FORT JACKSON, S.C. -- Soldiers have a creed. As do Noncommissioned Officers and Army civilians. Now the installation's social services agency has developed a creed to motivate its employees and volunteers to better serve the Fort Jackson Community.
The team creed for Army Community Services, a social services agency on Fort Jackson for Soldiers and their families, will be unveiled to the installation during a luncheon noon, Friday at the Officers' Club.
"We are unveiling our creed to describe who we are and what ACS is all about," said Carla Atkinson, ACS director. "Everyone will have (a copy of the creed) at his or her desk to help keep the focus on the big picture of why we are here and what kind of services we offer."
ACS and Army Center for Enhanced Performance staff partnered to develop the creed and set goals for the department. The mission of ACEP is to develop the full potential of Soldiers, family members and DA civilians through a systematic process that uses mental strength.
"It started out as a team goal-setting process to say these are the things that are important," said Ryan McCausland, ACEP site manager. "It began with input from managers and then went to all of the employees."
The creed, which includes photos of ACS clientele to better illustrate the center's mission, uses words such as commitment, communication, compassion and excellence to describe the staff that work at the center.
"We deal with problems every day, but we have to take a positive outlook," Atkinson said. "Sometimes the staff gets burned out, and they need some energy. This was an energy producer for our staff."
During the goal-setting process, Atkinson said the group established the goal of being the best ACS program in the Army, an annual award.
"We worked as a group to help lead us to being the best ACS in the Army," she said. "Everyone in ACS has had input into our creed."
ACS provides services to Soldiers and their families on family life issues such as special needs, financial problems and parenting. The task of training and recruiting volunteers for the entire installation also falls within the organization's scope.
While the creed outlines the staff's commitment to the post community, ACS staff also realizes that getting the word out about the agency's programs is key to its success. That's where Elizabeth Maher, the new Outreach Program coordinator for ACS, comes in. Part of Maher's responsibilities include coming up with ways to ensure that the Fort Jackson community is aware of the post's ACS offerings.
"I know first-hand how challenging life can be for Army families," Maher said. "However, as Army families we have a responsibility to know and understand the programs and services that are available, to use those services, and if we have a problem or issue, we should also have an idea or suggestion for resolution."
Fort Jackson families can follow the outreach program on Twitter and Facebook. The program posts community events, ACS classes, informational meetings, motivational quotes and financial tips as well as answering questions and making referrals.
"The first step to self-reliance and belonging in the military community is to be informed," Maher said. "Information is empowering and there is no better way to access our information than Facebook and Twitter."
Social Sharing