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By Lou Ann M. Mittelstaedt, Triad Staff Members of the Fort McCoy community gathered at the Woodridge Community Center Nov. 1 to witness the signing of the Army Family Covenant by Fort McCoy senior leaders.
The Army Family Covenant recognizes the hardships families face in support of their Soldiers and pledges to support Army Families and improve their quality of life. The covenant recognizes that while Soldiers defend the nation, their strength is in their families. Leaders putting pen to paper at the covenant-signing ceremony were Maj. Gen. James R. Sholar, commanding general of the 88th Regional Readiness Sustainment Command; Installation Commander Col. Derek J. Sentinella and Installation Command Sergeant Major Command Sgt. Maj. M. Kevin Dubois. These signatures joined those of Secretary of the Army Pete Geren, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston. Signatures of Army leadership already were in place on the documents. Signing ceremonies similar to the one held at Fort McCoy have or will occur at installations throughout the country. The ceremony began with viewing the newest segment in the Army Strong video series -- Army Family Strong -- which was received enthusiastically by the audience. The video can be seen on Fort McCoy TV6 as part of the Community Bulletin Board programming. Dubois said the signing of the covenant "will bring some energy to programs already in place and to develop new programs. The emphasis will be on the families of Soldiers who are deployed and on the families of Soldiers who are here. We have to do our part to support them all."
Sholar said that it is important that the community gathered together for the signing of a document that pledges support to Army Families. "Think back with me," Sholar said. "Remember the adage, 'If the Army wanted you to have a family they'd have what?" "Issued you one!" audience members answered. "Guess what happened along the way?" Sholar said. "People decided on their own that they wanted families whether the Army had issued you one or not. I remember when the Army was about 15 to 20 percent married. Do you know what percentage of the Army is married today? Fifty-four percent." "Great things come from Soldiers getting married and having families, but challenges come along with it. We are in the sixth year of being at war, and nobody knows that better than you. The OPTEMPO has really challenged us, and Soldiers are being sent back for the second and third time -- some more than that," Sholar said.
"Family Readiness Group leaders have observed that second tours are a lot more challenging to families than first tours," Sholar said. "Anyone can get up the courage, the strength, the resolve to send that Soldier off once, but you ask them to do it again, and it is a real challenge. Yet we are doing that two or three times." "This covenant is words on a piece of paper -- that's all -- but they are symbolic of an agreement," Sholar said. "Through this covenant the Army is saying 'We recognize what we are asking families to do and we want to partner with you. We are going to keep our end of the bargain.' That is what the Army covenant is all about. Otherwise it is just words on paper. It doesn't matter what we understand or what we say we believe if we don't back it up with actions. We've got to mean what we say." Sholar said the Army Soldier Family Action Plan is what codifies these words. "This covenant recognizes that the strength of the Army comes from the strength of families. How often have you heard it said that we recruit Soldiers but we retain families? If you don't retain the family, you don't retain that Soldier." The covenant represents a $1.4 billion commitment in 2008 to improve the quality of life for Army Families, Sholar said. "That is a lot of money but it is still not enough. Our Army leadership is working to get that amount of money in the budget for the next five years." "Everyone in the Army must be committed to the success of this covenant," Sholar said. "I know you're committed or you wouldn't be here tonight. You didn't come just because someone said you had to. But we've got to reach out and make sure those families you live with and touch everyday know that they are valued."
Sentinella provided a brief overview of the actions already occurring or already planned at Fort McCoy that support the covenant. Highlights include construction (Commissary and Post Exchange facilities, a patio addition at the Woodridge Community Center, basketball and tennis courts on South Post, improvements to unaccompanied personnel housing, approval for construction of 12 new homes on South Post in 2009 with another 111 projected in the out years, construction of a new Family Development Center in 2009 which will expand child care capacity) and family support programs (quarterly family readiness group training, monthly military family support groups, recent completion of the Army Family Action Plan conference, increased Army Community Service staffing, exceptional family member respite care service). "Money will be spent for programs throughout the Army, this includes Fort McCoy. I want to make sure that with our busy schedules we recognize what is currently ongoing at Fort McCoy to help Soldiers and their families. Today we make the commitment to continue to keep forging ahead to bring the things to Fort McCoy that are needed by Soldiers and their families." |
