ARMY COMMUNITY SERVICES
678-6767
Hours Of Operation
Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Closed all Federal Holidays
Sponsor Information
ACS is designed to provide Army families a centrally located source of information, guidance, and assistance
in solving problems of a personal or family nature that are beyond the scope of their own resources. Most services provided by ACS are free of charge to ID cardholders. Some of the programs run by ACS include, but are not limited to:
MyArmyLifeToo Website.
The Army knows how important family members are to Soldier readiness and is committed to helping you lead a fulfilling life while your spouse is in the military.
The www.MyArmyLifeToo.com Web site is available to assist spouses (as well as Soldiers, family members, and significant others) in their journey through Army life. The MyArmyLifeToo.com website is the website of choice for Army families.
Soldiers are immediately linked to the Army through the recruitment and training process where they learn about Army culture and their role within today’s Army. They develop an understanding of opportunities available to them. But what about their spouses and family members? The Army wants to enhance the connection of Army spouses and recognize their contributions to the Army community as well. MyArmyLifeToo.com is the entry point for providing services to Army spouses, helping connect spouses to the Army, and developing them as community leaders.
MyArmyLifeToo.com will contain several components that work together to help you improve your life skills, enhance self-reliance and understanding of the Army, and provide access to resources for family life, employment, and career development.
* Available online now, the Life Skills Matrix outlines skills and abilities that relate to sets of skills associated with different levels of participation and leadership within the Army community. You can search the database in a variety of ways to find the specific skills, resources, and services that meet your own unique needs.
* The Army is here for you, with resources for almost every need. The Web site will lead you to other links that will connect you to programs and service providers designed to help you make the most of military life, such as finding help with childcare, managing your finances, or coping with relocation or deployment. Make this site your home base as you journey through Army life.
* As a registered user, you will be able to use “My Portfolio” to track your learning, experience, employment, volunteer service, and personal accomplishments. Through this feature, you can create a personal record that will be readily available online. The Portfolio will help you create resumes and demonstrate to others what you have accomplished.
* Make your transition to Army life a little easier. With the “Get Connected” link, you will be one click away from meeting other Army spouses who can teach you about the Army. They have already been through the Army experience so they know what to do and where to go for help. You can also use this link to access news and information about the Army, stay in touch with friends and family, even get the weather report at your Soldier’s duty station.
If you have access to the Internet, see for yourself and discover a new world at www.MyArmyLifeToo.com.
Army Emergency Relief (AER)
This program provides emergency financial assistance to Soldiers and their family members who are on continuous active duty for a period in excess of 30 days. Financial assistance is generally for emergency food or travel but may also be available for essential automobile repairs, insurance, rent, utility bills, funerals, and medical and dental bills. Monetary educational assistance may also be provided to dependent children of Army personnel.
Family Advocacy Program (FAP)
This program is dedicated to the prevention, prompt reporting, intervention, and treatment of spouse and child abuse. Programs and services under FAP that assist commanders, Soldiers, and their families include crisis intervention; educational training for prevention of spouse and child abuse; workshops focusing on prevention of domestic violence; parent aids providing information and referral to parents; and parenting classes designed for different age groups teaching positive approaches to parenting.
To learn more about family advocacy, you may visit the ACS Web site at http://www.myarmylifetoo.com and click on the link for “Family Advocacy.”
Information and Referral Services
They are the installation help desk for assistance on just about any topic; you can call or walk in to the ACS office and they can put you in contact with the right agency to help you.
Relocation Readiness Program (RRP)
The RRP provides services necessary to support Soldiers and their families as they relocate. RRP offers relocation counseling, pre-move and post-move briefings, newcomers’ orientations (which often include tours of the new installation), and overseas orientations.
Part of the overall RRP is having access to an automated system called the Military Installation and Plan My Move Site. This service is available on the Internet at http://apps.mhf.dod.mil/pls/psgprod/f?p=107:6:3052317497428524::::P6_INST_ID:3595 and provides worldwide relocation information on major installations. You can discover what services are available at the new location and other useful information like childcare, housing, and schools.
Army Family Team Building (AFTB)
Want to learn more about the Army and Army life…this is the program for you!
This educational program prepares family members to learn about the Army and be more self-reliant. Classes include everything from military terms, acronyms, introduction to the chain of command, family and military expectations and even beginning problem solving.
As a new spouse, you are highly encouraged to contact your local ACS to find out about their next AFTB class and enroll.
If you have Internet access, you may also enroll in AFTB courses online. Just visit http://www.myarmylifetoo.com and click on the “AFTB “link under life time learning. First time users will have to establish a User ID and Password. The program is available in both English and Spanish.
Lending Closet
Most installations have an ACS Lending Closet that has available basic household items, such as pots and pans, utensils, irons and ironing boards. You can check out these items free of charge for short periods of time until your household goods and belongings arrive and you are settled in your new home.
Army Family Action Plan (AFAP)
The Army recognizes the importance of hearing what Soldiers and families think is important to their standard of living. AFAP offers commanders “real-time” information on Soldier and family concerns and allows the commanders to take immediate action to resolve them. Annually, AFAP brings together members of the community to discuss issues that affect their lives. Soldiers, family members, retirees, and civilian employees are included. Issues include such topics as health care, family housing, schools, entitlements, and benefits.
The AFAP process doesn’t always end with your local community. Issues with wider impact are sent to a higher level where the same process repeats and eventually can result in changes to Army or Department of Defense policies or even changes to laws. Some examples of issues that resulted in change are increased separation allowance, a special pay when a Soldier is deployed or is separated from the family for an extended period of time, and changes to the tuition assistance program established through Army Emergency Relief (AER) for spouses living overseas because of their Soldiers’ duty assignment.
You can find all the issues at the Headquarters, Department of the Army level on the ACS Web site at http://www.myarmylifetoo.com. Once you arrive at your first duty assignment, check out the AFAP in your community. Go to your ACS Center and become part of the solution!
Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP)
The EFMP is a mandatory enrollment program for certain qualified families that works with other military and civilian agencies to provide comprehensive and coordinated community support, housing, educational, medical and personnel services to families with special needs. Soldiers on active duty enroll in the program when they have a family member with a physical, emotional, developmental, or intellectual disorder requiring specialized services. Enrollment also allows special needs to be considered in the military personnel assignment process.
All family members enrolled in DEERS must be screened and enrolled if a special need exists. This screening consists of a medical records review for all family members and developmental screening for all children six years of age and younger.
Soldiers are responsible for keeping their EFMP enrollment current as exceptional family member conditions change or at least every three years, whichever comes first.
Soldiers should contact the nearest Army military treatment facility EFMP office for help with enrollment procedures.
Installation Volunteer Program
Looking to make new friends? Learn about your community? Learn new skills? The Army Volunteer Corps Coordinator is looking for people who like to work with children, work in hospitals, write stories for the newspaper, design posters and flyers, knit or crochet, talk on the phone, know about computers, and enjoy helping people.
Volunteering gives you a chance to try something new or sharpen skills you already have. Let us help you while you help others. Visit your local ACS office, and contact the Army Volunteer Corps Coordinator to find the volunteer position that is right for you.
Click Here for 2008 AFAP Issues
Financial Readiness
The ACS Financial Readiness program offers classes on money management, credit, financial planning, insurance, and consumer issues that help Soldiers and their families become self-sufficient, reduce indebtedness, and lessen demand for emergency financial aid. In addition, the Army has a partnership with the Better Business Bureau to help Soldiers and families become smart consumers and resolve consumer complaints.
Employment Readiness Program (ERP)
The ERP provides information and referral services in the areas of employment, education, training, and transition opportunities to give family members the competitive edge needed to secure employment. Services include: career and employment counseling; employer resource file (for positions on and off post); assistance in resume and job application preparation; and computerized skills training in typing and word processing.
The Army established a partnership with several large corporations that have agreed to provide employment opportunities to Army spouses. To learn more about this program, visit your ACS and speak to the ERP program manager.
Mobilization and Deployment
Mobilization refers to Reserve Component units that are placed on active duty to support the active Army. Deployment refers to the movement of a unit away from its home station. Operation READY (“READY” stands for Resources for Education About Deployment and You) supports the families of these Soldiers by providing training on implementing, developing, and re-energizing Family Readiness Groups (FRGs).
The FRG is a voluntary organization that determines its own goals and activities and is the responsibility of each commander. It’s a great way to learn about your Soldier’s unit and his or her coworkers, to obtain accurate unit information, and to enjoy planned social activities.
In many organizations, the FRG meets regularly, and some commands distribute newsletters to keep everyone informed. Each FRG is unique to its unit and mission and is most commonly associated with preparing Soldiers and family members for deployment or mobilization.
To learn more about Operation READY and FRGs, visit the ACS Web site at http://www.myarmylifetoo.com.
MILITARY ONE SOURCE
Military One Source supplements existing family programs by providing a 24-hour, seven day a week toll
free information and referral telephone line and Internet/Web based service to active duty Soldiers and
their Family Members.
Military One Source can provide information ranging from everyday concerns dealing with such topics as parenting and childcare, education, relocation, financial and legal matters, emotional issues, well-being, grief and loss, addiction, and deployment and reunion issues.
An additional service, only available to Soldiers on active duty (with ID cards), is an opportunity for face-to-face counseling, whereby Military One Source will provide referrals to professional civilian counselors who will provide their services free of charge.
The toll free number to call for assistance is 1-800-342-9647. Callers may call collect if toll free service is not available by calling 484-530-5908. Help is available in English and Spanish.
Visit the www.militaryonesource.com Web site to learn more. The User ID is “military,” and the Password is “onesource.”
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