Specials galore during Military Family Month

By Jim Hughes, Command Information OfficerNovember 8, 2012

Specials galore during Military Family Month
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT RUCKER, Ala. (November 8, 2012) -- Military Families will find numerous free products and services along with discounted prices at Fort Rucker Directorate of Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation facilities throughout November as part of Military Family Appreciation Month.

As a big "Thank you!" to military Families for their service and sacrifice on behalf of their nation, DFMWR aimed to offer something above and beyond for everyone, said Janice Erdlitz, DFMWR marketing director.

"We really hope our military Families take advantage of all of the MWR specials," she said. "We're gearing up for the holiday season, so this month Families can really enjoy a lot without spending the extra cash.

"My favorite special is the Coffee Zone special -- buy one specialty drink get the second for half price," Erdlitz added, referencing the Landing Zone facility's special that offers a specialty drink at half price when ordering one at the regular price. "With the weather getting cooler, a nice hot latte really takes the chill off.

"Our Soldiers and Families are our heroes," Erdlitz said. "We at DFMWR know the sacrifices our Soldiers go through and we always are looking at ways to say, 'thank you.'"

The following is a list of specials throughout the month.

Automotive skills center -- Free oil changes for the Family car by the staff on Wednesdays when people bring their own oil and filter.

Center Library -- One extra DVD checkout.

Child, youth and schools services -- The school age center will host a parents-skate-free-with-their-child night (children's fees still apply) Nov. 16. Prices are $2 per child for ages 12 and younger from 6:15-7:15 p.m. and $5 per child from 7:30-10:30 p.m. Refreshments will also be available for parents Nov. 16 as they pick up their children at Bldg. 2806.

The child development center Fall Feast takes place today where parents can eat lunch with their children.

The youth center hosts the ribbon cutting to its new facility Nov. 30 at 4 p.m. at Bldg. 2800 on Seventh Avenue.

Coffee Zone (Landing Zone location only) -- buy one specialty drink and get the second at half price daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Leisure Travel -- Receive a 10-percent discount off of regular Disney tickets. Military Salute tickets are not included.

Lake Lodging -- Receive a $10 discount on a weekend getaway at Lake Lodging.

Physical fitness facilities -- Fortenberry-Colton PFF offers a Group Fitness Medley Nov. 15 from 3-8 p.m. that features no fee for Family members for each fitness class. Each class lasts 20-30 minutes. Classes include: CSI at 3 p.m., kickboxing at 3:45 p.m., Strong Bodies at 4:30 p.m., spinning at 5:15 p.m., Zumba at 6 p.m., The Ab Lab at 6:45 p.m., and yoga at 7:30 p.m.

The Fort Rucker PFF offers a free H2O Shred and Tread class Nov. 23-30, Mondays-Wednesdays and Fridays, at 9:30 a.m. at the indoor pool.

Riding stables -- Receive a $10 discount on Family pony parties.

Rucker Lanes -- Buy one, get one for 50 percent off Xtreme Bowl special for members of the same household and immediate Family members every Saturday. Also, buy one regular game of bowling and get one free when lanes are available. People can also get a free upgrade to a 32-oz. drink for all Lunch n' Bowl purchases.

Silver Wings Golf Course -- Two-for-one golf, where one Family member pays greens and cart fee while the other plays for free. This special is available to members of the same household and immediate Family members each day after noon.

The Landing -- The annual Thanksgiving Feast Nov. 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. features a military Family rate. Family rate is $39.50 for two adults and up to two children ages 12 and younger. Regular price is $16.95 for adults, $6.95 for children ages 6-12 and $3.95 for children ages 3-5.

The Landing Zone -- Up to two children ages 12 and younger eat for free off the children's menu with the purchase of an adult entrée and beverage Mondays-Fridays.

While the freebies and discounts are numerous, DFMWR seeks to continuously improve upon its offerings and services to Soldiers, Families, retirees and civilians, and welcomes customer feedback, Erdlitz said.

"We always love to hear from our patrons," she said. "Their feedback on our programs and customer service is key to being successful at providing the best quality programs for our Soldiers and Families. We also encourage patrons to speak with facility managers on programming ideas.

"We also love to hear from our patrons about their customer service experiences," Erdlitz added. "The Interactive Customer Evaluation program offers a great tool for managers to get feedback from customers. We love to hear the positive comments. We pride ourselves on great customer service and our employees love to hear from their customers if they did a great job."

She said customers can leave feedback at the ICE kiosks at several MWR facilities, and online at rucker.army.mil and direct links to MWR activities on ftruckermwr.com.

"If people have a great idea and are not sure who to contact, they can always contact the MWR Marketing Department at 255-2292 and we'll help get them in contact with the right person," she said.