Army Community Service: ACS Unit Program Early Implementation Report

The objectives of the Family Adaptation Project are to; (1) determine what constitutes good adaptation to Army life, (2) show how family adaptation is related to Army outcomes, and (3) design and test pilot programs that can improve how well families can adapt. The present report helps to meet the third objective by documenting the implementation of the pilot Army Community Service (ACS) Unit Program. The Unit Program requires the assignment of a single ACS staff member to interface with Army units and to ensure that they received the ACS services that they required. Both the process and outcome of making this change in the service delivery system were evaluated through individual and small group interviews and through a short questionnaire. Interviews were conducted with 10 Directors, 92 ACS staff members, 36 unit leaders, and 10 installation leaders who were in charge of some aspect of family support at the nine sites. The ACS Directors felt that the main advantage of the program was that it improved ACS 5 acknowledge of what soldiers, families, and commanders really needed. For the most part, the ACS staff was very supportive of the new program. Prepared in cooperation with Orthner & Associates, Raleigh, NC.