Innovative Research, Extension, & Academic Programs Supporting Military Families, Youth,

Service Members and Veterans

Military Culture and Curriculum Planning MeetingFort Leavenworth, KS

8 November 2010

Agenda

• A Snapshot of the U.S. Military in 2010

• NIFA’s Military Youth and Family Initiatives

• The DoD – USDA Partnership– Key Objectives– Benefits & Lessons Learned

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A Snapshot of the U.S. Military in 2010Active Duty

National Guard

Reserves Total

Army 547,400 358,200 205,000 1,110,600

Navy 328,800 65,500 394,300

Marines 202,100 39,600 241,700

Air Force 331,700 106,700 69,500 507,900

Coast Guard

49,954 10,000 59,954

Total 2,314,454

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Overseas Contingency Operations

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5

Walk a Mile …

• Frequent training exercises• Long duty days• Weekend duty• Frequent relocations• Family separations• Distance from extended family• Financial strain• Frequent military deployments & backfill• Risk of death and/or serious injury

CA

OR

UT

AZ

NV

WA

ID

MT

WY

CO

NM

TX

KS

OK

ND

AK

SD

NE IA

MO

AR

LA

ALMSHI

WI

MN

IL IN

TN

KY

GA

SC

FL

PAOH

NC

VAWV

NY

MEVTNH

CTRI

MA

MD

DE

NJ

MI

Alabama , California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington

States Most Highly Impacted by Deployments

States with the highest rates of deployments among all components, including Reserve & Guard

Legend

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Highly trained Well traveled Excellent health care Tightknit Community

Military Life Strengths

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Divorce Alcohol and drugs Family violence Suicide Physical injury / death “Invisible Wounds”

Potential Impacts

Over 2 decades of partnering,

– USDA NIFA (formerly CSREES)– Military Services– Office of the Secretary

of Defense, &– Land Grant Universities

to provide quality military Family support, program evaluation, and research

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DoD – USDA Partnership mission

To advance the health, well-being, and quality of life for military Service members, families,

and their communities through the coordination of research, education and

extension programs.

Partners

By the Numbers

• 95 Active Army Installations and Guard & Reserve using Operation READY

• 75 Extension staff working on Texas Army Bases (Fort Hood, Fort Bliss, & Fort Sam Houston)

• 23,769 military youth enrolled in 4-H clubs (worldwide)• 107,731 youth involved through Operation: Military Kids• 101 4-H Military Club/OMK Grants awarded to states• 1,298 military youth development professionals trained

•No Changes

4-H Military Partnerships

“This is also a challenge across the federal government, where there are so many programs and policies and potential partnerships that could benefit military families. 

For instance, at the Department of Agriculture, the 4-H program, which can be found in every county in America -- from cities to rural communities -- has forged partnerships with the armed services to help military kids when their parents are deployed.”

Michelle Obama, National Military Family Association Summit, May 12, 2010

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4-H Military Partnership

Army Child Youth & School Services

Air Force Airmen & Family Services

Navy Child & Youth Programs

4-H Air Force Partnership

Auburn University

Washington State University

University of Georgia

University of Maryland

Virginia Tech

USDA - National Institute of Food & Agriculture

NIFA – Children, Youth Families at Risk

4-H/Army Youth Development Project

Kansas State University

4-H Navy Partnership

Kansas State University

Kansas State University

Kansas State University KSU serves as the overall lead University in the 4-H Military Partnerships. KSU awards more than $9,000,000 to 52 State LGU’s that provide direct programming and support for military children/youth through the Military 4-H Clubs and Operation: Military Kids grants.

Military 4-H Club Grants: Funding for these grants is provided by Army, Navy, Air Force and NIFA (CYFAR). These grants serve to establish 4-H clubs on military installations world wide and provide 4-H opportunities to geographically dispersed military children/youth. In 2010, 47 states, DC & Guam applied for and received grants.

Operation: Military Kids Grants: OMK grants are funded by Army and serve all military children/youth who experience a loved one being deployed. These grants focus on building local support networks where these families live. In 2010, 49 states and DC applied for OMK grants.

Child Youth Deployment Support

Kansas State University

• 4-H Military Partnershipswww.4-hmilitarypartnerships.org

• Operation: Military Kids• www.operationmilitarykids.org

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Military Family and Consumer Science Initiatives

USDA - National Instituteof Food & Agriculture

Cornell UniversityArmy Family Advocacy

Program(Army Wide)

Army Relocation Assistance

(Army Wide)Army One Source

(Army Wide)

K-State ExtensionAir Force Family Advocacy

Training Support and Research Project (Air Force Wide)

Military Life Skills Education Program

(Ft. Riley, Kansas)

Texas AgriLIFE Extension

Military Life Skills Education Program

(Ft. Bliss)Military Life Skills

Education(Ft. Hood)

Substance Abuse Prevention

(Ft. Sam Houston)Warriors in Transition

(TX-GA-WA pilot)

University of GeorgiaSurvivor Outreach Services

(Army Wide)

Army Family and Morale,Welfare, Recreation

Command

Air Force Ft. Knox in development

Army Installations:

Fort Bliss, Fort Hood, Fort Riley,

Fort Sam Houston

Research & Extension Programming Areas

• Family Advocacy• New Parent Support• Substance Abuse Prevention• Financial Readiness• Exceptional Family Member• Mobilization and Deployment• Relocation Assistance• Employment Readiness• Family Action & Volunteers

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Research & Extension Program Examples

• Operation READY (Resources for Educating About Deployment and You)– Developed following Desert Storm– University of California Riverside & Texas A&M– 3rd Revision by Cornell– In use on Army installations worldwide

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Military Projects: Evidence Based Solutions for Military Families 1992-2009. Family Life Development Center, Cornell University

New FCS Programming

• Wounded Warriors– Caregiver Assessment– Caregiver Education

• Survivor Outreach– Loss & Grief Curriculum– Training

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DoD – USDA PartnershipOffice of the Secretary of Defense – Office

of Military Community & Family Policy

USDA – National Institute of Food & Agriculture

Purdue UniversityInternship Program +

Overall Partnership Leadership

University of ArizonaMulti-Disciplinary

Partnerships

North Carolina State University

Project Y.E.S.(Youth Extension

Service)

Ohio State UniversityCenters of Excellence

for Child & Youth Programs

Kansas State UniversityUniversity Passport

Program

University of NebraskaChild Care Training and Technical Assistance

Penn State UniversityFamily Readiness

Clearinghouse

Universities / Sub-Awards : Cornell / Community Gardening; Michigan State / Youth Fitness; Ohio State / Basic Meal Preparation; Purdue / Heartlink & Key Spouse Program Support / Personal Worklife Skills; Southern / Out-of-School Connections; West Virginia State / Health Literacy Education; University of Arizona / Deployment Curriculum & Resources; University of Georgia / Community Capacity Building / Database for Annual Report / JFSAP Program Evaluation

CornellEFMP Benchmark Study

Ohio StateAutism Study – Phase IIWest Virginia University

Medicaid Project

Washington State UniversityCommunications & Marketing

eXtension (U of Nebraska)Online Resources &

Training

Project

Sub-Awards

CA

OR

UT

AZ

NV

WA

ID

MT

WY

CO

NM

TX

KS

OK

ND

AK

SD

NE IA

MO

AR

LA

ALMSHI

WI

MN

IL IN

TN

KY

GA

SC

FL

PAOH

NC

VAWV

NY

MEVTNH

CTRI

MA

MD

DE

NJ

MI

Alabama , California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington

States Most Highly Impacted by Deployments

States with the highest rates of deployments among all components, including Reserve & Guard

Legend

CA

OR

UT

AZ

NV

WA

ID

MT

WY

CO

NM

TX

KS

OK

ND

AK

SD

NE IA

MO

AR

LA

ALMSHI

WI

MN

IL IN

TN

KY

GA

SC

FL

PAOH

NC

VAWV

NY

MEVTNH

CTRI

MA

MD

DE

NJ

MI

Cornell University, Kansas State, Michigan State, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Southern, Virginia Tech, Washington State, West Virginia State, University of Arizona, University of Georgia, University of Maryland, University of Nebraska

Initial DoD – USDA Partnership Project States, 2009-10

Partnering states; includes representatives from 1862 & 1890 institutions

Legend

CA

OR

UT

AZ

NV

WA

ID

MT

WY

CO

NM

TX

KS

OK

ND

AK

SD

NE IA

MO

AR

LA

ALMSHI

WI

MN

IL IN

TN

KY

GA

SC

FL

PAOH

NC

VAWV

NY

MEVTNH

CTRI

MA

MD

DE

NJ

MI

University Passport Partners: Colorado State University, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, Michigan State University, University of Missouri, Montana State University, University of Nebraska, North Dakota State University, Oklahoma State University, South Dakota State University, Texas Tech University

Current Partnership Project States, including UPP, 2011

Partnering states

plus

University Passport

Legend

CA

OR

UT

AZ

NV

WA

ID

MT

WY

CO

NM

TX

KS

OK

ND

AK

SD

NE IA

MO

AR

LA

ALMSHI

WI

MN

IL IN

TN

KY

GA

SC

FL

PAOH

NC

VAWV

NY

MEVTNH

CTRI

MA

MD

DE

NJ

MI

Child Care and Youth Program Training and Technical Assistance States: Alaska, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, and Washington

Partnership Project States, including CCTTA, 2011-13

Partnering states

University Passport

Child Care TTA

Legend

Lead Institution:

• State highly impacted by deployments with no installation

• Military Family Research Institute

Coordination of overall partnership with DoD, NIFA, partnering universities, and others

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Additional Leads

• Kansas State

• North Carolina State

• Penn State

• Ohio State

• Washington State

• University of Arizona

• University of Nebraska-Lincoln29

Key Objectives

• Improve community capacity to support military families

• Increase professional development and workforce development opportunities

• Expand and strengthen programs in family readiness, child development, & youth development

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Community Capacity Building

TARGET Local communities and leaders

GOAL Build greater awareness of challenges faced by military families and build local support

PROGRAM EXAMPLES

Communications & Outreach

PROJECT Y.E.S.

Military Community, Family & Youth Extension Programs

Military Community, Family & Youth Extension Program Sub-awards

• Youth Fitness Programs• Database for Child and Youth Report• Health Literacy Education• Basic Meal Preparation• Personal Work Life Skills• Community Gardening• Heart Link & Key Spouse Program Support• Out-of-School Connections• Training and Materials for Youth Camps• Adventure Camps

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Strengthening Family, Child & Youth Development Prgms

TARGET Military Helping Professionals

GOAL Enhance and strengthen programs particularly through research-based efforts

EXAMPLES Exceptional Family Member Program reviews: Benchmark study, Autism Spectrum, Medicaid

Family Readiness Clearinghouse

Engaging Faculty Expertise:- Sabbaticals, colloquia- Program evaluation, military family research, program &curricula development

Workforce & Professional DevelopmentTARGET Potential employees (including mil spouses)

GOAL Recruit and retain talent to work in MC&FP related fields within the military

EXAMPLES Internship Program

Child Care Training & Technical Assistance

Centers of Excellence for Child & Youth Prgrms

Joint Family Readiness Conference (25-29 April 2011)

University Passport Program

BenefitsDoD & Components USDA, LGUs, CES

• Engaged faculty• Curriculum development• Increased participation in

4-H and family educational programs

• New resources• Enhanced collaborations• Multi-state projects

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• High quality workforce to meet demand

• High quality curriculum and materials

• Faculty expertise for research, strategic planning, and evaluation

• Enhanced quality and capacity to serve military families

Lessons Learned

• Military Command Structure• Try not to surprise your partners• Recognize that each of the partners (NIFA, DoD,

Universities) bring different strengths• Become familiar

– Research on unique needs of military families– Doing the same programs with same people won’t

work– Know what others are doing in support of military

families

Related Links

• http://militaryfamilies.extension.org• www.4-hmilitarypartnerships.org • www.networkofcare.org• www.militaryonesource.com• www.militaryhomefront.dod.mil• www.defense.gov

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Thanks & Q&A

Brent Elrod

National Program Leader – Military Support Programs

USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture

202.690.3468

belrod@nifa.usda.gov

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