KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany - Leaders gathered July 8 at the Armstrong's Club on Vogelweh to learn more about sponsorship resources at U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz and their role in the Total Army Sponsorship Program.
Col. G. Shawn Wells Jr., commander of U.S. Army Rheinland-Pfalz opened the "TASP Rodeo" - an Installation Management Command-Europe initiative designed to ensure Army leaders have the knowledge and tools necessary to create and maintain and effective sponsorship program with their units
"Effective sponsorship contributes to unit and individual resiliency, readiness, cohesion and esprit de corps," Wells said.
There were 13 stations with subject matter experts. They discussed sponsorship for Soldiers and civilian employees, plus sponsorship for spouses and children. They also learned about housing, TRICARE, the Ramstein Gateway Reception Center and the Civilian Personnel Advisory Center.
At each station, Soldiers received a 15-minute presentation on a certain topic and then had their sponsorship passport stamped to make sure they completed the event. A bell signaled them to rotate to the next station.
Handouts were available at the event and online at the U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz website. Attendees received a business-sized card with the web address encouraging them to download the content for future use, said Ivor Watson, USAG Rheinland-Pfalz's acting director of the human resources directorate.
"The garrison brought together information and resources from several garrison and supporting agencies that have a hand in sponsorship," Watson said. "I think it was a great event. We had several senior leaders from the community attend, and now take back what they learned to improve sponsorship in their units."
Unit leaders are essential to sponsorship being successful, he said. During his remarks, IMCOM-Europe's Regional Director Michael Formica urged attendees to take the knowledge gained at the rodeo back to their units and encourage others to commit themselves to bettering the Army's sponsorship program.
"Sponsorship is a commander's program in which commanders and individual sponsors are key to success," Formica said.
Military and civilian leaders from the Kaiserslautern and Baumholder military communities attended the event. Other sponsorship rodeos are being planned for Army garrisons throughout Europe.
It's IMCOM-Europe's responsibility to make sure that Soldiers and spouses feel informed and cared for during the challenges of transition -- a key reason behind the planned series of sponsorship rodeos through the region, said Slade Walters, an IMCOM-E spokesman.
"Garrisons are taking the steps to assist our USAREUR tenant units to improve sponsorship," said Slade Walters, an IMCOM-E spokesman. "Bettering our sponsorship programs ultimately leads to a Strong Europe."
Social Sharing