One-Stop Shop Open for Hunter Servicemembers, Families

By Nancy Gould, Hunter Army Airfield Public AffairsOctober 1, 2009

Hunter opens SFSC
Left-to right:
Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. James Ervin; Hunter Army Airfield Garrison Commander Lt. Col. Jose Aguilar; Hunter Army Airfield Garrison Command Sgt. Maj. David Sampleton; Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army)
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HUNTER ARMY AIRFIELD, Ga. - A crowd gathered in the humid air outside the newly-renovated $3.5 million Soldier and Family Services Center at Hunter Army Airfield for a 9 a.m. ribbon cutting ceremony, Sept. 23. Among those attending were Servicemembers, Family Members, Army Civilians and leaders including Installation Management Command Southeast Director Dave Tindoll, who participated in ceremony and stayed to tour the building afterward.

"This is another example of how the Army is stepping up to meet the needs of servicemembers, their Families and retirees," said Tindoll. "We didn't have this kind of commitment 30 years ago; now the Army does it all across the nation with great pride."

The building's tenant service representatives and visitors are also proud of the new workplace.

"This building is amazing," said Spc. Tony Clasen, an information management technician for the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, who attended the dedication with his wife, Alex, an Army Community Service volunteer.

After the 1958 building's miraculous facelift, Alex and other Army Community Service volunteers and employees moved back to the renovated building where they were previously housed to a reconfigured 19,300 square-foot facility - 1,300 square feet larger than it was before.

Joining them were Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation's Child, Youth and School Services, Leisure Travel, Pass & Permit, the School Liaison Office and the DFMWF chief.

Also included is the Identification Section, the Adjutant General's Office, the 24th Finance Office, Military Personnel, the Army Substance Abuse Program, the Hunter Spouses' Club, the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers' Office, the Civilian Personnel Advisory Center, the American Red Cross, and the Women, Infant and Children Program.

The building includes a state-of-the-art Family Readiness Group conference room equipped with video teleconferencing capabilities that will allow servicemembers to stay in touch with their Families at home while they're down range. Other amenities include a new elevator and a fully-equipped kitchen.

"This is truly a partnership with our military community," said Monica Battle, Hunter ACS director. "Services that the military community needs are all right here, directly across from the (Post Exchange), which makes our location easy to find.

"We're all interrelated," she continued, referring to the multiple agencies that reside in the SFSC. "When someone comes here for help, we can walk them upstairs to any other service they need. Being co-located makes it easy and convenient for new Families on post to get the help they need. Our case load has already gone up. This is a good example of how the Army takes care of their Families."