building Programs.
 AFTB is a series of training models taught through Army Community Service that covers a variety of topics designed to help Soldiers and their Families improve their knowledge, communication and preparedness.
New members to the Army community—Soldiers and Family members—are encouraged to visit with ACS and AFTB personnel to see what programs they offer that might help them learn and adapt to life in the Army.
Normally the AFTB staff and volunteers conduct the course. But Tuesday, during Level I Module Training, the class had a volunteer guest speaker for the chain of command brief—Maj. Gen. Mark McDonald, commander of the U.S. Army Cadet Command and Fort Knox.
According to Jeanette Heck, the AFTB program manager, it is highly unusual for a senior officer to volunteer to give a briefing to family members—and almost unheard of the commanding general to volunteer himself.
McDonald discussed why there was a command structure; what a unit’s structure is made up of; what the different ranks are and, briefly, what they are in charge of, and he discussed the branches of the Army and what the support elements are.
More importantly, to the spouses, he encouraged questions and interaction.
Yuka Benroth, one of the spouses attending the class, asked several questions, one of which concerned the availability of chaplains on post. She was having a hard time finding a chaplain and there wasn’t one available in her husband’s unit.
She had been told there was a shortage on post—something about which McDonald took notes.
“I learn things at these functions too—so if there aren’t enough chaplains, or visibility on post, I need to address that,” he added.
He ended his presentation by telling the attending spouses, “the strength of our nation is the Army, and the strength of the Army is the Soldier. But the strength of our Soldiers is their Families.
“A lot of people think the Army is a big machine and doesn’t care about people,” he continued. “But the Army is people, so we need to care about our people.”
After the briefing, the spouses said they got a lot out of it, but not just about structure and rank.
Benroth said the very fact that McDonald was there in person spoke to her.
“He came over here to talk to us, and he didn’t have to,” she said. “He answered all my questions and it made me feel like he cared. Not that he was just saying ‘the Army cares about you,’ but it made me feel like he actually does because he was here. Actions speak louder than words.
“And with my chaplain issue—when he said he’ll take care of it, I believe that he will.”
Theresa Donahoe, a military spouse who volunteers with AFTB, said one of the things the class touched on earlier was “expectations.” While they were discussing that topic some of the spouses said they felt all the Family-friendly talk was just lip service.
“Some of them felt like the Army was still saying, ‘If the Army had wanted you to have a Family they would have issued you one,’” she said. “But after the CG was finished and I (heard some of their comments), this presentation was a breakthrough for them—they got to see that the CG does care.”
Nerissa Wood echoed that sentiment.
“Someone of that rank took the time to connect with us on a personal level and to give us the message we all hear about but we don’t see,” she explained. “I think it sets the tone for the post. The fact that he approached AFTB and wanted to do something tells me he sets a high regard for Families.”
Colleen Baer appreciated the fact that he put a face to a uniform.
“He used his uniform to explain what patches went where and what each patch was,” she said. “He put a face to an ACU uniform in explaining the uniform.”
Donahoe said the ACS and the AFTB are good ways to connect with other people in the area.
“I started in 2003 in AFTB for the same reasons some of these students are involved,” she explained. “It allows spouses to connect no matter where they are and allows them to stay connected to the Army.”
The next Level I class is scheduled for April 17-18 but Heck and Donahoe said they offer military classes specific to anyone’s needs and can put together a class on protocol, customs and courtesies, and many other topics upon request.
Heck can be reached at (502) 624-2325.

Photo by Rachael Tolliver/Cadet Command

MAJ. GEN. MARK MCDONALD, COMMANDER OF U.S. ARMY CADET COMMAND and Fort Knox, taught an Army Family Team Building Program.