The document discusses how Cooperative Extension can help address the Total Force Fitness needs of military communities. It introduces Cooperative Extension and outlines how its existing programs map onto the 8 domains of Total Force Fitness, including physical health, nutrition, environmental education, and family support. It then provides recommendations for how to determine community needs, match them with Cooperative Extension capabilities, and develop plans to address gaps, such as conducting a community assessment and leveraging Cooperative Extension's training resources and local relationships.

1. Building Healthy Military
Communities Pilot
CCB Summit
Military Community and Family Policy – Cooperative Extension as Force Multiplier
Keith G. Tidball, PhD
Shirlington, VA
March 8-9, 2017

2. Primary Questions
• How do you determine a methodology to assess the health,
well-being, and resiliency needs/requirements of your
community/population?
• How do you compare those needs/requirements to the
community’s capability to meet those needs?
• Once you identify gaps in being able to meet your
community needs, how do you develop a plan to address
these gaps?

3. First – Re-Introductions

4. Re-Introductions Cont.

5. Re-Introductions Cont.

6. Re-Introductions Cont.
• Cooperative Extension System is operated through the nation’s Land-
Grant University System in partnership with the federal and state and
local governments.
• As the federal partner, NIFA develops methods to address national
priorities, funds and awards grants, and provides program leadership.
• The agency supports both the universities and local CES offices to
bring science directly to the regional and county level.

7. Re-Introductions Cont.
RELYING ON A PROVEN SYSTEM
• Cooperative Extension System (CES) is a
nationwide, non-credit educational network
that addresses public needs by providing non-
formal higher education and learning activities
to farmers, ranchers, communities, youth, and
families throughout the nation.
• With an organization that has been operating
for over a century, CES is well positioned to
efficiently get needed tools and knowledge
into the hands of the people who need them..

8. Re-Introductions Cont.
UNPRECEDENTED REACH
• At a time when social, agricultural, food, and environmental
challenges are mounting and needs are growing, CES is more relevant
than ever.
• With its wide reach — an office in or near most of the nation's
approximately 3,000 counties — extension agents and educators help
farmers grow crops, homeowners plan and maintain their homes, and
youth learn skills to become tomorrow's leaders.
• Military families and veterans have always been regular users of CES,
however, greater emphasis on these populations is underway.

9. Re-Introductions Cont.
HOW IT WORKS: TRANSLATING RESEARCH INTO ACTION
• University faculty members, who are disciplinary experts, translate
science-based research results into language — written, verbal, and
electronic — appropriate for targeted audiences.
• County-based educators work with local citizens and interest groups
to solve problems, evaluate the effectiveness of learning tools, and
collect grassroots input to prioritize future research.
• By living and working in communities, county educators are able to
rely on existing relationships to respond to local needs, build trust,
and engage effectively with citizens.

11. Re-Introductions Cont.
Bottom line – Federal agency
resources, with:
• Massive community reach
• Extensive experience in relevant subject
areas
• Long history and solid reputation

12. Total Force Fitness Overview
12
Total Force Fitness (TFF) is a DoD framework for well-being that views “health, wellness, and resilience and as holistic concept”,
requiring “a connection among mind, body, spirt, and social relationships”.1
Main Points2:
• *TFF was created by the Joint Chiefs of Staff
and became policy in 2011.
• TFF is the DoD’s 21st Century paradigm for
improving Population Health, and includes
eight domains of fitness.
• TFF is a state in which the individual, family
and organization can sustain well-being and
performance under all conditions.
• The Services are responsible for
implementing TFF Programs.
• TFF requires the collaboration of the partners
in public health.
1. Senate Report 114-63
2. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Instruction (CJCSI) 3405.01
*The 8 domains in blue were the original domains recommended by the Joint Chiefs
of Staff. Additional measures, highlighted in gray, are under consideration.
Service
Members
& Families
Financial
Employment
Physical
Environmental
Medical & DentalSpiritual
Nutrition
Psychological
Behavioral
Social
Legal
TFF Domain Areas
Service
Members
& Families

13. Total Force Fitness and Cooperative Extension
Financial
Employment
Physical
Environmental
Medical & DentalSpiritual
Nutrition
Psychological
Behavioral
Social
Legal
TFF Domain Areas
Service
Members
& Families

14. Total Force Fitness and Cooperative Extension:
Examples

15. Total Force Fitness and Cooperative Extension:
Examples

16. Total Force Fitness and Cooperative Extension:
Examples

17. Total Force Fitness and Cooperative Extension:
Examples Total Force Fitness Cooperative Extension
Physical Strategic goal: Combat childhood obesity by ensuring availability of affordable,
nutritious food and providing individuals and families science-based nutritional
guidance.
Health Literacy
Environmental Strategic Goal: Optimize the production of goods and services from working lands
while protecting the nation’s natural resource base and environment.
Strategic goal: Advance the development and delivery of science for agricultural,
forest, and range systems adapted to climate variability and to mitigate climate
impacts.
Homeowner education from pesticides to disaster preparedness.
Medical/dental
Nutritional Strategic goal: Advance our nation’s ability to achieve global food security and fight
hunger
General nutrition education, healthy food choices
Spiritual
Psychological Family Science, Child Development
Parenting, Aging/caregiving
Behavioral Enhance youth and family development, Financial education, CYFAR programs focus
on youth and families at risk.
Social Youth development (4-H)
Strengthen educational capacity to prepare the next generation of scientists,
agricultural producers, and educators.
Relationships, parenting

18. Determine a methodology?
How do you determine a methodology to assess the health, well-being, and resiliency needs/requirements of your community/population?

19. Determine a methodology?

20. Match needs/requirements to the
community’s capability to meet those needs?
• Ground-truth Community Readiness Inventory results with local
Cooperative Extension staff.
• Identify priority areas where Cooperative Extension has programming
that can meet a need and be targeted to military families
• Use Cooperative Extension as a Force Multiplier in the Family
Readiness Mission!

21. Develop a plan to address gaps?
• Start with training -
https://militaryfamilies.extension.org/co
mmunity-capacity-building/community-
capacity-building-training/

22. Develop a plan to address gaps?
FUNDAMENTALS
• Overview
• Community Action & Change
• Becoming a CCB Organization
• Results Focused Planning
https://militaryfamilies.extension.org/community-capacity-building/community-capacity-building-training/

23. Develop a plan to address gaps?
ADVANCED
• Community Assessment
• Strengthening Formal Systems
through Collaboration
• Mobilizing Informal Networks
• Engaging Military Leaders
• Monitoring Results & Activities
• Sustaining Desired Results
https://militaryfamilies.extension.org/community-capacity-building/community-capacity-building-training/

24. Develop a plan to address gaps?
• Use training to better leverage relationships with state and local
Cooperative Extension programs
• More examples

25. Thank you!