The problem: There is a lack of available and affordable resources for

The problem: There is a lack of available and affordable resources for military families on bases overseas.

Explain the relevance of the interviewee to the problem you selected.

The person I interviewed is the spouse of a service member and the mother of 3 ranging from newborn to 8 years old.  She and her spouse use base services for food and baby necessities.

Identify the method of survey (face-to-face, phone, text, video conference, email, etc.).

The method used for this interview was face to face.

List the interview questions and a brief overview of the responses.

Question 1: How long have you been living at the overseas installation with your family?

Answer: Close to two years. (22 months)

Question 2: How large is your family?

Answer: I have two boys ages 3 and 8.  I also have a baby girl who just turned 6 months

Question 3: What would you say some of the biggest issues are for families living abroad?

Answer: Being located far away from family members, the availability of products that I am used to and prefer for myself and my children, and being in a country where English is not the primary language.

Question 4: Are there any specific challenges you face while shopping out in town?

Answer: Its hard to ask where items are because of language barriers.  Products are missing ingredients so it could be less potent or more than I would like.  Also, the currency conversion rate makes items far more expensive than I am used to.

Question 5: Do you believe there is a resource crisis on the installation?

Answer: I believe there is, but it may depend on who you ask.  If you have kids, it’s impossible to shop on base only because items are almost always sold out shortly after payday or they have entirely too.

Question 6: What is a recommendation you would have for base services?

Answer: Ask the people what they would like to see on the shelves and order it.

Question 7: What recommendation would you give families coming to live here?

Answer: Open an APO address so that they can have products delivered that standard military mail will not.

Describe your overall perception of the interview process and results.

I believe the face-to-face interview was very personable and opened a much better dialog than if I had tried over the phone or requested digital.  The Interviewee shared personal details that wasn’t used in this assignment but really help me understand how people are feeling about the topic.

What went well? What would you do differently?

I believe the interview went well because the interviewee was cooperative and genuinely happy to help.   I would try and interview others in different age or rank groups to see how it affects others rather than viewing under an estimated scope.

Were the results as you expected?

The results are exactly what I expected to hear because I single handily witness the issue daily.  It’s just interesting to get the perspective of others in the same community.