Fort Cavazos conducting survey to improve quality of life for soldiers, families

The Fort Cavazos Department of Public Health is conducting a Community Strengths and Themes Assessment.

”It’s an online survey for our Fort Cavazos Community to kind of give us their perceptions of the resources that we have available for them,” said Lt. Col. Theresa Suggs, Chief of Fort Cavazos Department of Public Health

”It’s all around,” said Lt. Col. Suggs.

“It's like our gyms, our availability for daycare, spiritual services that we offer. It’s basically anything that could affect positively or negatively, their quality of life.”

Improving quality of life for soldiers and their families is a mission VFW Post 12209, located on Fort Cavazos, is constantly part of, so 25 News met with their Commander Willie Keller.

“When you hear the term, quality of life, what does that mean to you as a retiree or back when you were and active-duty soldier,” asked 25 News reporter Adam Schindler.

”When I think of quality of life now, it’s about giving something nice for your family,” said Willie Keller, Commander of VFW Post 12209.

“We’re actually bringing new housing to the installation — it's a work in progress. We increased what the barracks are like and living quality for the service members living in the barracks —that’s becoming better and the food quality is becoming better.”

Keller says he feels that more can be done to improve down time for service members.

”What do we have for the families when they go home and service members when they get off work,” Keller said.

“Not just the ones with families but the single soldier.”

Things like that is exactly what Community Strengths and Themes Assessment is aimed at learning.

Even the Lt. Col. Suggs has things she would like to improve because it affects her family too.

”It’s most definitely does so I've done the survey,” said Lt. Col. Suggs.

“There are resources and depending on where you are in your life, the things that you need may be different, so I'm more focused on school aged children, after school care, and resources."

The assessment is an online survey that will allow the Fort Cavazos Department of Public Health to hear directly from the Fort Cavazos community about their needs that are not being met.

You can find the survey at this link, Community Strengths and Themes Assessment.