CAIB/IDS is here to help Published July 13, 2009 By Airman 1st Class Sondra Escutia 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Behind the scene of the Team Holloman community is a board of people who stand ready to address any issue that could affect the readiness and quality of life for its Airmen and their families. The board is called the Community Action Information Board, an Air Force program utilized by every Major Command and installation. The CAIB is made-up of wing leadership, 0-4 or higher, and their equivalent civilian counter-parts. "The goal of all of this is for leadership and the helping agencies to come together and get a sense of what is happening and affecting our military members and family members," said Ms. Shirley Bratton, CAIB executive director. "[We then] take that information and plot a course of direction to either stay on course or change direction." Often called the "working arm" of the CAIB, the Integrated Delivery System is made-up of the wing's support agencies on base including the Health and Wellness Center, Airman and Family Readiness Center, the base Chapel, Soaring Heights Communities, the Sexual Assault Response Coordination office and many more. "Essentially, the IDS works for the CAIB," said Ms. Janet Weatherly, IDS chairperson. "If the CAIB notices there is an issue going on, they notify the IDS and we put together programs." For instance, if a certain squadron is heavily deployed and the CAIB feels that morale is low and the squadron shows a rise in problems, the IDS can put together a program designed to assist the Air Force member and their family in coping with deployments, she said. In turn, the CAIB can help out the IDS if they need it. "We gather statistics and give them to the CAIB. If we see a problem, the CAIB can help us promote the service we put together to address it," Ms. Weatherly said. Additionally, by working together, the IDS agencies can help promote each other's programs and ensure everyone on base knows what is available to them. "I think the IDS makes events that we have larger" said Ms. Weatherly. "Instead of having one office that offers a program, we can have all these agencies working together to make these events bigger." From deployment groups to Bible study to parenting classes, the IDS agencies continuously provide their services to those in need. "There are so many programs, services and resources available to our members and families. It is a joint effort on the part of leadership, CAIB and IDS to inform people and to make the services available to our folks," said Ms. Bratton. A list of programs and services can be found on the "IDS Agency Events" page in every issue of the Hollogram, as well as on the calendar on Holloman's website at http://www.holloman.af.mil/Calendar/default.aspx Ms. Bratton hopes that Airman and their families realize there is an avenue for support available and encourages them to get involved. It is also the Airmen and families responsibility to ask the question, "What's out there to help me?" she said. "We just don't want to see anybody that has a need for a service slip through the cracks so the better we can advertise the more likely we are to reach the population," said Ms. Weatherly. "That's really the whole goal - it's to let people know that we're here for them." For more information, check out the official Air Force Community Action Information Board website at https://www.airforceids.org/.