ACS welcomes new outreach director

By Jeremy Henderson, Army Flier Staff WriterAugust 13, 2015

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FORT RUCKER, Ala. (August 13, 2015) -- Army Community Service offers numerous programs, and Fort Rucker has a new voice to guide Soldiers and their families to the tools they need to remain resilient.

Cheareice Thomas, ACS' Outreach Program director, helps provide an overview of those tools to the Fort Rucker community.

"I ensure the Soldiers and their families are aware of all the resources available through ACS," she said. "I reach out and educate the community on the areas or programs that are possibly less well-known."

Thomas said she was also recently named the unit services coordinator point of contact, which will allow her to spend time educating individual units on the various programs available through ACS.

"It is typically an overview of all the programs housed at ACS," she said. "I just want Soldiers and their families to be aware of all the resources available and that we are here to support them."

According to Thomas, she also serves as a sounding board for community needs.

"I definitely provide an open ear for any needs ACS may be able to fill," he said. "I provide needs assessments and surveys to the community. I analyze those to ensure the community's needs are met."

Working with the community and fulfilling the needs of military families provides its own reward, Thomas said.

"I love meeting new people," she said. "I love providing assistance and helping people fulfill their needs. This has been the best of both worlds for me. It has been a bonus to do something I enjoy and see happy people that are being taken care of."

Thomas, who helped manage a dual-military family alongside her husband until she left active duty Army service in 2004, said her experience provides a useful glimpse into the benefits of ACS programs.

Thomas is the proud mother of four daughters and three sons. Her husband, 1st Sgt. Anthony Thomas, is stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana.

For more information about ACS programs, call 255-3817.

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Fort Rucker, Ala.

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