ATLANTA - On Nov. 5, 2007, Fort McPherson and Fort Gillem joined Army installations around the world in signing the Army Family Covenant.
The AFC was conceptualized by Army chief of staff Gen. George Casey, and his wife, Sheila, as they visited installations and met with active duty, Army Reserve and Army National Guard Soldiers and their spouses.
Realizing that the Army should do whatever it can to keep the relationship between the Army and Families strong, Casey spearheaded the creation of the covenant, stating,
"The Army Family Covenant pledges our commitment to support Soldiers and their Families and resource programs to provide them a quality of life commensurate with their service."
In the two years since the covenant was signed, the U.S. Army Garrison has done its part to keep to the vision of unity that was born of the covenant by completing a number of projects to support the AFC and reduce stress on Soldiers and Families. These include:
Aca,!AcA partnership with the Georgia Department of Labor and the Military Spouse Employment Services have afforded Army Community Services to have a full-time DOL employee work with the ACS Employment Readiness Program manager. DOL also provided five computers and two printers that are located in the employment lab.
Aca,!AcThe Fort McPherson Child, Youth and School Services developed the first known permanent Short Term Alternate Child Care at U.S. Army Central/Third Army headquarters for its Family Readiness Group meetings in April 2008. AFC dollars supported this effort through the purchase of STACC toys and reimbursing monthly Child Development Center STACC labor costs.
Aca,!AcExceptional Family Member Program Manager Erma Jones, has been hired, and the Survivor Outreach Services Program - a holistic and multi-agency approach to delivering services to Families of the fallen by providing services at the garrison and communities closest to where these Families live - has been implemented.
Aca,!AcThe number of care providers off the installation to support Family Members and retirees in preparation for base realignment and closure has been increased.
Aca,!AcAt Fort McPherson, 1,154 eligible Family members had registration fees for the Child Development Center waived through AFC dollars.
Aca,!AcRobust intramural athletic and entertainment programs have given Soldiers and their Families the opportunity to view and participate in organized events, such as the summer baseball league, flag-football championship, the Law Day Golf Tournament, the Fort Gillem Fishing Rodeo, the Gillem Gallop and the Army Soldier Show.
2010 is on track to be another banner year in honoring the relationship between the Army and military Families.
In the words of Casey, "Never before in the history of our Army have we asked so much of our Families. They are serving side-by-side with our Soldiers, enduring their hardships and providing the unconditional love and support that truly make our Army strong."
Social Sharing