The U.S. Army Garrison, Presidio of Monterey (POM), and the Fort Ord Area Retiree Council held the annual Retiree Appreciation Day at General Stilwell Community Center June 13. More than 800 retirees attended the morning festivities which showcased 40 information booths representing organizations such as TRICARE, Social Security Administration, the PX, the Defense Commissary, County Veterans Service Offices, and various other local & national service organizations.
The chair of the Retiree Council, Lt. Col. Richard Novak, USMC, Ret., kicked off the program that included: the Honorable Sam Farr, U.S. Representative, 17th District; the U.S. Army garrison commander, Col. Darcy A. Brewer; the commandant of the DLIFLC, Col. Sue Ann Sandusky; Lt. Gen. Frederick Vollrath, U.S. Army, Ret., Chief of Staff, Army Retiree Council Co-Chairman; and Maj. Gen. William Matz, U.S. Army, Ret., President of the National Association of Uniformed Services.
Also, In addition to door prizes and tons of information, the Army Emergency Relief received a $5,000 donation from the local E-9 Association during the event. And whoever said you there is no such thing as a free lunch never attended Retiree Appreciation day.
Following the program, food generously donated by Defense Commissary Agency vendors was prepared by volunteers from the Ord Military Community's Mayoral Program, Better Opportunities for Single Servicemembers (BOSS) and the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare & Recreation to provide a free lunch to the retirees, their families and other attendees.
Susan Kastner, director of Human Resources, who coordinated many details of the function, said that the support was outstanding across the board. "This was a record setting year for Retiree and Family member attendance as well as vendor participation. Everyone really puts a lot of effort into this every year." she said. "It helps us provide the military retirees, who have given so much to their country, with the latest and greatest information available on their benefits, changes to programs and new programs like the proposed veterans cemetery at the former Fort Ord."
Congressman Farr has been at the forefront of the cemetery for veterans as well as a new Department of Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense health clinic in Monterey. The audience listened intently to his words on both of those projects as each moves from mere ideas a few years ago to coming very close to reality.
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