[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following story continues our series Benelux Family Legacy, which features multigenerational stories from the U.S. Army Garrison Benelux and tenant unit partners. This series explores the people who comprise the garrison and delves into the legacy they have created in the Benelux.]
CHIEVRES AIR BASE, Belgium – Although their respective offices are in neighboring buildings, a mother and daughter who work at U.S. Army Garrison Benelux rarely see one another during the workweek.
Dominique Favresse is a budget technician for the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation (DFMWR) in the USAG Benelux headquarters building at Chièvres Air Base, Belgium, and her daughter Shaika Alloway works as a human resources assistant for the Civilian Personnel Advisory Center in the next building over.
“We see each other almost every weekend,” Dominique said. “So we don’t have that need to see each other when we’re on base.”
“It sounds like my mom doesn’t love me,” Shaika said, laughing at what her mother said.
“Not at all,” Dominique said. “We’re very, very close.”
Shaika has been with CPAC for three years, and her mother has been with the garrison for almost eleven years. Dominique started with the DFMWR at Child, Youth and School Services at SHAPE. Before joining the on-post workforce, she stayed at home to raise five children, which, besides Shaika, included a set of triplets and a young son. Before joining CPAC, Shaika had worked for a private company as an executive assistant to the company’s president.
Despite the relatively short time both have worked at USAG Benelux, they are familiar with life on post. Shaika’s father and Dominique’s husband, Calvin Alloway, currently works for the 2nd Signal Brigade at Kaiserslautern, Germany, and used to work for the 39th Signal Battalion in Belgium. His and Dominique’s children, including Shaika, went to the SHAPE Community Schools.
Shaika spent two years in the Belgian section school but ultimately graduated from the American section. With a mother who is Belgian, a father who is American, and an education split between the two countries, Shaika said she feels both American and Belgian.
“My entire school experience there was fun,” Shaika said. “There were different nationalities. I had friends from all over the world. And I think that’s a great thing for any teenager to experience because it makes you more open minded. You learn a lot more things that way.”
She attributes some of her career choices to her formative years spent in a multinational environment.
“Even my previous job-it was a private company, but it was a very large multinational company-I worked with and was in contact with people from all over the world,” Shaika said. “So I’ve always worked in this type of environment. Even in CPAC, I’m in contact with people from the U.S. and I’m in contact with people from different countries (outside the continental U.S.).”
Dominique, who had to tend to several children at home, often while her husband was away on duty, stayed out of the workforce. Once her children were more grown, however, she applied and received a job with the DFMWR.
“I was very busy, and I stayed home a few years raising my children,” Dominique said. “I found a job at the CDC (Child Development Center), and I took the modules, I got the training – I got the proper training – to become an educational technician. And that’s how I went back into the employment environment. I got a good start at the CDC, I worked there for three years, and then I moved up.”
“I’ve been with MWR for 10 years,” Dominique continued. “I really love the environment, even though we went through tough times.”
Those tough times include the COVID-19 pandemic, during which Belgium and the rest of the world went into strict prevention measures. Dominique also remembers some of the good times, when she got to see cows, grass and apple orchards at Caserne Daumerie before the garrison headquarters moved to Chièvres Air Base.
“I love the environment, the multicultural environment,” Dominique said. “It’s closer to my house, so of course I love that. If I could just ride my bike to work, that would be fine.”
Whether she works at Chièvres Air Base or SHAPE, Dominique envisions retiring with DFMWR.
Shaika sees a long-term future for herself at CPAC.
Dominique’s tenure was not long before Shaika joined the workforce on post. Dominique does not recall any specific advice she proffered to her daughter then, but she recalls advice she generally gives her children.
“I always tell my children, whether it’s Shaika or any of the others, if you want the best out of your life, get out of the comfort zone,” Dominique said. “I guess that’s the best advice I can give at any type of level, whether it’s your career or any other level. Get out of your comfort zone, and you will get more than you expected.”
“And I did follow that advice since I did have an executive assistant job,” said Shaika. “It was a permanent position; it was a very good position. I still decided to follow that advice and get out of my comfort zone and get a good job.”
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This series, Benelux Family Legacy, explores the many stories and experiences from the people who make up U.S. Army Garrison Benelux and its tenant organizations. Further stories like this on the legacy created through the garrison’s multigenerational workforce are scheduled to be published for one more Wednesday.
Read “Benelux Family Legacy: Patrick and Charles Delmotte.”
Read “Benelux Family Legacy: Jan and Patrick Maessen.”
Read “Benelux Family Legacy: Liz Schuster, Nicole Shoaf.”
Read "Benelux Family Legacy: Patricia Campo, Alessandro Ricci."
Read “Benelux Family Legacy: Charlie and Patsy Herbaut.”
Read “Benelux Family Legacy: Leon and Michael Lee.”
Read "Benelux Family Legacy: Laurette Mauro, Philippe and Leslie Duquenne."
Read "Benelux Family Legacy: Alain and François Trésignies."
Read “Benelux Family Legacy: Monique and Catherine Janssen, Thibaut Lefebvre.”
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