By Tim Cherry
Staff Writer
Thursday, January 19, 2012

Single Soldiers are invited to share their unfiltered opinions of Fort Belvoir at a town hall meeting Wednesday at 2 p.m.

The Fort Belvoir Plans, Analysis & Integration Office hosts the event at the Better Opportunity for Single Soldiers’ office in building 2115 on Abbott Road, light refreshments will be served.

The anonymous discussion offers servicemembers a chance to voice their appreciation as well as grievances of Belvoir which gives the garrison a better idea of how to make the installation a better place to live.

Conversation topics can range from shuttle hours to eateries — any subject that Soldiers wish to mention.

“It’s an opportunity for their voices to be heard,” said Donna Landon, Plans, Analysis & Integration Office, management analyst. “It’s their opportunity to speak out about where they live, work and play.”

PAIO conducts the town hall meetings at the request of the Garrison Commander, Col. John Strycula.

The upcoming meeting is only the second administered discussion, with the first also focusing on single Soldier’s needs.

Landon expects to conduct quarterly town hall meetings with BOSS and other groups on bases such as spouses and teenagers.

Landon said her objective during the discussions is to initiate the conversation with general questions and then allow Soldiers to take the lead and provide their thoughts on how the post could serve them better.

She emphasizes that the discussions are informal and anonymous so that servicemembers can speak freely.

“It’s their issues, their things that they would like to see happen to make life better for them on Fort Belvoir,” Landon said. “It’s important because you can’t improve things … without hearing from them.”

The responses from the meetings are given to Strycula who determines what, if any, suggestions are feasible for implementation.

Landon said servicemembers offered numerous suggestions for improvements during the first meeting and Strycula is now determining which can be used.

“This focus group is a conduit between them and himself,” Landon said.

This is Landon’s ninth year working with PAIO, which serves the garrison by providing support in areas such as strategic planning and performance measurement.

She is excited to be developing the office’s latest initiative and expects the town hall meetings will produce positive results for the installation.

“It’s a work in progress,” Landon said. “I’m trying to put my best foot forward and get this going on a regular basis.”