Army Reserve, National Guard SLC students volunteer to help less fortunate service members

By Sgt. 1st Class Phillip Eugene 80th Training Command (TASS) Public AffairsDecember 9, 2015

Army Reserve, National Guard SLC students volunteer to help less fortunate service members
1 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Susan Garling, a Holiday Helper Association board member, embraces Sgt. 1st Class Willie Nelson III as a thank you gesture after the Army Reserve Soldier, who's also The Army School System Training Center, Fort Lee noncommissioned officer in charge, ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army Reserve, National Guard SLC students volunteer to help less fortunate service members
2 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Dogood Efenogo (right), a National Guard member assigned to 405th Brigade Support Battalion's headquarters company North Riverside, Ill., and Sgt. 1st Class Jamie Benbrook, a National Guard member assigned 2-121st Regimental Training I... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army Reserve, National Guard SLC students volunteer to help less fortunate service members
3 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Dogood Efenogo, a National Guard member assigned to 405th Brigade Support Battalion's headquarters company North Riverside, Ill., assembles a toy bicycle at the Holiday Helper Association Toy Store during a volunteer effort with 22 fel... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army Reserve, National Guard SLC students volunteer to help less fortunate service members
4 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Devoy, a New Jersey National Guard member assigned to the 114th Infantry Division, crosses out the price tag on a gift at the Holiday Helper Association Toy Store during a volunteer effort with 22 fellow students enrolled in th... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army Reserve, National Guard SLC students volunteer to help less fortunate service members
5 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Jamie Benbrook, National Guard member assigned 2-121st Regimental Training Institute, Springfield Ill., and his classmates enrolled in the 94th Training Division's Quartermaster Senior Leadership Course at the Army School System Traini... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army Reserve, National Guard SLC students volunteer to help less fortunate service members
6 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Tracy Canada, a National Guard member assigned Joint Forces Headquarters, Iowa, and her classmates enrolled in the 94th Training Division's Quartermaster Senior Leadership Course at The Army School System Training Center, Fort Lee, tra... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army Reserve, National Guard SLC students volunteer to help less fortunate service members
7 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Dogood Efenogo, a National Guard member assigned to 405th Brigade Support Battalion's headquarters company, conducts an Equal Opportunity class focusing on cultural diversity during the 94th Training Division's Quartermaster Senior Lea... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army Reserve, National Guard SLC students volunteer to help less fortunate service members
8 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Staff Sgt. Sarah Ishmael, a National Guard member assigned to 70th Troop Command, St. Louis, Mo., helps beautify the Holiday Helper Association Toy Store in preparation of the holidays. Ishmael and her fellow students enrolled in the 94th Training Di... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army Reserve, National Guard SLC students volunteer to help less fortunate service members
9 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Army Reserve and National Guard members pictured during the 94th Training Division's Quartermaster Senior Leadership Course at The Army School System Training Center, Fort Lee, Dec. 5, 2015. The students took time out of their grueling 17-week class ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Army Reserve, National Guard SLC students volunteer to help less fortunate service members
10 / 10 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Sgt. 1st Class Jamie Benbrook, National Guard member assigned 2-121st Regimental Training Institute, Springfield, Ill., assembles a toy bicycle at the Holiday Helper Association Toy Store during a volunteer effort with 22 fellow students enrolled in ... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT LEE, Va. - Twenty three Army Reserve and National Guard students enrolled in the 94th Training Division's Quartermaster Senior Leadership Course, took time out of their grueling 17 week class schedule to help the nonprofit Holiday Helper Association Toy Store prepare for the holidays.

"They're just motivated, they do what you tell them to do and don't hesitate," said Carlton Branch, a retired Army command sergeant major, who's the association's vice president. "That's what Soldiers are all about, and I love it."

During the shopping period, Wounded Warriors and eligible lower ranking service members stationed here will be able pick out presents and gift certificates for their children, free of charge.

The opportunity to volunteer enabled the students to deviate from the seven day a week routine of the SLC, which is conducted at The Army School System Training Center Fort Lee.

"The walls were starting to close in, so the opportunity to come out here and help our fellow Soldiers and help the kids...doesn't get any better," said Sgt. 1st Class Timothy Devoy, a New Jersey National Guard member assigned to the 114th Infantry Division.

Sgt. 1st Class Dogood Efenogo, a National Guard member assigned to 405th Brigade Support Battalion's headquarters company, said the effort was a good morale builder for him and his classmates.

"It got everyone out of the class room, including the instructors," he said. "We interacted and got to know each other better."

The course curriculum emphasizes leadership, so Sgt. 1st Class Willie Nelson III, an Army Reserve Soldier, who's also the TASS Non-Commissioned Officer in charge, said volunteering enables Soldiers to be community leaders as well as military leaders. He said, he wants the students to use the experience to organize volunteer efforts at their home units that'll benefit their communities.

"A lot of National Guard and Reserve units are located in the communities, but the communities don't know that the units are there," Nelson said. "They [the students] need to let them know... we're here and this is just as much our community as it is yours."

Related Links:

Official Website, 80th Training Command (TASS)

Holiday Helper Association

Official Twitter site, 80th Training Command (TASS)

Official Facebook page, 80th Training Command (TASS)

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Official YouTube Channel, 80th Training Command (TASS)