What is the Community Action Information Board? Published Oct. 31, 2011 By 21st Space Wing Equal Opportunity Office PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Wing leaders continually strive to provide avenues to care for Airmen and their families through a variety of methods including the Community Action Information Board. The CAIB is a senior leadership body that provides an important opportunity for wing leadership to come together and discuss a wide variety of individual, family and community issues including deployment and reintegration support, personal finance and substance abuse. "The CAIB is intended to identify and resolve issues that impact the readiness of Air Force members and their families, while promoting the avenues that make the Air Force experience a positive one for members and families alike," said Rex Jones, CAIB executive director. Basically, the CAIB operates at three levels: installation, major command and Headquarters Air Force. At the installation level, the CAIB is chaired by Col. Chris Crawford, 21st Space Wing commander. The idea is to use a grass-roots approach to hear concerns with emphasis on positive actions and programs that strengthen force readiness and assist Air Force families in successfully managing the demands of military life, making Peterson AFB the best place in the Air Force to work, live and visit. At the wing, the CAIB works hand-in-hand with a multi-agency working group called the Integrated Delivery System. The IDS, the action arm of the CAIB, is comprised of various helping agencies to develop initiatives to present to the CAIB. Some of these agencies include Airmen from the medical group, the staff judge advocate's office, the chaplain's office, public affairs, child and youth programs, Airman and Family Readiness Center, and other agencies designed to assist people. "The Community Action Information Board takes a strategic, cross-functional look at quality of life, personnel readiness and community issues to formulate long-term solutions," Jones said. "The CAIB approach to community problem-solving takes a broad perspective to integrate and synergize efforts to address community concerns." The installation CAIB identifies individual, family, installation and community concerns. When appropriate, these are forwarded to the major command CAIB for resolution, Jones said. The CAIB also approves a community action plan (written by the IDS) every two years to guide the CAIB's activities and to establish priorities for the organizations participating in the CAIB. Past initiatives included improving support to families during deployments, an integrated community approach to suicide prevention, and improved and added programs for youth, as well as enhanced and integrated services for members dealing with a variety of life stressors. "Countless Peterson AFB members and families have benefitted from the awesome assortment of special events, family programs, trips, support groups and various other initiatives that are offered throughout the base," Jones said. "These initiatives have resulted in Peterson members and their families embracing a significant improvement in their quality of life, community health and connection to those around them."