Fort Belvoir, Va. (Oct. 9, 2014) - New Families at Fort Belvoir learned about services available to them through military and civilian organizations during the USO Metro's Operation: Community Connection at the Belvoir USO Warehouse, Saturday.
Families received information on programs from Belvoir's Army Community Service and American Red Cross, United Way, Military OneSource, the Virginia Tourism Corporation and the Maryland Tourism and Visitors Bureau, among other organizations.
Children's activities included balloon animals from Balloons by Mike, a tricycle course and Family games.
The event originated in 2007 as Deployed Family Fun Day so spouses could get information on services and programs to utilize while their significant others were deployed. As deployment rates have decreased, the event has transformed into an information session where Service members and their spouses can interact with other Families while learning valuable information, according to Beth Mezzerli, USO of Metropolitan Washington-Baltimore, program specialist.
"In a USO-Metro needs assessment survey, 65 percent of respondents stated they would like to have the opportunity to participate in more Family activities and have those activities occur more frequently," said Mezzerli. "In addition, 55 percent would like to see an increase in programs offered that address financial, marital, teenage, child, spouse, employment, fitness/nutrition and pre- and post-deployment issues. The event changed to Community Connection to reflect the expansion of the event mission -- to connect military and their Families to others within their installation and outside the gates with the broader community."
The National Military Family Association came to the event to share information about its Operation Purple Program. Operation Purple Program is specifically designed to serve military Families in three different phrases of military life -- deployment, reintegration, and coming together after an injury.
"It gets these children together," said Melissa Ramos, National Military Family Association, issue specialist. "It's great team building and support for these children."
Other Service members like Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Rachel Zeigler, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, senior enlisted advisor, were interested in the Hero Dogs program.
"We have wounded warriors that work at NGA," said Zeigler. "So, I wanted to gather data to give to the program manager and make sure we are educating our wounded warriors on this program."
Zeigler and her husband have been at Belvoir since January, but they like that the USO wants to help military Families meet one another regardless of how long they have been in the area.
"I think it's fantastic," said Zeigler. "I really like what the USO Metro does for the entire military community."
The United Way informed Service members about their 2-1-1 program which provides veterans with information about resources for basic needs like child care, disaster relief and counseling. Veterans can use the program to find information about food pantries and shelters, and Medicaid and Medicare.
"Veterans need help with post-deployment issues," said Mary Ann Floto, United Way, program manager. "We have resources we can refer them to."
Service members like Air force Tech Sgt. Mike Badilla, Office of Military Commission, defense paralegal and his Family wanted to learn about tourism opportunities in the area.
"The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and Ford Theater in D.C. are two sites that caught our attention," said Badilla.
Though he did not engage with any Families, Badilla appreciates that the USO wants to help military Families make new friendships.
"I know my wife has spoken with a few people," said Badilla. "It's a great initiative for the USO to support, though. It's important to make and establish those new relationships."
For more information on services available on and off post, contact Beth Mezzerli at (703) 696-3278.
To learn more about Army Community Service support, call (703) 805-4590.
To learn more about the United Way's 2-1-1 program, go to www.211.org.
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