Home Based Businesses (HBBs) are an important contributor to Army Family quality of life – new changes to procedures make it easier and quicker to gain approval to operate an on-post HBB.

HBBs allow Families to work from their Army quarters, developing rewarding careers that follow them through PCS moves. The wide span of HBBs operated by Army Families includes:

• Car repair/service
• Hairdressing and hairstyling
• Home baking and meal preparation
• Pet grooming and pet sitting
• Massage therapy
• Retail sales from home

HBB owners need to obtain approval from the garrison commander or senior commander. We’ve recently streamlined the process to make it quicker and easier.

Not everyone who works from home operates an HBB though. If you work remotely from your home, you probably don’t need approval. Other examples of businesses that don’t need approval are:

• Bookkeeping and tax preparation
• Personal training conducted outside the home
• Photography, graphic design, and advertising services
• Tutoring and music instruction
• Entertainment or travel planning
• Housecleaning and lawn care
• Selling items from multi-level marketing (MLM) companies

Home Based Business approval is quick and easy!

The Army’s new standardized HBB application template streamlines the approval process.  Of course, installations are still required to adhere to local and state laws and regulations regarding home business operations, so check into those, too.

Here’s the process:  

Step 1: Obtain the HBB Application.  Visit the Garrison DFMWR at your local Army Community Service Center or go online to download your HBB application and any required additional forms.

Step 2:  Complete the Application.  This includes visiting and obtaining approval from installation agencies like the housing office and community housing manager. The application should identify the agencies, but ask your ACS representative if you have questions. If you need any additional documentation (like licensing or certifications), get that, too.

Step 3: Turn in the Application: Once you’ve completed your paperwork, submit the application to your Garrison DFMWR. Keep a copy of the completed application for your own records.

Within 60 days, you should get notification of approval. Simple!

Get approved now!

• If you operate an HBB on the post and aren’t yet approved, now’s the time to get official.
• We’ve recently streamlined processes, so they’re easier than ever. You can get approved within 60 days.
• Moving your HBB from another installation? If you were approved there, the process is even easier!
• New Army guidance directs installations to “find a way to say yes” to HBB owners – so we’re prepared to make this easy for you.
• Official on-post offerings from AAFES, the Commissary, and MWR no longer consider HBBs competition, and you don’t have to gain their approval.
• Operating an HBB from your quarters without approval can violate the policy and get you in trouble.

Don’t delay. Get your Home Based Business registered today by contacting your local DFMWR!

Fort Bragg Local Information

How Do I Apply?

• Attend a Commercial Solicitation Briefing by contacting the Commercial Solicitation Office at +1 (910)396-2507. Briefings are held every 2nd Monday each month at ACS, Soldier Support Center, 3rd floor (Registration required).
• Request a deskside appointment to submit your completed packet.

Military and Family Life Counselors assist service members and their Families with circumstances occurring across the military life cycle and aim to enhance operational and Family readiness. They provide support to individuals, couples, families and groups for a range of issues including, but not limited to: deployment stress, reintegration, relocation adjustment, separation, anger management, conflict resolution, parenting, parent/child communication, relationship/Family issues, coping skills, homesickness, and grief and loss. All Military and Family Life Counselors provide confidential non-medical counseling services face-to-face, on and off of military installations.

All Military and Family Life Counselors have a master’s degree or doctorates in a mental health-related field, such as social work, psychology, marriage, and Family therapy or counseling, and possess a valid unrestricted counseling license or certification from a state, the District of Columbia, a U.S. commonwealth, or a U.S. territory that grants authority to provide counseling services as an independent practitioner in a respective field. Counseling is private and confidential, with the exception of mandatory state, federal, and military duty-to-warn reporting requirements.

If you would like to meet with a Military and Family Life Counselor, please call +1 (910)432-3742 or +1 (910)396-8683.

The purpose of the Multicultural Readiness Program (MRP) is to provide Active Duty, Reserve, and National Guard Soldiers and their families access to international services regardless of language and/or cultural differences. We strive to minimize cultural and language barriers while enhancing the quality of life by providing skills development and coping mechanisms to assist with minimizing the challenges language and cultural barriers can bring. We provide the opportunity for foreign-born Soldiers and their family members to interact with others who are from their native countries as well as learn the culture of their new home, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Visit the Fort Bragg Installation web site for more information about Fort Bragg.

For immigration questions and assistance, please call for an appointment (Monday-Wednesday, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.)

How We Can Help You

Sit down with an MRP representative and ask how we can assist you in making the United States your home. Do you need to enroll in English as a Second Language? Do you need to obtain your driver’s license? Are you worried that you may lose your VISA? Do you have any immediate immigration or citizenship questions? Do you need a document translated? Do you want to meet other people who share your language or home country? Let us know how we can make living at Fort Bragg and in the Fayetteville community a better experience for you!

Visit Military One Source for document translation.

Education/Classes

The MRP facilitates the following classes where you can obtain valuable information on:

International Spouse Orientation

• Medical Services
• Employment
• Getting a Driver’s License
• English as a Second Language

USCIS Citizenship and Immigration Class

• Becoming a Legal Permanent Resident
• Becoming a citizen of the US
• Adjustment of Status
• Fiancé Visa

Class calendars:

International Spouse Orientation 2020 (.pdf)

International Spouse Orientation 2021 (.pdf)

Do You Have Time to Volunteer?

Do you have the skills and talents that you would like to share with others? Teach us customs and traditions from your hometown. Perhaps you can provide translation or interpretation from your native language for someone who is not comfortable speaking English. You could be a representative of your home country or state. When someone new arrives from your hometown you can be an ambassador and a mentor.

The Community Town Hall is a quarterly forum used to provide information on current events and to address issues that directly affect the Fort Bragg Community. Community members have the opportunity to improve programs and services by recommending solutions to issues/concerns. The Community Town Hall is a mini-AFAP, which allows for issues to be addressed quickly by the appropriate agencies. The Town Hall is chaired by the Garrison Commander and is open to the community.

Issue Trackers & Slides

• Community Town Hall Issue Tracker (2008-2015) (.pdf) – active, unattainable, and completed
• Community Town Hall Issue Tracker (2016) (.pdf)
• Community Town Hall Issue Tracker (2017) (.pdf)
• Community Town Hall Meeting Slides (.pdf) – from Aug. 17, 2016

Submit an Issue

You have an issue if it…

• Relates to a well-being concern for Fort Bragg, the Army or Department of Defense
• Troubleshoots problem areas
• Presents a realistic solution or a creative alternative
• Impacts the Fort Bragg community
• Appears attainable after considering current political and resource environments
• Cannot be resolved via the Interactive Customer Evaluation (ICE) feedback system

Instructions:

1. List only one issue per email.
2. State your issue clearly and concisely, along with a possible solution/solutions.
3. For clarification of issues, please provide your contact information. Names and emails are not shared and remain private. Providing contact information allows us to directly address issues in a timely manner.
4. Issues must be submitted at least one week prior to the scheduled meeting in order to be addressed at that meeting.
5. If you would like to confirm that your issue was received, contact the Community Town Hall office.

_______

If you have an issue that you would like to submit, please email us! Please follow the guidelines listed above when submitting your issue.

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Your Journey Towards Success Begins With Us

Army Family Team Building (AFTB) is a Family resiliency and readiness training program that provides participants with an understanding of Army culture, and the skills and resources they need to become self-reliant, self-sufficient members of the military community. Additionally, AFTB offers Company Command Team Spouse Training to prepare spouses to assume additional responsibilities as Soldiers progress through their positions.

Army Community Service Classes Eligible for Promotion Points Memo (.pdf)

Army Family Team Building

Army Family Team Building (AFTB) empowers you, through self-development and leadership skills, basic Army knowledge, and specialized training, to maximize your personal and professional potential. 

• AFTB (Level I) Military Knowledge (K) Modules train basic information about the Army: You’ll learn about Army life and how to manage daily challenges by discovering how to decipher Army acronyms, use community resources, attain better financial readiness, and understand the goal and impact of the Army mission on daily life.

• AFTB (Level II) Personal Growth and Resiliency (G) Modules train personal growth skills: Learn how to improve your personal relationships, communication, and stress-management skills. Discover how teams form and grow, how to solve problems, and how to resolve personal conflict. You’ll also learn about Army traditions, customs, courtesies, and protocol.

• AFTB (Level III) Leadership Development (L) Modules train leadership skills: Thrive in the Army and civilian life by expanding leadership skills. You’ll learn effective communication techniques and how to mentor others in leadership positions. You’ll understand the different leadership styles, how to run an effective meeting, manage group conflict, and how to be an effective coach.

AFTB improves personal and family preparedness. It enhances overall Army readiness and the ability of America’s Army to adapt to a changing world.

For more information, contact your Army Community Service Family Program office or Army OneSource.

Classes

2020 AFTB Classes (.pdf)

Class Descriptions

AFTB is organized into three levels and is taught through interactive classes. The training can be done for a unit, team, or FRG group. We also take AFTB on the road and bring it to you. AFTB is also available in concept blocks for professional development, team building, leadership training, and personal development seminars. A brief description of the AFTB levels are as follows:

• Military Knowledge (K Level)
  The K Level is crucial for those who are new to the Army. Students are introduced to basic terms, acronyms, and resources that are needed in order to successfully transition into the Army lifestyle. The first level includes such topics as Military Acronyms and Terms; Custom, Courtesies, and Traditions; Community Resources; Chain of Command, and Military Social Functions. Military Knowledge is not just for new military spouses but also for long-term Army spouses by showing them the “new” within the Army.

• Personal Growth and Resiliency (G Level)
  The G Level classes include Problem Solving Strategies; Exploring Personality Traits; Growing Through Change; Overcoming Stress; Improving Personal Relationships; and Effective Conflict Management.
• Leadership Development (L Level)
  Offers training to enhance an individual’s professional growth and leadership skills. Topics include Resolving Conflict; Establishing Team Dynamics; Developing Great Meetings, and Effective Communication for Leaders; Examining Your Leadership Style; and Virtual Meetings.  Concepts from G and L are ideal for training for organizations, nits, and FRG training and coffee groups.
• ITC/BTC Training
  To become an AFTB Instructor individuals must take all three levels and then attend the ITC/BTC. This course gives you all the skills you will need to be a successful AFTB Instructor.  You will learn platform skills, methods of instruction, the Adult Learner, Managing the Learning Environment, and the Preparation Process.
• Company Command Team Spouse’s Training
  This course is designed for the new members of the Company Command Team, First Sergeants, Sergeant Majors, and Company Commanders’ spouses. Spouses will learn the information and skills they will need to take on the role of an informed, involved, and productive member of the Company Command Team.