New employee aims to revitalize ACS team building, family action plan programs

Photo By Lesley Atkinson | New Army Community Service employee Frenchi Watts Kemp gives out information on Army family team building and Army family action plan programs to Staff Sgt. Anthony Ceppaglia, Wheel Maintenance Training Department, Ordnance Schools, and wife Rudi, March 17, in Fort Lee Main Exchange.  

FORT LEE, VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES

03.24.2016

Story by Lesley Atkinson 

Fort Gregg-Adams

FORT LEE, Va. - New Army Community Service employee Frenchi Watts Kemp is working hard to increase focus on Army core values and help Soldiers and their families in her new role as the Army family team building and Army family action plan program manager.

Watts Kemp said she wants Fort Lee military members and families to take ownership of their Army community and to affect change, something she is eager to motivate by providing assistance.

“We live and play this Army life,” Watts Kemp said. “Who else knows how to better serve us … than us?”

AFTB – one of the lessons learned from the Gulf War – helps Army families and Soldiers adapt military life and to maximize professional and personal development.

It offers a gamut of courses to military members, their families, retirees, DA Civilians and any others who wish to gain more military knowledge, effective management, and leadership skills and techniques. The AFTB program has three levels of training, and those classes are offered monthly for each level.

All classes are free and they often offer childcare and lunch. Upcoming classes are Level K Knowledge, April 14-15; Level G Growth, April 21-22; and Level L Leadership, May 26-27.

“AFTB is one of the Army’s best kept secrets,” said Watts Kemp. “These classes provide college-level instruction and leadership-level knowledge – all for free. It gets no better than that.”

Watts Kemp said she loves to be able to help people, and AFTB lets her do it in a well-rounded manner.

“I can help individuals not only grow personally – for example, with better communication skills for them to use at home with their families and how to maximize self care and resiliency – but also professionally with how to be an effective leader and manager,” she said.

Watts Kemp’s future plans for AFTB include getting more volunteer involvement to have community members own and operate the program.

She is looking for a volunteer program manager, master trainers and team members who can help AFTB continue to be viable, effective and, most of all, relevant and fun.

She wants to continuously train and recruit instructors and champions for Army life, Army knowledge and personal and professional excellence. The program also offers instructor training and a facilitators’ course. The instructor training focuses on methods of effectively teaching the “adult learner” and the facilitators’ course focuses on meeting and group facilitation methods. The instructors’ training course is offered quarterly.

To learn more on AFTP go to www.leemwr.com/army-family-team-building.

Watts Kemp’s other focus – AFAP – requires input from the Army community to make suggestions for change to Army practices. It’s a process that lets Soldiers and their families say what’s working and what isn’t – and what they think will fix it.

As the manager for that program, her plans are to ensure it continues to serve as a year-round channel for Lee military members, families and supporting civilians to make their voices heard.

“If someone has concerns or ideas as to how we at Fort Lee or the Army can improve or further enhance functions, programs, services and qualities of life, I want to know about it,” said Watts Kemp. “Issues can always be submitted to me via email at [e-mail] or by completing an AFAP issue sheet.”

AFAP will host its annual conference in October. Community delegates will look at submitted issues/concerns/suggested changes, sort through them and decide which ones should go to the garrison leadership or higher headquarters. There are many opportunities for Fort Lee stakeholders to participate in the conference process.

“We are always looking for volunteers to ensure the conference’s continued success,” she said. “In addition, the last day of the conference is always open to the public. It offers a great way for our community to stay informed of current issues, concerns, and possible solutions or changes.”

To learn more about AFAP, go to www.leemwr.com/army-family-action-plan-afap.

Watts Kemp has an open door policy and can be visited at Army Community Service, Room 20. She also can be reached at [phone] or [e-mail].

“Like all Army programs, AFTB/AFAP are only as good as their community,” she said. “What gets put in is what gets put out. These programs work best for our Army stakeholders, service members and their families when there is buy-in from our community members. I want our Fort Lee community to know these are their programs. They are here for them to use, to enhance and to own."

• Date Taken: 03.24.2016
• Date Posted: 03.24.2016 10:12
• Story ID: 193381
• Location: FORT LEE, VIRGINIA, US