Photo By Brittany Trumbull | Fort Wainwright officially launches the My Army Post App providing a one-stop -shop...... read more read more
FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska – Who hasn’t felt the dread of gathering phone numbers, social media pages, building locations and more at a new duty station? Or, even worse, landing at a remote installation and feeling like there’s nothing to do? It’s 2025, and the Army has been working to provide a modern information solution for Soldiers, Family members, retirees and Civilians.
An innovative, user-friendly smartphone app is now giving Fort Wainwright community members access to the information they need right at their fingertips.
The My Army Post App is currently available at 31 Army posts and continues to expand each week. It connects users with a variety of resources including post-wide alert messages, current gate wait times, weather conditions, emergency contact numbers and even Fort Wainwright events.
According to Lauren Lipscomb, military spouse and on-post resident, finding local resources has been a challenge during her families’ 5 years stationed on Fort Wainwright.
“Usually, I just search Fort Wainwright online to access the website, which is not very user friendly and often difficult to navigate,” said Lipscomb. “It also doesn't have as much info as here on the app.”
A common problem, according to Lipscomb, is that the various resources can’t be found in one location leaving events often unattended.
“Over the last 5 years it’s been challenging to know what MWR has going on for Soldiers and their Families,” said Lipscomb. “We’re never sure of everything available on or around Fort Wainwright, or even where to find the correct information.”
The Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation oversees a variety of services from fitness centers to outdoor recreation and community programs.
Soldiers arriving in Interior Alaska are often excited for adventure, but they have more to learn about the environment and installation than at continental U.S. locations in the Lower 48. The Newcomers section is designed for Soldiers and Family members who have recently arrived at Fort Wainwright, but it includes resources beneficial to all members of the community.
“The Newcomers tab is great,” said Lipscomb, “for helping incoming Soldiers and Families get a feel for what Fort Wainwright can offer as far as taking care of Soldier’s concern and extra activities/resources available for their Families.”
MAPA includes links to the MHS Genesis portal for medical appointments at Bassett Army Community Hospital, the website for DEERS / ID Section information, and a link to submit work orders through Army Maintenance app.
“Yes, there is a ton of useful information that is easy to find. The app is super user-friendly, and if you're on post, the app is a quick way to find what you need in the moment,” encouraged Lipscomb.
The Fort Wainwright Public Affairs Office oversees content creation for MAPA, while other installation leaders may have access to update information on an as-needed basis. Clayton Sauer, Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security Military and Exercise Planner, was an early partner in gathering the most accurate and up-to-date information.
“The events list, as long as it remains accurate and timely, will be a powerful marketing tool,” said Sauer. “The who, what, when, and where of the event is easy to navigate as well as simplified directions to every location.”
Near real-time information, such as road conditions and accurate weather, is critical to an installation like Fort Wainwright due to its rapidly changing climate and extreme seasons. Like anything new, MAPA has its kinks to iron out still, according to Sauer.
"Garrisons should still use official channels to push information; however, MAPA will help us reach the full population," said Sauer. "Current weather does not match NOAA reporting identically, which is problematic for conflicting reports. At Fort Wainwright, the air quality index is a very important planning tool for leadership and has been inconsistent with state reporting sites.”
These concerns are being addressed and relayed to app developers to improve accuracy for the community.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is the federal agency responsible for monitoring weather, climate and environmental conditions.
Along with its simplified interface and the ability to personalize based on preferences, MAPA allows users to send anonymous feedback about content accuracy directly to administrators. The app is designed to be as user friendly as possible.
“This will be a useful tool for anybody who works on, lives on, is moving to, or is a planning stakeholder to the garrisons,” said Sauer. “Customer two-way communication will be key to make the MAPA a growing and accurate tool for all. This app is a powerful one- stop -shop to find information concerning the whole garrison.”
Download MAPA today, for free, on the Apple App Store and Google Play.
| Date Taken: | 02.04.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.04.2025 09:06 |
| Story ID: | 490037 |
| Location: | FORT WAINWRIGHT, ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 22 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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