Quality of Life for U.S. Soldiers Deployed in the Balkans
(Correspondence, 12/14/2000, GAO/GAO-01-201R).
U.S. Army ground forces have been deployed to the Balkans since December
1995. For these deployed personnel, a tour of duty in this region poses
a significant departure from life at their home bases in terms of living
conditions and separation from family and friends. The Army has spent
over $2 billion to develop camps and implement services to sustain
deployed personnel. Much of what has been spent contributes to enhancing
soldiers' quality of life. GAO examined (1) how the Army defines and
views the quality of life of deployed soldiers in the Balkans, and (2)
quality of life at three base camps in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Macedonia.
GAO found that (1) the Army defines quality of life as the provision of
equitable, adequate, and appropriate living, working, and leisure
conditions consistent with available resources and political and
military considerations, and (2) the Army is providing facilities in
keeping with its established quality of life standards. GAO further
found that a majority of soldiers were satisfied with the living
conditions and, while not viewed as one of the three most important
quality of life factors, most soldiers were satisfied with their
recreational facilities.
--------------------------- Indexing Terms -----------------------------
REPORTNUM: GAO-01-201R
TITLE: Quality of Life for U.S. Soldiers Deployed in the Balkans
DATE: 12/14/2000
SUBJECT: Army personnel
Quality of life
Armed forces abroad
IDENTIFIER: Bosnia
Kosovo
Macedonia
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GAO-01-201R
Quality of Life in the Balkans
United States General Accounting Office Washington, DC 20548
December 14, 2000 The Honorable Tim Hutchinson Chairman The Honorable Max
Cleland Ranking Member Subcommittee on Personnel Committee on Armed Services
United States Senate
Subject: Quality of Life for U. S. Soldiers Deployed in the Balkans. As
agreed with your office, we are providing information on the quality of life
for U. S. military personnel deployed to the Balkans. On December 1, 2000,
we briefed Subcommittee staff on (1) how the Army defines and views the
quality of life of deployed soldiers there and (2) the results of our
assessment of quality of life at three base camps in Bosnia, Kosovo, and
Macedonia. This report transmits the information we provided the staff at
this briefing (see encl.). We obtained this information as part of a broader
review that we conducted on whether there are opportunities to improve the
use of contractors that support Balkan operations and reduce the costs of
that support without jeopardizing mission success. We issued our report on
the broader review in September 2000. 1
U. S. Army ground forces have been deployed to the Balkans since December
1995. For these deployed personnel, a tour of duty in this region poses a
significant departure from life at their home bases in terms of living
conditions and separation from family and friends. The Army has spent over
$2 billion to develop camps and implement services to sustain deployed
personnel. Much of what has been spent contributes to enhancing soldiers'
quality of life.
SUMMARY The Army defines quality of life as the provision of equitable,
adequate, and appropriate living, working, and leisure conditions consistent
with available resources and political and military considerations. To
ensure an adequate quality of life for deployed soldiers, it has developed
standards for facilities and services. One formal Army survey in Bosnia and
Hungary in 1997 and other informal assessments indicated that soldiers enjoy
a good quality of life in the Balkans. Our assessment
1 Contingency Operations: Army Should Do More to Control Contract Cost in
the Balkans (GAO/ NSIAD- 00- 225, Sept. 29, 2000).
GAO- 01- 201R Quality of Life in the Balkans Page 2
showed that the Army was providing facilities in keeping with its quality of
life standards.
The vast majority of soldiers we surveyed during April and May 2000 said
that the Army's efforts to provide a good quality of life met or exceeded
their expectations. The three most important factors to quality of life for
the soldiers we surveyed were (1) housing, (2) the ability to communicate
with family and friends back home, and (3) food services. The vast majority
of the soldiers agreed that the Army met their expectations in these areas.
While not viewed as one of the three most important factors affecting
quality of life, the majority of all soldiers we surveyed were also
satisfied with their recreational facilities, exchange facilities, medical
and dental services, educational opportunities, and laundry services. Survey
results and focus group sessions revealed that some soldiers were
dissatisfied with the amount of space and privacy in the barracks, the small
amount of time they had away from their job and the mission, and the cost of
telephone calls to family and friends. To the extent possible, Army
officials are taking steps to address these concerns.
SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY To determine soldiers' views on the adequacy of
facilities, services, and programs at U. S. camps in the Balkans, we visited
the three headquarters camps in the Balkans- Camp Eagle in Bosnia, Camp
Bondsteel in Kosovo, and Camp Able Sentry in Macedonia. Almost one- third of
U. S. soldiers in Bosnia are based at Camp Eagle, the largest single U. S.
camp; more than half of U. S. soldiers in Kosovo are based at Camp
Bondsteel, the largest single U. S. camp; and all U. S. soldiers in
Macedonia are based at Camp Able Sentry. We gathered data pertaining to
quality of life at these camps using a variety of methods. These included
personal observations of the facilities and programs at each camp,
individual interviews with key personnel at each camp, and review of
pertinent records supporting the Army's goals and plans for its quality of
life programs.
We also administered a survey to a cross section of soldiers at each camp to
determine whether quality of life efforts met their expectations. The survey
was administered separately to lower enlisted personnel, senior enlisted
personnel, and officers at each camp. We held focus group meetings with each
group after the survey was completed in order to gain additional insight
into their responses. We surveyed 84 soldiers representing about 1 percent
of the total personnel in the camps in May 2000. The results are not
projectable. However, findings from this sample provide illustrative
insights and are reinforced with information from individual and group
interviews and personal observations.
We reviewed this information with Army officials and made changes where
appropriate. We performed our work between April and November 2000 in
accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards.
- - - - -
GAO- 01- 201R Quality of Life in the Balkans Page 3
We are sending copies of this report to the Honorable William S. Cohen,
Secretary of Defense; the Honorable Louis Caldera, Secretary of the Army;
and the Honorable Jacob Lew, Director, Office of Management and Budget. We
will also make copies available to appropriate congressional committees and
other interested parties on request. An on- line version of this report
containing color photographs can be viewed on GAO's web site (www. gao. gov)
by searching on the report number, GAO01- 201R, or by directly accessing the
report at http:// www. gao. gov/ cgibin/ fetchrpt? rptno= gao.- 01- 201r.
If you or your staff have any questions about this report, please call me at
(202) 512- 5140. Principal contributors to this report were Steve Sternlieb,
Assistant Director; Ray Carroll, Evaluator- in- Charge; Les Ward, Senior
Evaluator; and Jack Edwards, Senior Evaluator.
Sincerely yours, Carol R. Schuster Director, Defense Capabilities
and Management Enclosures- 2
GAO- 01- 201R Quality of Life in the Balkans Page 4
Contents Letter 1 Enclosure I 5 Background 5 The Army's Standards and Views
on Quality of Life 8 Our Assessment of Quality of Life 13 What is Most
Important to Quality of Life 17 Soldiers' Views on Housing by Camp 18
Principal Forms of Communication With Family/ Friends 24 Soldiers' Views of
Food Service 28 Soldiers' Views of Other Factors Affecting Quality of Life
30 Soldiers' Use of Off- Duty Activities 44 Soldier's Want a Break From the
Routine 46 Effectiveness of Quality of Life Actions 48 Summary 50 Enclosure
II 51 Questionnaire Administered to Personnel in the Balkans 51
5
Background
About 11,000 U. S. personnel were deployed in Balkan and neighboring
countries as of June 2000.
– About half (5,500) were deployed in Kosovo and 4,400 in Bosnia.
– The remainder were deployed in
Macedonia and Hungary to support operations in Bosnia and Kosovo.
Enclosure I
6
Major Army Locations in the Balkans
Comanche Eagle
Bondsteel Taszar
McGovern Dobol
Monteith Able Sentry
Enclosure I
7
Quality of Life Services Provided by Various Groups
The Army, the Navy, the Air Force, and one Army contractor, Brown and Root
Services, were involved in building the base camps. A number of contractors
provide
services related to quality of life. The largest of these is Brown and Root
Services, which provides food and laundry services and operates some
recreational facilities.
Enclosure I
8
The Army's Standards and Views on Quality of Life
The Army defines quality of life as “the provision of equitable,
adequate, and appropriate living, working, and leisure conditions consistent
with available resources and political and military considerations.”
The Army's definition recognizes that – quality of life is affected by
both
working and leisure conditions, – facilities and services must be
equitably
provided, and – quality of life actions are constrained by
available resources and political and military considerations.
Enclosure I
9
Quality of Life Standards
To ensure adequate quality of life for its personnel, the Army has developed
standards for facilities and
services in the Balkans.
For Army base camps, the Red Book provides standards covering housing; unit
facilities; soldier support facilities; and morale, welfare, and recreation
facilities.
The draft Blue Book is the Army's first effort to provide standards for
services available to deployed personnel. Camp commanders are applying the
standards, and U. S. Army, Europe (USAREUR) hopes to finalize them in
December 2000.
Enclosure I
10
Quality of Life Standards (Facilities)
Published in 1997, the Red Book provides minimum standards for the
construction of camp facilities. The standards are expressed
in terms of – square feet ( e. g., 80 square
feet of barrack space per soldier), – quantity ( e. g., one electrical
outlet per soldier in the barracks), and – construction materials
( e. g., plywood exteriors and metal roofs).
Exterior of SEAhuts at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo Interior of SEAhut at Camp
Eagle, Bosnia Interior of SEAhut wooden barracks at Camp
Bondsteel, Kosovo Enclosure I
11
Quality of Life Standards (Services)
The draft Blue Book's minimum standards, which are being applied by camp
commanders, specify
– accessibility ( e. g., recreational facilities at each camp),
– availability (e. g.,
24- hour access to nonsecure e- mail and telephone systems), and –
quality ( e. g., water
temperatures for sleeping bags are specified to ensure thorough cleaning).
Contractor laundry facility serving Camp Eagle, Bosnia E- mail center at
Camp Able Sentry, Macedonia
Ballfield at Camp Eagle, Bosnia Enclosure I
12
Army Quality- of- Life Assessments
From August to November 1997, the Army's Community and Family Support Center
surveyed 570 soldiers in Bosnia and Hungary.
– Over 96 percent were satisfied with morale, welfare, and recreation
(MWR) activities; – 66 percent reported using MWR activities and
programs daily; and – the top five MWR activities were sports
facilities
(69%), recreation centers (40%), post exchanges (35%), rest and recuperation
trips (21%), and commercial telephones (18%). The Army has not conducted
formal quality- of- life
or MWR assessments in Kosovo or Macedonia. Visiting military personnel and
Inspector General teams
routinely provide information obtained and observations to deployed
commanders and other Army officials. Their trip reports cite a good quality
of life for U. S. personnel in the Balkans.
Enclosure I
13
Our Assessment of Quality of Life
We obtained soldiers' views on the adequacy of facilities, services, and
programs at Camp Eagle in Bosnia, Camp Bondsteel in Kosovo, and Camp Able
Sentry in Macedonia. We gathered data pertaining to quality
of life and satisfaction with the Army's efforts to provide for quality of
life through
– personal observations, – individual interviews with key
personnel
at each camp, – reviews of pertinent records, – a survey, and
– focus group meetings.
Enclosure I
14
U. S. Camps We Visited
Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo Camp Eagle, Tuzla, Bosnia Camp Able Sentry, Macedonia
Enclosure I
15
Our Survey of Quality of Life
We administered a survey to a cross section of soldiers in each of the
camps. The soldiers surveyed, grouped by pay grade at each
camp, are shown below. We also held focus group discussions with each
personnel group.
The number surveyed represents about 1 percent of total personnel at the
camps in May 2000, and the results are not projectable. However, this sample
group provides illustrative insights that are reinforced with information
from individual and group interviews and personal observations. Pay
grade Camp
Eagle Camp
Bondsteel Camp Able
Sentry Total E1- E4 17 16 11 44
E5- E9 4 2 8 14 Officers 9 11 6 26 Total 30 29 25 84
Enclosure I
16
First Page of Our Questionnaire Completed by Personnel in the
Balkans
The entire questionnaire is contained in enclosure II. Enclosure I
17
What Is Most Important To Quality of Life
Soldiers who cited each factor as one of three most important.
62 58 46
27 24 21 13 12 10 8 7 6 0 10 20
30 40
50 60
70 80
90 100
Housing Communications w
ith family/ friends Food Service
Recreation Facilities Show
ers Entertainment
Post Exchange Medical/ Dental
Other Educational Opportunities
Religious Services Laundry
The three most important factors to quality of life for those surveyed were
(1) housing, (2) ability to communicate with family and friends at home, and
(3) food services.
Percent
Enclosure I
18
Soldiers' Views on Housing by Camp
48 69
28 48
27 64
4 3 8 0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 90
100 Excellent/ Very Good Satisfactory Unacceptable
Camp Eagle, Bosnia Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo Camp Able Sentry, Macedonia
SEAhut at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo Barracks building, Camp Able Sentry,
Macedonia Enclosure I
19
Soldiers' Views on Housing
The housing soldiers occupy in the Balkans meets Red Book standards,
according to Army officials.
More than 90 percent of soldiers surveyed rated their housing as
satisfactory or better. In Bosnia and Kosovo, the Army's
“SEAhuts”
are unpainted wooden barracks with wooden floors, a single heating/ air
conditioning unit, and no partitions. While amenities vary by rank, most
personnel share bathroom facilities. Soldiers assigned to Camp Able Sentry,
Macedonia, are housed on a former Yugoslav base in concrete barracks.
Enclosure I
20
Adequacy of Housing Space and Privacy
SEAhut interior at Camp Eagle, Bosnia
Soldiers who believe that their housing is adequate.
SEAhut interior at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo
90 72
50 77
52 50 0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 90
100 Space Privacy Camp Eagle, Bosnia Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo Camp Able
Sentry, Macedonia Percent
Enclosure I
21
Adequacy of Housing Space and Privacy
The majority of soldiers we surveyed believed their housing was adequate in
terms of space and privacy, with those assigned to Camp Eagle being the most
satisfied. 48 percent of respondents at Camp Bondsteel
and 50 percent at Camp Able Sentry said their housing was inadequate in
terms of privacy. Focus group participants reported sharing their
SEAhuts with two to seven soldiers. More than one- quarter of the
respondents at
Camp Bondsteel and one- half of the respondents at Camp Able Sentry said
their housing was also inadequate in terms of personal space.
Enclosure I
22
Some Soldiers in Kosovo Live At Remote Outposts Under Spartan
Conditions
Soldiers guarding a school in Kosovo live in an abandoned, unfinished house
Spartan living conditions for soldiers guarding a church in Kosovo
Soldiers guarding a monastery in Kosovo live in a floored tent
Enclosure I
23
Some Soldiers in Kosovo Live Under Spartan Conditions
Nearly 40 percent of the soldiers deployed in Kosovo live outside the main
camps to protect people and buildings from attack. Soldiers assigned to
remote sites normally
remain there for up to 2 weeks and are then relieved by another unit. The
Army's quality- of- life standards do
not apply to these remote locations. Soldiers live in abandoned, unfinished
houses or buildings and tents. At some locations there is no running water,
hot water, or shower. The Army's contractor provides water and portable
toilets for sanitation and brings in one hot meal per day from Camp
Bondsteel.
Enclosure I
24
Principal Forms of Communication With Family/ Friends
Telephone center at Camp Eagle, Bosnia E- mail center at Camp Able Sentry,
Macedonia
Enclosure I
25
Principal Forms of Communication With Family/ Friends
Soldiers most frequently communicate by email, using government provided
computers. Soldiers at all U. S. camps in the Balkans have
access to computers for e- mail and to telephones. The majority of soldiers
told us that their wait to use either computers or telephones is generally
15 minutes or less.
– Since our visit, the Army has installed cameras on some computers to
allow soldiers to videoconference with their families, who go to family
centers at home station. 86 percent of soldiers reported communicating
with family and friends by e- mail at least 10 times in the 30- day period
preceding our survey, and 31 percent of this group reported doing so every
day during the period.
Enclosure I
26
Adequacy of Ability to Communicate With Family/ Friends
53 52 60
27 21
12 20
28 28 0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 90
100 Excellent/ Very Good Satisfactory Unacceptable
Camp Eagle, Bosnia Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo Camp Able Sentry, Macedonia
Percent
Enclosure I
27
Adequacy of Ability to Communicate With Family/ Friends
Well over half of the soldiers in each camp rated their ability to
communicate with family and friends as satisfactory or better. Between 20
and 28 percent of respondents at
each camp said communications were unacceptable because of cost of available
telephone service.
– At the time of our visit, calls using phone cards cost nearly $1
dollar per minute. A typical comment we received was, “[ We need]
phone cards that offer more time for less money, 26min/$ 20 is
unacceptable.” – Since our visit, the Army has switched
telephone service providers, and the cost has been reduced to 50 to 75 cents
per minute, depending on location. In contrast to the frequent use of e-
mail, one
quarter of the soldiers reported they had telephoned family or friends twice
or less in the 30 days preceding our survey.
Enclosure I
28
Soldiers' Views of Food Service
60 24
88 37
69 8
3 7
4 0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 90
100 Excellent/ Very Good Satisfactory Unacceptable
Camp Eagle, Bosnia Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo Camp Able Sentry, Macedonia
Dining facility at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo Dining facility at Camp Able
Sentry, Macedonia
Percent
Enclosure I
29
Soldiers' Views of Food Service
More than 90 percent of the soldiers rated food services at their camp as
excellent, very good, or satisfactory. The dining facilities at all U. S.
camps
operate 24 hours a day. Numerous selections are available to
the soldiers at each meal. Sandwiches, soups, and beverages are always
available. Unit officials in Bosnia said that the
quantity and quality of the food is so good that personnel are gaining
weight.
Enclosure I
30
Soldiers' Views of Other Factors Affecting Quality of Life
Note: Figure reflects responses from soldiers at all the camps we visited.
Survey results by individual camp are shown in the following sections.
Soldiers who rated other quality of life factors as satisfactory, very good,
or excellent
93 88 88 87
98
10 20
30 40
50 60
70 80
90 100
Recreation Facilities Exchange Facilities
Medical/ Dental Services Educational Opportunities
Laundry Services Percent
Enclosure I
31
Soldiers' Views of Other Factors Affecting Quality of Life
The majority of soldiers we surveyed were satisfied with
– recreational facilities, – exchange facilities, –
medical and dental services, – educational opportunities, and –
laundry services. The level of satisfaction varied among the
camps, especially regarding the adequacy of exchange facilities.
Enclosure I
32
Soldiers' Views of Recreation Facilities
59 28
36 41
66 48
7 16
0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 90
100 Excellent/ Very Good Satisfactory Unacceptable
Camp Eagle, Bosnia Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo Camp Able Sentry, Macedonia
Fitness center at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo Recreation Center at Camp Able
Sentry, Macedonia
Percent
Enclosure I
33
Soldiers' Views of Recreation Facilities
The Army has provided a wide array of recreational facilities at all the
camps. These include
– outdoor running trails, volleyball courts, and ballfields; –
game rooms with pool tables, board games,
and tables for playing cards; – physical fitness centers with weights
and
exercise machines; – library centers with books and videos; and
– movie theaters that offer several movies per
month. Nearly all the soldiers we surveyed
indicated that recreation facilities were at least satisfactory.
Enclosure I
34
Soldiers' Views of Post Exchange (PX) Facilities
53 45
12 47
55 48
40 0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 90
100 Excellent/ Very Good Satisfactory Unacceptable
Camp Eagle, Bosnia Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo Camp Able Sentry, Macedonia
Interior and exterior of the PX at Camp Eagle, Bosnia
Percent
Enclosure I
35
Soldiers' Views of PX Facilities
All the soldiers surveyed at Camp Eagle and Bondsteel said their exchange
services were satisfactory or better. Facilities appeared to be adequate in
size
and well stocked with items similar to those of other military exchanges,
including military items and clothing, snack foods, souvenirs, and
electronics. At Camp Able Sentry 40 percent of the
soldiers said that the exchange was unacceptable due to its small size and
high prices.
Enclosure I
36
The PX Facility at Camp Able Sentry
The PX at Camp Able Sentry The interior of the PX
Enclosure I
37
Limitations of the PX Facility at Camp Able Sentry
The exchange facility at Camp Able Sentry is about 1/ 10th the size of the
PXs at Camps Eagle and Bondsteel. The size of the force stationed at Camp
Able
Sentry is much smaller than that at Camp Eagle or Bondsteel, but a large
number of transient personnel are processed through Camp Able Sentry,
increasing the number of people using the exchange. The number and selection
of items available for
purchase are very limited compared with those of other camps. Camp officials
said that the camp did not have
enough room for a larger facility, but the PX has been remodeled since our
visit. Also, unlike at Camp Eagle and Bondsteel, soldiers can sometimes shop
in nearby Skopje on Saturdays.
Enclosure I
38
Soldiers' Views of Medical/ Dental Services
Medical facility at Camp Eagle, Bosnia Medical facility at Camp Able Sentry,
Macedonia
50 45
32 27
48 64
20 7
4 0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 90
100 Excellent/ Very Good Satisfactory Unacceptable
Camp Eagle, Bosnia Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo Camp Able Sentry, Macedonia
Percent
Enclosure I
39
Soldiers' Views of Medical/ Dental Services
Medical facilities at the major camps in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Macedonia
provide full medical and dental services. Ninety percent of survey
respondents said
that the services met their quality- of- life expectations. Only 13 percent
of respondents reported
having to postpone any medical or dental procedure while in the Balkans. The
procedures that were reported as postponed were routine teeth cleanings and
eye examinations.
Enclosure I
40
Soldier's Views of Educational Opportunities
Education Center at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo Education Center at Camp Able
Sentry, Macedonia
52 35
80 17
59 20 24
7 0 10 20
30 40
50 60
70 80
90 100
Excellent/ Very Good Satisfactory Unacceptable
Camp Eagle, Bosnia Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo Camp Able Sentry, Macedonia
Percent
Enclosure I
41
Soldiers' Views on Educational Opportunities
The majority of all soldiers surveyed said that educational opportunities in
their camps were satisfactory or better. Officials at all the camps we
visited mentioned the
education center as one of their priorities. Education centers at all the
camps provide access to
Army correspondence programs via Internet, testing services for college
admission and military certifications, and college courses through on- line
distance learning from a number of universities. All soldiers deployed to
the Balkans receive 100
percent tuition assistance for college courses up to $189 per credit hour.
Enclosure I
42
Soldiers' Views of Laundry Services
73 52
56 27
45 40 3 4 0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 90
100 Excellent/ Very Good Satisfactory Unacceptable
Camp Eagle, Bosnia Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo Camp Able Sentry, Macedonia
Contractor laundry facility serving Camp Eagle, Bosnia
Percent
Enclosure I
43
Soldiers' Views of Laundry Services
Almost all of the soldiers we surveyed said that the contractor- operated
laundry service in their camp was satisfactory, very good, or excellent.
Laundries at all the camps are open 12 hours
per day, 7 days per week. Soldiers may have 20 pounds of clothes laundered
per week. Turnaround time for laundry ranges from 1 to
3 days, depending on location. Where current turnaround time is 3 days, the
Army's goal is to reduce it to 2 days. Some soldiers wanted access to self-
service
washers and dryers. The Army's draft Blue Book for operation standards plans
for this.
Enclosure I
44
Soldiers' Use of Off- Duty Activities
93 83
88 67
83 68
73 55
75 48
41 36
10 20
30 40
50 60
70 80
90 100
Sports facilities Newspapers
Videotapes USO shows
Camp Eagle, Bosnia Camp Able Sentry, Macedonia Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo
Soldiers who use recreational and entertainment activities
Percent
Enclosure I
45
Soldiers' Use of Off- Duty Activities
Most soldiers at all the camps take advantage of recreational and
entertainment opportunities. Available sports facilities are used the
most, and soldiers said they are outstanding. Newspapers and videos are also
widely used. USO shows are used the least by soldiers
at all the camps. Comments suggested that the types of performances and the
occasional cancellation of performances affect usage. Army officials said
that 90 percent of cancellations are due to transportation problems.
Enclosure I
46
Soldiers Want a Break From the Routine
17 11 8
50 46 44 33
43 48 0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 90
100 Very effective Somewhat effective Ineffective Camp Eagle, Bosnia Camp
Bondsteel, Kosovo Camp Able Sentry, Macedonia
Soldiers' perceptions of the effectiveness of quality of life actions in
breaking the routine
Percent
Enclosure I
47
Soldiers Want a Break From the Routine
The Army does not have a policy on time off because task force commanders
determine work schedules and off- base leave policies. The majority of
soldiers stated that the Army's
quality- of- life activities effectively provided a break from their daily
routine. One- third to nearly one- half of the soldiers at each
camp, however, said that the Army's quality- of- life activities were
ineffective in providing a break in daily routine. The most frequent
complaints involved the lack of
time away from the job and the inability to leave the camps when off duty.
Commanders in the Balkans said that these issues
are affected by force protection needs and troop ceilings.
Enclosure I
48
Effectiveness of Quality of Life Actions
17 14 16 73
69 52
10 17
32 0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 90
100 Very effective Somewhateffective Ineffective Camp Eagle, Bosnia Camp
Bondsteel, Kosovo Camp Able Sentry, Macedonia
Effectiveness in helping to improve morale
17 14 12 70
59 60 13
28 28 0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 90
100 Very effective Somewhat effective Ineffective CampEagle,Bosnia
CampBondsteel,Kosovo CampAbleSentry,Macedonia
Effectiveness in helping to control stress
Percent Percent
Enclosure I
49
Effectiveness of Efforts to Provide a High Quality of Life
The Army's efforts to provide a high quality of life in the Balkans have
helped to control stress and enhance morale. Among the minority that viewed
the Army's programs
and services as ineffective, there were important differences by camp, with
the fewest people expressing concern in Camp Eagle and the most people
expressing concern in Camp Able Sentry. At the time of our visits, the
principal reasons for
concern at Camp Able Sentry were the restrictive rules related to dress,
firearms, and off- base access, given what soldiers saw as a more secure
environment in Macedonia. However, since our visits, soldiers at Camp Able
Sentry have been allowed day passes into Skopje and 4- day passes to other
locations. Commanders are limited in what they can do to relieve
stress and improve morale because of mission and force protection
requirements.
Enclosure I
50
SUMMARY
The Army has devoted a significant amount of attention to quality- of- life
programs in the Balkans. The vast majority of soldiers we surveyed said
the Army's efforts met or exceeded their quality- of- life expectations. Our
survey, focus group sessions, personal
observations, individual interviews, and reviews of documents revealed some
areas of potential concern for commanders. These included
– lack of space and privacy in the barracks, although Red Book
standards were being met; – the small amount of time soldiers have
away from their job and the mission; and – the cost of telephone calls
to family and
friends. Enclosure I
51 Questionnaire Administered to Personnel in the
Balkans Enclosure II
52 Questionnaire Administered to Personnel in the
Balkans Enclosure II
53 Questionnaire Administered to Personnel in the
Balkans Enclosure II
54 Questionnaire Administered to Personnel in the
Balkans Enclosure II
350003
*** End of document. ***