FORT CARSON, Colo. -- When a military Family moves to a new duty station, things can be a little overwhelming. Where is the commissary? What child care is available? Is there a waitlist for on-post housing?
Having a sponsor can make all the difference in the world.
"They can call ahead with any issues they might have like housing, child care, if they have pets, a special-needs (Family member), so they are prepared when they get here," said Erin Pinero, Family Connection coordinator at Army Community Service.
During a workshop Jan. 21-22, Soldiers from various units learned how to train other Soldiers to be sponsors.
"They need to understand the whole process … and the services and resources that are available," she said. "We want them to understand the need for incoming Soldiers to have sponsors."
The importance of the program was clear to several of the Soldiers in attendance.
"The worst thing about moving is not knowing what you're coming into," said Staff Sgt. John Hatfield, Company B, 404th Aviation Support Battalion, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. "Even if you give them one bit of information, it's one less thing they've got to worry about."
"The Army's got so many programs that they offer that nobody knows about, so the access to information is huge," said 1st Lt. Eric Gallagher, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 4th Inf. Div. "A Soldier … has the attitude of 'I can do it, no matter what.' That's unhealthy sometimes for the Family members, so reaching out to them is important. We can't give them that information unless we have it. That's why we're here."
All Soldiers in the rank of colonel and below who are going to a military installation with the new Sponsorship Pilot Program are required to have a sponsor, Pinero said.
'Everybody is going to be required to have a sponsor. Whether they connect with that person or not, that's ultimately up to them, but the process has to be done," she said.
Sponsorship can be crucial for new Soldiers.
"If they come to their first duty station, and they have a positive experience, then that kind of sets the groundwork for the rest of their career," Pinero said.
But more experienced Soldiers can also benefit from having a sponsor, even if they've been assigned to Fort Carson in the past.
"I came to Fort Carson in 2008. I was single when I got here," said Sgt. Corey Williams, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Carson. "Now I'm a single father coming back to Fort Carson. Even though I'd already been here, my life had changed … I needed more resources. I needed to find out about day care and about schools."
The training sponsors receive at their units is critical for the success of the program.
"You can't be an expert on everything, but I want them to at least come away with the fact that, if they don't know the answer, they know where to get the answer," Pinero said.
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