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Tax Assistance Center closes for season

By Gabrielle KuholskiMay 1, 2014

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1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Nine Tax Assistance Center volunteers receive a round of applause after medals and certificates were distributed Monday at the TAC's closing ceremony. The brief event, taking place outside the TAC building, was followed by a receiving line and refres... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
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2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. Jennifer Holt, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate, stands with "Billy Goat," the official Tax Assistance Center mascot. The goat, wearing a red cape with gold letters reading "Tax," was present at the center's closing ceremony Monday outside the... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

Personnel from the Fort Huachuca Tax Assistance Center, or TAC, held a closing ceremony Monday to boast its most successful tax season yet.

The reception took place outside the TAC facility, Building 22324 on Christy Ave. Nine TAC volunteers lined up to receive awards and recognition from Col. Timothy Cody, staff judge advocate, and Col. Dan McFarland, Fort Huachuca garrison commander, in one of his last official acts in this role.

"The Fort Huachuca Tax Assistance Center provides outstanding service to our community year after year. Unbelievably, this team, the team you see right here, managed to raise the bar resulting in the center's most successful tax season yet," McFarland said as he introduced the TAC volunteers in his remarks.

This year the TAC served 1,369 clients and filed a total of 2,580 federal and state returns. The center had a total of more than $3 million in refunds and saved clients $446,800 in tax preparation fees -- a significant increase from the total of $300,000 in savings during the 2013 tax season.

"Every year we hope to beat last year's numbers and every year, we're more successful than the last," explained Capt. Cassie Fowler, Office of the Staff Judge Advocate.

In addition to awarding an Army Commendation Medal, a Commander's Award for Civilian Service, Army Achievement Medals and certificates of appreciation to the volunteers, the celebration included music by the Military Intelligence Corps Band and the introduction of the TAC's official mascot, a goat named "Billy Goat." Refreshments were provided after the ceremony.

"Every year the numbers seem to get greater and the services seem to get better," Cody said. "[The TAC] is one of the greatest things the SJA [Staff Judge Advocate] Office can do for the Army and its Soldiers."

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