Military retirees were at the center of a heartfelt celebration at Tobyhanna Army Depot (TYAD) this past weekend.
The depot hosted Military Retiree Appreciation Day on Sep. 14 for military retirees of all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. More than 250 retirees registered for the annual event, which included medical, legal and other forms of benefit support.
Those involved in planning the event say it’s a rewarding opportunity to engage with nearly 35,000 military retirees in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
“Growing up a military brat, becoming a military spouse and now a military mom, I am truly honored to support our men and women who, without hesitation, signed that blank check, raised their right hand and took the oath to defend this great nation against all enemies. Celebrating their service is the very least we can do. We owe them a debt that we can never repay. Bringing them together to say thank you is both humbling and gratifying,” said Linda Kerr, Chief of the Army Community Service team at TYAD.
Timothy Kennedy retired from the U.S. Army after 22 years of service. He volunteers with the Tobyhanna Retirement Services Office to give back.
“It is the right thing to do,” he said. “Helping veterans who need assistance is truly gratifying.”
Depot Sgt. Maj. Michael S. Riggs delivered the event’s keynote address, lauding his fellow service members for their selflessness.
“I want to take this opportunity to express my deep gratitude for your dedication, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to our nation as veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces,” said Riggs, emphasizing how service members make a lifelong impact on their nation and encouraging attendees to continue making a difference.
“As veterans, you understand the true meaning of service – with or without your uniform. Let us never forget what service can mean. It enriches your life, and the lives of others. It speaks to the true meaning of being an American, leaving your country better than you found it,” he said.
Breakout seminars educated attendees on planning for formal retirement, navigating the healthcare system, and utilizing services such as Space A travel. Military-focused vendors stood ready to provide counseling and distribute literature during the event. Many noted the vast need for centralized military assistance.
“As a veteran myself, I know firsthand that there is an overwhelming demand for our resources – and many veterans need to be educated on what is available to them,” said Eric Morin, Deputy Director/Veteran Service Officer for Monroe County’s Department of Veterans Affairs.
The event also provided networking opportunities for military retirees during morning refreshments and lunch, where many attendees shared their stories of service and bonded over similar experiences.
Kelvin Spencer lauded the event for providing services that benefit warfighters in all aspects of their lives.
“This event allows me to reconnect with the military community and stay abreast of the latest changes to military benefit programs. I can now mentor younger soldiers to ensure they are planning for retirement benefits while they are still serving,” he said. Spencer retired from the U.S. Army and now serves as the Deputy Director of the Systems Integration and Support Directorate.
Kerr noted the event was a labor of love for the cross-functional group responsible for its execution.
“Military Retiree Appreciation Day requires support from a variety of depot organizations. We are profoundly thankful for our partners in the Law Enforcement Branch, Community Services Division, and Public Affairs Office for helping us make the event possible.”
Tobyhanna’s long-range strategic plan, TOBY2035, has four strategic focus areas: Investing in Our People, C5ISR Readiness, Shape the Future, and Strategic Communications and aims to posture the organization for future success. The Invest in Our People team is focused on providing support to the depot population today, tomorrow and into the future.
Tobyhanna Army Depot is a recognized leader in providing world-class logistics support for command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR) systems across the Department of Defense. Tobyhanna’s Corporate Philosophy, dedicated work force and electronics expertise ensure the depot is the joint C5ISR provider of choice for all branches of the Armed Forces and industry partners.
Tobyhanna’s unparalleled capabilities include full-spectrum logistics support for sustainment, overhaul and repair, fabrication and manufacturing, engineering design and development, systems integration, post production software support, technology insertion, modification, foreign military sales and global field support to our joint warfighters.
About 3,300 personnel are employed at Tobyhanna, located in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Tobyhanna Army Depot is part of the U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command. Headquartered at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, the command’s mission is to deliver integrated C5ISR weapon systems, business systems, and medical sustainment to enable full spectrum combat operations at the point of need.
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