Committee Goals

TMC Morale Welfare and Recreation, Military Construction and Base Realignment and Closure
2009 Legislative Goals

Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) Programs

  Advocate on behalf of military beneficiaries (beneficiaries are defined as active, Guard and Reserve members, retirees, veterans, survivors, and their families) for family support and quality of life (QoL) programs, to include Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR), child care, exchanges and commissaries, housing, health care, education, family centers, as well as other traditional and innovative support services and resources.

  • Monitor closely annual appropriations for quality of life and MWR programs and work with Congress as necessary to prevent delays in passing and executing program funding. TMC is particularly concerned that additional reductions in funding or support services may occur because of the U.S. economic crisis and budget shortfalls across the Defense Department.
  • Closely monitor and prevent any attempts to consolidate military service exchange and commissary programs to ensure benefits are not degraded and no consolidation is implemented without full collaboration and support of Congress, the military services, and the entire active and reserve uniformed service beneficiary population, including retirees.
  • Encourage Congress to direct DoD to provide Congress a report on all Service MWR Category A (Mission Sustaining Programs), B (Community Support Programs), and C (Revenue Generating Programs) that include:
    • a current listing of individual program funding levels by category—actual program expenditures vs. program requirement;
    • an assessment of the effectiveness of each program, including program standards and metrics;
    • a list of recommended changes to policy, including revisions in the current category program listings to more accurately support current war-time mission requirements and meet the needs of the 21 st Century All-Volunteer Force.
  • Work with Congress and the DoD to fully fund MWR appropriated Category A and Category B Programs.
  • Remain engaged with the DoD and members of Congress to provide the beneficiary perspective at oversight hearings and meetings.

Military Construction

  Ensure adequate temporary and/or permanent construction and repair and maintenance funds are appropriated and available at installations impacted by military transformation or Service-directed troop movements to support beneficiary populations at both the closing and gaining bases.

  • Continue to monitor military housing privatization initiatives and issues related to security, availability, access, facilities, out-of-pocket costs for utilities, and funding shortfalls. TMC is particularly interested in the impact of privatization on military members and their families during periods of transformation.
  • Support military construction projects that modernize or replace child development centers, Defense schools, bachelor and family housing, and other traditional QoL program facilities.
  • Encourage full funding of military housing repair and maintenance accounts to reduce backlogs and to provide for safe, well-maintained housing units.
  • Support a Health Facilities Program that modernizes or replaces Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) and supports state-of-the-art health care delivery capability and capacity for all eligible beneficiaries.
  • Provide TMC testimony, if necessary, to the appropriate oversight committees (including U.S. Department of Homeland Security that oversees programs for the U.S. Coast Guard).

DoD/Military Services Transformation – Overseas Rebasing and Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC)

  Seek funding for critical family support and QoL programs and services to meet the emerging needs of beneficiaries and the timelines of the DoD Military Services’ transformation plans.

  • Advocate for support services and infrastructure at both closing and gaining installations throughout the entire transformation process, including exchange, commissary and TRICARE programs.
  • Remain actively engaged with the DoD, the Military Services, and Congress to receive updated information on the status of transformation implementation, and highlight successes and concerns of beneficiaries.