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Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR)

Army Reserve: Drilling

Benefit Fact Sheet

Summary:

The Army Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) program is a quality-of-life program that directly supports readiness by providing a variety of community, Soldier, and Family support activities and services. MWR offers worldwide support through a comprehensive network of programs and services at each installation-from Family, child and youth programs to recreation, sports, entertainment, travel and leisure activities. The mission of MWR is to serve the needs, interests, and responsibilities of all people in the Army community-Soldiers, their Families, civilian employees, military retirees, and other eligible participants-for as long as they are associated with the Army, no matter where they are located.

Eligibility:

Army Reserve Soldiers on drilling status and authorized Family members are eligible to utilize MWR facilities and programs.

Benefit Highlights:

The range of MWR activities offered at Army installations is based on the needs of authorized patrons who work and reside there. The U.S. Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM, G-9, Family and MWR) provides oversight for Army MWR operations worldwide. Some of the MWR programs available on Army installations may include:

1. Armed Forces Recreation Center (AFRC) resorts are affordable Joint Service facilities operated by the IMCOM, G-9, Family and MWR and located at ideal vacation destinations. AFRCs offer a full range of resort hotel opportunities for Soldiers, their Families, and other members of the Total Defense Force. Facilities include:

Shades of Green on Walt Disney World Resort, Florida
Cape Henry Inn and Beach Club, Fort Story, Virginia
Edelweiss Lodge and Resort, Germany
Hale Koa Hotel, Hawaii
Dragon Hill Lodge, Korea

2. Child, Youth, and School Services (CYS) provide affordable childcare programs for Army Families. Costs are typically based on rank and pay grade. Programs range from daycare facilities to sports and fitness programs.

3. Recreation and Leisure. Army Community Recreation provides mission sustaining fitness, recreation and library programs such as community center; aquatics activities; cardiovascular, strength and flexibility activities; competitive sports; and information, reference and research services. Community support programs include outdoor recreation programs and equipment, travel and registration information, Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers, arts and crafts, automotive crafts, performing arts, entertainment, recreational swimming, and recreation.

4. Army Libraries. Army MWR provides a worldwide network of over 125 libraries supporting Army Knowledge requirements. General libraries include resources from story hours to book discussion groups, from Internet access to word processing, from the latest novels to "how-to" books, from encyclopedia and other reference books to online reference resources. Librarians are available to assist you in your search for information. They will help you find quick answers, point you to best sources for in-depth research, and show you the best sites on the web. Look for colleges online, prepare for college entrance tests, and find college level material to write that college paper.

5. Army Lodging welcomes all official and unofficial travelers and maintains lodging facilities on several installations and posts. The following link provides information on lodging facility locations: http://www.armymwr.com/travel/lodging/default.aspx

6. Entertainment & Dining.

Entertainment: The performing arts are an important part of Army MWR that provide outlets for creative expression. The Army Entertainment Division, housed at Fort Belvoir, VA, produces a variety of programs using competitive Soldier talent, including:

The U.S. Army Soldier Show
Army Concert Tour· Battle of Bands
Festival of the Arts
Operation Rising Star

Dining: At most installations, Army MWR offers dining options including places to grab a burger, pick up a pizza, get out of the house for a casual Family meal, have a beer and shoot some pool, or munch nachos while watching a favorite major league team.

7. Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) Program. The BOSS program focuses on the needs of the Army active duty single Soldier although all MWR patrons are welcome to participate. The program provides a place for Soldiers to address quality of life issues, participate in recreation and leisure activities, and volunteer with community service projects and events.

Additional Information:

For more information, please visit the official MWR website maintained by U.S. Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM, G-9, Family and MWR):

http://www.armymwr.com/

Armed Forces Recreation Centers:

http://www.armymwr.com/travel/recreationcenters/

Child, Youth, and School Services:

http://www.armymwr.com/Family/childandyouth/default.aspx

Recreation and Leisure:

http://www.armymwr.com/recleisure/default.aspx

Army Libraries:

http://www.armymwr.com/recleisure/libraries/default.aspx

Army Lodging: