Army making good on covenant with soldiers

By Charmain Z. Brackett| Correspondent

In November, Fort Gordon officials signed a covenant pledging additional support to Army families. New programs and services are on the horizon to make good on that promise.

One of the initiatives at the forefront is the Soldier and Family Assistance Center.

Announced in the fall, the center will provide one-stop assistance to families of wounded service members. A 3,000-square-foot building is under construction and about a dozen staff members have been hired, according to Vanessa Stanley, the Army Community Service chief. The center falls under the auspices of Army Community Service.

"This underscores the Army leadership's commitment to the Army Family Covenant," she said.

Currently in Darling Hall, the Soldier and Family Assistance Center is scheduled to move into its new facility at the end of March. The center will be across the street from the Warrior Transition Battalion's headquarters.

"The SFAC staff will provide support to the warriors in transition being treated at the active duty rehab unit at the VA, the spinal cord unit and Eisenhower," she said. "The staff will receive training on post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. This underscores that the primary focus is to help the warriors in transition get back to duty or if they continue to serve the nation as veterans in their own community."

Kent Brickman took over as the center director Jan. 2.

The center's staff can help with a variety of issues, from transportation or child care to assisting soldiers with the Traumatic Servicemembers Group Life Insurance, which helps severely injured soldiers with a one-time payment. The insurance and its guidelines can be confusing.

Master Sgt. Ira Turner specializes in questions about the group life insurance.

It's not just soldiers who are benefitting from the new family initiatives. Army Community Service and Navy Fleet and Family Support Service recently announced a partnership at Fort Gordon to serve the growing population of sailors at the post, according to Marla Jones, of the public affairs office.

Two employees have been hired to help the Navy families.

Many family programs have been in existence for years. The annual Army Family Action Plan conference will be held Wednesday and Thursday, Jan. 31.

Each year, several topics are brought before groups made up of active duty soldiers, family members and Department of the Army civilian workers. They discuss problems and seek solutions at the conference.

Child and Youth Services is also working to expand its programs. Next month, new programs including karate and music lessons will be offered at Fort Gordon.

From the Thursday, January 24, 2008 edition of the Augusta Chronicle