FORT SILL, Okla. (July 26, 2022) – Fort Sill Army Community Services celebrated its 57th anniversary at the Fort Sill Family Welcome Center July 22, 2022. Complete with dunk tanks, cornhole stations, and a K9 demonstration, the annual ‘birthday party’ commemorated the importance of ACS by doing what the organization is known for – fostering a sense of community.
“We’re here today to recognize the impact that ACS has on soldiers and families,” said Julia Sibilla, US Army Garrison Fort Sill deputy commander. “ACS provides all service members and families with financial planning, parent support, training, relocation services, and general family resilience.”
“As a former ACS director,” Sibilla continued, “I’ve seen firsthand the great things that the ACS team does for families. Now that I’m a military mom, I see that my daughter – who’s serving in the Army – also benefits from the services ACS offers.”
Raised in a military family himself, Col. Jim Peay, Fort Sill garrison commander, recalls how ACS made an impact on his own family.
“For me, [ACS] is incredibly personal,” Peay said. “Again, as somebody who’s grown up in the Army as an ‘Army brat,’ I have grown up [with] ACS in one form or another.” Now, the organization is there for him and his children.
When asked about her experience with ACS, Elizabeth Tang, a mother and military spouse of 12 years, maintained similar feelings regarding its importance to Army communities.
“When we had [children], the New Parent Support Class gave us a lot of booklets and information that was really helpful for young families with little kids… It’s great to know that help is out there for you.”
Despite existing across all military installations, Sibilla believes Fort Sill is home to a particularly special ACS program.
“Over the past two years I’ve watched [Fort Sill’s] ACS program come out of COVID and evolve into a more dynamic organization, adapting to the needs and requests of the community,” Sibilla said. “For example, offering face-to-face Family Readiness Group classes, and bringing back the Newcomers Brief to help families acclimate [to Fort Sill]. So, [Fort Sill’s] ACS is an ACS that has an evolving mission and meets the changing needs of the military family members around it. And I love that.”
See more photos at Fort Sill's official Flickr page.
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