FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Sept. 25, 2023) -- Military retirees remain an integral part of America’s armed forces, and how they continue to serve can affect the future of the nation’s all-volunteer force.
“Today is about appreciation and how much we appreciate your service,” said Mark Overberg, U.S. Army Retirement Services director, during Fort Drum’s Retiree Appreciation Day on Sept. 23. “But it’s not just about appreciation, it is also a reminder that you are still a Soldier, and you still have a mission.”
Overberg summed up that mission in two words – hire and inspire. While veteran employment has improved since the establishment of the Army’s Soldier for Life program, Overberg said that more can be done to ensure Soldiers transitioning to civilian life has viable employment options.
“If you have the opportunity, if you cross paths with a veteran who is not working and you can refer him or her to a job, that’s what we need your help with,” he said.
Overberg said that a recent U.S. Army Recruiting Command survey indicated that most Americans knew very little about their armed services.
“We need help connecting Americans with their military,” he said. “Just by what you do, and being yourself, you will inspire Americans to trust and understand and know what their Army is all about.”
Roughly 12 percent of American youths, ages 17 to 24, are inclined toward military service. Overberg compared that figure with another – that 44 percent of current military recruits graduated from a high school with a Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps program.
“And you know who the JROTC instructors are? They are retired Soldiers,” he said. “There’s a connection there. And there’s another connection – that 83 percent of our current recruits have a family member who served in the military. Our kids see how we live, they understand what being in the military is like. And they want to be a part of that.”
Overberg said veterans who identify as such with a bumper sticker on their car, or a pin in their lapel, have an opportunity to engage with community members every day.
“Everywhere I go lately, when I wear my Soldier for Life polo shirt, I get asked about it,” he said. “It allows me to talk about my service and answer questions that they have.”
Col. Matthew Myer, Fort Drum garrison commander, said that retirees’ ability to influence and inspire cannot be understated.
“When I look out on this crowd, I think of the word ‘legacy’ and what it means to be a retired Soldier,” he said. “Our retired community is larger than the Army itself, and what a great mass of influence and power that community has. Really, it is the bedrock of our military strength in a lot of way, because you are the example of what it means to start out as a Soldier and what we do as an Army to ensure we take care of our Soldiers for life.”
Myer said retirees serve as pillars of knowledge in their communities, capable of fostering an enduring military culture that others can draw inspiration from.
“So many recruits are influenced by military members within their community,” he said. “So, I encourage you to keep telling your story. Take the time to tell your story to a young man or woman who is thinking about getting into the military. Because you might be the difference of them deciding to serve or not, which is vitally important to our security as a nation.”
Myer also asked retirees to consider every day as Retiree Appreciation Day at Fort Drum.
“Fort Drum is always open to you,” he said. “Our Retirement Services team is taking great strides to make sure that you get the services you need and that they are easily accessible to you.”
Overberg said he has made repeated trips to Fort Drum’s Retiree Appreciation Day for the chance to see how a successful Retirement Services Office operates. He singled out Sunny Mitchell, Fort Drum Retirement Services officer, for being the best in the Army.
“Through his leadership, through his guidance, through his energy, Sunny wills the program here,” he said. “That is why I’ve come here four times – to borrow ideas and go out to other Retiree Appreciation Days and talk about what it is you guys have here. It really works, and Sunny is a big reason why that is so.”
Following the opening ceremony, a shuttle service escorted attendees to services at Clark Hall, a resource fair at the Post Exchange, and tours of LeRay Mansion and the 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum Museum.
Many retirees also attended the grand opening of the Retirement Services Office at its new location inside Clark Hall. Mitchell said the ground floor location is more accessible for retirees, especially those who are wheelchair-bound or have difficulty climbing stairs.
“Our walk-ins from retirees have already increased since we moved in here, so that’s been a big win,” he said. “We’re a shorter distance from the ID Card Section, which is one of the main resources that retirees would come to Clark Hall for. But other than that, this just provides a nice environment for both Soldiers who are preparing to retire and then the folks who have already retired, which is the largest part of the population we serve.”
Mitchell has served with the Army – in uniform and as a civilian – for more than 40 years, and he said there are certain constants to be expected.
“One, there is always a mission,” he said. “Two, there’s always change. And three, the Army always strives to take care of its people. This is proof that the Army takes care of its people – its retired Soldiers, surviving spouses and family members. Even when you retire, there’s a commitment to that.”
For more information about the Fort Drum Retirement Services Office, call (315) 772-6339 or visit https://home.army.mil/drum/about/Garrison/directorate-human-resources/MPD/retirement-services-office-rso. Photos from this year’s Retiree Appreciation Day are available at www.flickr.com/photos/drum10thmountain/albums/72177720311446076.
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