FORT BRAGG, N.C. - When a unit deploys, it's important for all members of the unit to be informed and ensure that their Family members will be well cared for during their absence.
To assist with these duties, the Army has adopted unit Family readiness groups as a vital part of each unit.
Tuesday, the 82nd Sustainment Brigade opened the doors to a new center on Fort Bragg, that will provide a centralized location for those servicemembers and Family members involved in the unit's FRG.
Maj. Gen. Rodney O. Anderson, XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg deputy commanding general, who also serves as Task Force Bragg commander during the corps' deployment, along with Col. Hector Lopez , Task Force Provider (Rear) (Provisional) commander and a host of Family members held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the new facility, which will serve as an FRG centerpiece for units on Fort Bragg's east side.
Valerie Connor, the unit's FRG support assistant said she was pleased with the attendance at the ceremony, to which more than 75 community members attended. She also thanked Anderson and Melissa Helmick, wife of XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg Commanding General Lt. Gen. Frank G. Helmick, for attending. Connor said the commitment behind the center started with members of the 82nd Sustainment Brigade and their Families.
"It started with the volunteers, Family members and Soldiers showing a passion to have a place that they could call their own," she explained. "Where they can receive resources and have meetings, a small place for kids to play while conducting your business and a place to let your hair down when the deployment gets too long.
"The East Bragg FRG Resource Center will make a great difference for you and the rest of the East Bragg tenants now that we have this building," Connor said to the unit's Soldiers, Family members and volunteers in attendance.
Lopez said having the building is a big deal for his brigade and its Family members.
"It's very important, because the Army has finally understood that what builds a strong and resilient Army is a strong Family," he said. "We needed to provide a space for our Family members so that they can actually deal and cope with the separation that comes with mobilization, train themselves and get themselves ready. That's what Family readiness is all about - getting Families ready to cope with mobilization, deployments and reintegration. We cannot say that they've done that unless we give them a space to do it."
Anderson thanked the servicemembers and Family members for making the decision to serve their country and provide support to those who do serve. He said he especially wanted to than the members of Task Force Provider.
"Thank you for what you do day in and day out to maintain a community of excellence," Anderson said. "A special thanks to all the members of Task Force Provider for the magnificent way that they took care of Families and they took care of the home front while the brigade was deployed."
Anderson commended the FRG members and those responsible for doing what needed to be done to get the facility operational.
"Anybody can see what needs to be done and there are a great number of people who will say what needs to be done, they'll talk a lot," Anderson said. "But it's those who get busy and do it ... and so my compliments and my congratulations go to all the volunteers and all of you who not only said what needed to be done, but also made this East Bragg FRG Resource Center a reality."
The facility is located on Quartermaster Street. For more information, call 432-1398.
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