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Home My WebLink AboutIR 8484 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8484 Date: April 8, 2003 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council Page 1 of 4 sirs SUBJECT: Military Status of Current City,Employees and Procedures for Adopting a Military Unit Purpose On March 4, 2003, the City Council requested information on the number of city employees who have been called to active duty. In addiction, the Council requested information about adopting a Fort Worth military unit that is deployed to the Middle East. This report,is a response to that Council request. In addition, an update regarding the Military Leave Pay Supplement benefit and Military Leave Fund policy, approved by Council on January 22, 2002, (M&C G-13498) and reauthorized by Council on December 17, 2002 (M&C G-13827) is included. Status of City Reservists There are approximately 115 City employees who serve in the military reserves. Thirty-three (33) 100 jhose employees are currently serving on active duty. An additional six (6) have been activated but have not yet mobilized. Below is a chart showing figures by department: Department # Reservists # on Active Duty # Activated Code Compliance 1 0 0 Engineering 1 0 0 Finance 1 0 0 x Fire 26 3 0 Human Relations 1 1 0 Commission IT Solutions 3 1 0 Legal 1 0 0 Municipal Court 2 1 0 { PACS 3 1 0 Police 58 22 6 T/PW 6 1 0 Water 10 3 0 TOTAL 115 33 6 ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WOR"rH, TEXAS a fi INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8484 Date: April 8, 2003 * To the Mayor and Members of the City Council Page 2 of 4 SUBJECT: Military Status of Current City.Employees and Procedures for Adopting a Military Unit Support for Active Duty City Employees The Human Resources Department is working with the peer support team to develop a program to provide support for the family members of Active Duty City employees through an "Adopt-a-Family" program. Employees who desire to help could be assigned a family for the period of time the deployed employee is away. Out of concern for the privacy and security of the families, care would be taken to ensure they desire this type of support, and appropriate guidelines would be developed. Adoption of a Fort Worth Military Unit The Family Services Office at the Joint Naval Reserve Station (JNRS) does not operate an adoption program, however, there are several on-line adoption sites. The sites listed in this report are operated by the VFW, Moms Across America, and the State of Texas. Infomnation regarding the procedures for adopting a unit is listed below: " 'Collaborate with a local VFW Post to adopt a military reserve unit from JNRS. This would involve working with the post to organize activities for families of reserve members such as: • Help with homecoming/reunion • Organize cook out or social events • Invite families to special events • Sponsor families and have a celebration to introduce families to their sponsors • Send e-mail to soldiers • Send news parcels to soldiers from local newspapers • Support deployed service member's child in sporting events, church & school activities. Take pictures or movies and send to soldiers. 2. Adopt a platoon through "Moms Across America". A platoon from the Fort Worth area can be requested. This would involve: • Sending a weekly cheerful card or letter to members of a platoon. • Sending a monthly care package to members of the platoon. • Send videotapes to the platoon—there are few entertainment resources in Iraq. • Tape TV programs and sporting events. • Send birthday and anniversary gifts to spouses, children and parents of soldiers on the soldier's.behalf. ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8484 Date: April 8, 2003 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council Page 3 of 4 SUBJECT: Military Status of Current City Employees and Procedures for Adopting a Military Unit 3. Adopt a Reserve Unit through the State of Texas Friends of Freedom Program. This would involve working with the Texas Workforce Commission to sponsor a military unit. Activities include: • Sponsor morale boosters and activities such as send-offs for units being sent abroad. • Provide mentors, tutors and other resources to children of military personnel. • Send a-mails to troops associated with the unit. • Match families and individuals with dependent grandparents of soldiers who may need assistance while their caretaker child is away or who may have to care for grandchildren if both parents are away. Alternative Support Programs oi4It is worth noting that due to the heavy volume of care packages being sent to American soldiers F ��' to a delay in processing mail because of security concerns, the Department of Defense will no "Uliger allow packages addressed "to any serviceman". There are many ways that citizens can show their support for military members other than sending care packages, such as: • Donate a calling card to assist service members in keeping in touch with their families through Operation Uplink at http:/Iwww.operationuplink.org//. • Send a greeting via e-mail through Operation Dear Abby at www.OperationDearAbby.net. • Make a donation to one of the military relief societies: o Army Emergency Relief at http://www.aerhg.orq o Navy/Marine Relief Society at http://www.nmers.o[q// o Air Force Aid Society at http://www.afas.orq/ o Coast Guard Mutual Assistance at http:/Iwww.cqmahq.org/. k Donate funds to "Operation USO Care Package" at http://www.usocares.org/home.htm. These care packages contain an assortment of items the military have specifically r requested, such as prepaid international calling` cards, disposable cameras, toiletries, and sunscreen. They also include greetings from the American public, transcribed onto official 5 "Operation USO Care Package" post cards by volunteers and USO staff members. • Donate groceries to families of service members at i http://www.commissaries.com/certificheek/index.htm This information will be provided to City employees so they can provide support if they wish. :4 ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8484 F Date: April 8, 2003 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council Page 4 of 4 SUBJECT: Military Status of Current City Employees and Procedures for Adopting a Military Unit Recommendation Staffs recommendations for ways in which the City can provide support to service members are as follows: • Provide information about military support services on the City Page so citizens will be aware of how they can help. Provide information to City employees about ways in which they can provide support. • Focus our efforts on providing support for the families of City employees who have been deployed. Unless otherwise directed, staff will focus on these actions. Update on Military Leave Supplement and Military Leave Fund roll ry 22, 2002, Council approved M&C G13837 authorizing the Military Pay Supplement c,oefit and Military Leave Policy for reservists called to duty under Operations Enduring Freedom or Noble Eagle. With the re-authorization of the Policy by Council on December 17, 2002 (M&C G- 13837), the policy was expanded to include reservists called to duty under Operation Iraqi Freedom. Since January 1, 2002, nine employees have received supplemental pay under the terms of the r Military Leave Supplement policy, for a total of $20,024.59. Funding for this supplemental pay is in each department's budget in the funding for employees' salaries. The Military Leave Fund was established through employee donations of their leave time in order to provide additional supplements to reservists for hardship cases. There have been 4,568 hours donated to the Military Leave Fund, for a total of$103,207.29 No employees have applied for funds from the Military Leave Fund. Staff will continue to monitor the cost of the military leave supplement policy If you have questions or require additional information, please contact Linda Cobb, Director of the Human Resources Department. WAN 8 jo,�";Jackson City w,,., 'ager ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS