Chaplain (COL) David C. MoranOffice of the Chief of Chaplains

Director, Soldier and Family Ministry

The Army Family Covenant:The Strength of our Soldiers Comes from the Strength of their Families

• Healthy and Resilient Relationships and Marriages Provide Long Term Benefits

• Challenge: Strengthen the Family Bond in Persistent Conflict

How the Military is Supporting Couples and Families

Barriersand

alternatives

Nonmilitary circumstanc

es

Marital resources

Enduring traits

Military experiences

Adaptive processes

Emergent traits

Marital satisfaction

Does the

marriage

dissolve or

endure?

RAND MG599-2.1

Standardizing Strong Bonds

• Relationships strengthened by skills-training• Training is conducted in a Retreat-Format to reach a

broad population, leveraging Army, Soldier, and Family systems to extend learning and normalize common challenges.

• Minimum: 12 Hrs of Programmed Training• Unit Chaplains conduct training, in partnership with

other community providers: Builds connection to enduring resources

• Curriculum is evidence-based, validated, and respected

• Thorough leader training through various means – live, manual, video, website

• Specialized Modules to Support Unique Situations (Deployment, Wounded Warrior, Family of Deployed Soldier)

Non-Negotiables

1999 |Divarty, 25th ID4 Events 90 Couples

2001 |15 BDEs60 Events900 Couples

2003 |39 BDEs160 Events3000+ Couples$1M

2010 |

2007 |1007 Events35,000 Couples$17M

2004 |RC beginsMarriageWeekends$5M

Strong Bonds Funding Existing Family Programs and Services —A Family Covenant Success

2005 |500 Events18,000 Couples$6M

2009 |3000 Events165K Participants$60M• Commander’s Program: Unit Based, Chaplain

Led• Supplemental Funding => Chief of Chaplains Grants • Proven Effectiveness: Retreat-Based Training

• A couples “get-a-way” - relationship skills training

• Spans Soldier-Family Life Cycle• Single Soldiers: “How Not To Marry A Jerk or Jerkette”• Couples• Family Skills / Solo Parenting Skills• Pre-Post Deployment and Stay-behind Spouse and Children

• Linkage to Military-Community Family Support Programs

•(e.g. FRG, ACS, AFTB)

Requests4,000 Events365K Participants$100M

What’s New for 2010

• Significant increase in POM Funding to $32.3MIL (PBR1115LOCK)– AC $19 MIL – NG $7.3 MIL – RC $6.0 MIL

• Command requested FY10 demand is about $101 MIL • If demand is funded, validated Cost Model shows about 9% of

the force receives Strong Bonds training

• Multiple Methods for Event Arrangements – Local arrangements with funding from HQDA Chief

of Chaplains MIPR or local command Appropriated Funds

– Partnership with FMWRC (Armed Forces Recreation Centers)

– Centralized HQDA Event Management Contract

Process Improvement

• Resource Management : – Centralizing contracts– Partnerships– Building Demand Model to better Assess

• Event Programming:– Web-based tracking – Data collection capabilities– Tools to improve assessment

Soldiers/Families

Satisfaction

Important! Quality Mgt

Road Ahead

• Validate Effects (Effects => Funding)– Continue 5yr Longitudinal Study of PREP– Study and Compare Remaining Protocols– Continue to Improve Offerings

• Standardize and Fully Support Programs– Expand Training Opportunities– Improve Child Care Process

• Improve Contracting Processes– Large Scale Logistics Contracts– Hotel/Food/Child Care