FORT RUCKER, Ala. (February 19, 2015) -- Without the work of volunteer efforts, much in the Army, as well as the world, might go unaccomplished, according to Fort Rucker senior leaders.
That's why Fort Rucker took the time to honor 30 of its most dedicated volunteers during the year's first Fort Rucker Quarterly Volunteer Recognition Ceremony.
"This is probably going to be the most important thing I'm going to do in a while -- to take some time out to really recognize who makes our community work," said Maj. Gen. Michael D. Lundy, U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence and Fort Rucker commanding general. "If you think about the military family, and the fact that we have so many people that volunteer, we could not hire enough people and we could not afford to replace you, and it wouldn't be as good of a service anyway."
"Americans are the greatest givers in the world, and we continue to spread our time and our resources to help the needy, especially in the military," added Lt. Col. Scott Wile, garrison executive officer. "So, it's very important that we recognize our volunteers because volunteers make the world run, especially on military bases. This is a tremendous occasion for us to get together and recognize everything that you all do and the hard work that you put into it because we could not do it without you."
The volunteers and what they were recognized for follow.
Gina Marton, USAACE Headquarters -- She is a valued volunteer of the Fort Rucker Community Spouses Club, serving as a chair for the 2014 Holiday Bazaar, and was instrumental to the event's success, which had more than 100 vendors participate.
Jess Chasteen, USAACE Headquarters -- She spends her time volunteering with the Fort Rucker Community Spouses Club, serving as the hospitality chair for the 2014 Holiday Bazaar, as well as volunteering with the Fort Rucker Elementary School Book Club and the Aviation Pre-Command Course spouses' panel.
Staff Sgt. Stephanie Moseng, USAACE Headquarters -- She has given her volunteer time to support a fellow Soldier as a member of the Bone Marrow Drive registration team, as well as assisting during the Fort Rucker Community Spouses Club Holiday Bazaar.
Capt. Thea Iacomino, USAACE Headquarters -- She spends her volunteer time as a coach for the 6-8 year-old youth basketball team, as well as assisting during the Fort Rucker Community Spouses Club 2014 Holiday Bazaar.
Sgt. 1st Class Christy Worthy, C Company, 1st Battalion, 13th Aviation Regiment -- Worthy has volunteered many hours as an actor, set builder for Frite Night and as an adult mentor-counselor for the Joint Reserve Team Leadership Summit.
Mindy King, B Co., 1st Bn., 145th Avn. Regt. -- She is a valued volunteer with the B Co., 1st Bn., 145th Avn. Regt., Family Readiness Group, where her service was enormously vital during a period of transition, which coincided with the complete turnover of volunteer leadership.
Melissa Hawthorn, B Co., 1st Bn., 11th Avn. Regt. -- She dedicated herself to serving the Soldiers and families of B Co., 1st Bn., 11th Avn. Regt., as their company Family Readiness Group leader.
Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Olcott, C Co., 1st Bn., 11th Avn. Regt. -- Olcott dedicated herself by serving the community of Troy through a volunteer commitment to the city, Troy University, the Pike Regional Child Advocacy Center and the equestrian center.
Pfc. Goya Shika Kanyinda, 164th Theater Airfield Operations Group -- She spends her volunteer time as a Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers secretary, and successfully set up and organized numerous BOSS events, as well as volunteering with the Directorate of Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation and the 164th TAOG Family Readiness Group.
Sgt. 1st Class Michael Archer, Aviation Center Logistics Command -- Archer selflessly gives his time as a volunteer youth soccer coach, as well as assisting with the community Frite Night.
William Hensley, ACLC -- He spends his personal time volunteering with the Boy Scouts of America, Enterprise Wildcats Quarterback Club, Buddywalk Fundraiser and SoS Animal Shelter.
Sheri Johnson, U.S. Army Garrison, ACLC -- She devoted herself to serving the Soldiers and families as an Army Community Service volunteer in the relocation readiness office, as well as a dedicated Family Readiness Group member for the ACLC.
Karyn Kaempfer, USAG, Army Community Service -- Kaempfer is being recognized for her volunteer efforts within ACS, where she assisted with the Army Family Action Plan Conference, the publication of the Survivor Outreach Services newsletter and the issuing of over 400 holiday food vouchers for families.
Megan Holmes, NCO Academy -- She volunteered her time as co-community outreach director for Team Red, White and Blue, leading the Strolling Eagles, an athletic group where parents and children exercise together.Sgt. 1st Class Michael Holmes, NCOA -- He volunteers as the athletic director for the Fort Rucker Team RWB chapter, as well as coordinating with other national RWB chapters in support of combined activities.
Deanna Mitchell, religious support office -- Mitchell volunteers her time with the Fort Rucker community as president of the Protestant Women of the Chapel.
Christina Cook, U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory -- She spends her time as a USAARL Family Readiness Group leader, while also volunteering with the Fort Rucker Thrift Shop and the Girl Scouts of America.
Carolyn Howze, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Warrant Officer Career College --She is a valued volunteer who has devoted numerous hours of service to the WOCC Family Support Group, especialy during the WOCC Dining Out and the WOCC annual Christmas party.
Samantha Simon, HHC, WOCC -- Simon is being recognized for her numerous hours of volunteer service to the WOCC Family Support Group, especially during the WOCC Dining Out and the WOCC annual Christmas party.
Janna Bogert, Fort Rucker Community Spouses Club -- She is being recognized for her volunteer efforts to the Fort Rucker Community Spouses Club where she has served as secretary and publicity chair for the 2014 Holiday Bazaar fundraiser.
Lisa Tippens, Fort Rucker Elementary School -- Tippens has offered her volunteer services to the Fort Rucker Elementary School where she works to support the classrooms at the media center.
Rachel Crigger, Fort Rucker Primary School -- She is a valued volunteer who has spent her time at the Fort Rucker Primary School in various classrooms, as well as the school's library where she catalogs books.
Jamie Petro, Fort Rucker Parent Teacher Association -- Petro has offered her volunteer hours at the Fort Rucker elementary and primary schools where she serves as the PTA president and volunteers her time at each school's special events.
Staff Sgt. Jeremy Dorries, Fort Rucker Sergeant Audie Murphy Club -- Dorries volunteers with the Fort Rucker Sergeant Audie Murphy Club, serves as a small group leader at the NCO Academy and a mission leader for the Transformation Church of Troy.
Staff Sgt. Robert Landa, Fort Rucker Thrift Shop -- He is a valued volunteer of the Fort Rucker Thrift Shop, offering his outstanding support, technical knowledge and unwavering dedication to the Fort Rucker community.
The final award given was the Order of Anne Morrow Lindbergh Award. The awards recognizes spouses and family members who have contributed significantly to the community of Army Aviation, said the narrator of the event. This individual who voluntarily serves the community is recognized as exemplary, and characterize the highest standards of integrity and moral character, displaying an outstanding degree of dedication to the Aviation Community.
Darcy Lynch, in the spirit of Anne Morrow Lindbergh's pioneering efforts, was awarded The Order of Anne morrow Lindbergh Award.
"(Lynch), over the last 18 or so years, has been very active throughout the military community and throughout Army Aviation," said Lundy. "As an FRG leader, being involved in the spouses club, holding a number of different positions, having been recognized last year for a number of post-level awards and for over 10,000 volunteer hours of work, you certainly epitomize everything the Anne Morrow Lindbergh Award represents. We're very proud and very happy that we're able to give you this.
"We really do appreciate everything our volunteers do every day, not only for our Soldiers, our families or our local communities. I think it's great that we're going to take the opportunity today to recognize some of them," said Lundy to the volunteers. "As we look across our community, we have thousands of volunteers and we're going to try and take the opportunity to recognize those who have really given everything that they can. You've got lots of other things going on in your lives, and still to be able to go out there and volunteer, I'm very appreciative of it and I know Paula is, as well."
Those not present during the ceremony but were recognized as volunteers of the quarter were: Staff Sgt. Delon Davis, 1st Aviation Brigade; Sandra Hernandez, U.S. Army Aeromedical Center; Joseph Riddle, D Co., 2nd Bn., 13th Avn. Regt.; April Salazar, USAARL; and Samantha Simon, HHC, WOCC.
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