Married to the Military — Making an Impact
Mar 09 2009
Put a comma here, a new sentence there. That idea belongs in the scope, not in the recommendation. The existing regulation is unfair; let’s change it. We have to flip-flop that sentence to give the statement more impact.
Impact, after all, is the main point.
Throughout military communities the world over, people from every branch of service huddle over laptops, PowerPoint presentations, flipcharts, and Post-It Notes. They give of their valuable time and insight to facilitate change in their respective communities. They are the volunteers who serve as delegates for the Army Family Action Plan Conference, which despite its name, works for the greater good of all military service members and their families.
To be sure, tensions during the conference can run high at times with idea ownership and advocacy a passionate pursuit.
“Ladies, please, please, enough with the testosterone,” jokingly pleads one poor Marine who finds himself in the middle of a heated discussion between two opposing family members. He puts the sparring partners at ease and everyone in the room laughs. The Marines have saved the day once again. Semper Fi!
The diverse group continues filtering through all the many issues submitted by community members. Some of the ideas are terrific and you wonder why they haven’t been implemented yet. Others clearly are full of misinformation, while others seem to be from those having personal issues or grudges. Those are usually the ones providing the afternoon’s entertainment.
Late in the day, the eyelids are heavy and the once-ambitious moods have turned tired. Everyone is ready to go home for the day, but the required work is not yet complete. Way too cheerful facilitators and their assistants bring on the chocolate in full force in an effort to revive the volunteers.
“Will that be a Snickers bar or Reeses cup for you?”
Thanks to the caffeine jolt, inspiration strikes yet again. By day’s end, the group has read through 62 issues, giving each submitted idea genuine attention, respect, and consideration even if the author did not. A volunteer has been selected to represent the group and they are ready to present their recommendations to the command and the other delegates.
The process of making a positive impact has begun and all of us are sure to benefit.
About the Author: Janet Farley is author of The Military Spouse’s Complete Guide to Career Success (Impact Publications, 2007) and The Military-to-Civilian Career Transition Guide (Jist, 2004). Visit her Web site at www.janetfarley.com.
