FORT GORDON, Ga. --(March 31, 2009) Two senior leaders with the National Military Family Association visited Fort Gordon on March 23 and 24.
"We have had a wonderful time here," said Robin Storey, the organization's deputy director of representatives.
Storey and Christina Jumper, director of volunteer services and representatives met with officials from Army Community Service, Family readiness support assistants, Family readiness group leaders and leaders from the Regimental NCO Academy, as well as took a tour of the installation.
The women said the purpose of their visit was to get out the word about what their organization does as well as recruit volunteers.
According to the organization's Website, www.nmfa.org, the goals are to "educate military Families concerning their rights, benefits and services available to them and to inform them regarding the issues that affect their lives and to promote and protect the interests of military Families by influencing the development and implementation of legislation and policies affecting them."
The organization has worked for 40 years to "improve the quality of life for the military," said Jumper. It began in 1969 as the Military Wives Association. The organization supports every branch of military service. NFMA has often been the expert voice called upon when lawmakers are weighing legislation concerning military Families, Storey said.
"Throughout the years, The Military Coalition and NMFA, a founding member of the Coalition, have achieved many successes to include: enhancements to retired pay and the Survivor Benefits Plan; expansion of the Women's Infants and Children program overseas; funding support for schools educating military children; improved benefits for survivors of active duty deaths; increased construction funding for quality-of-life facilities; TRICARE for Life for Medicare-eligible uniformed services beneficiaries (regular, National Guard and Reserve retirees, their Family members, and survivors); improvements to Permanent Change of Station allowances; concurrent receipt of military retired pay and Veterans Affairs Administration disability pay for severely disabled retirees; and increased military pay and housing allowances," according to the organization's website.
The two women also promoted its Operation Purple Summer Camp program, a free program which is designed to help children cope with a parent's deployment.
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