FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — The theme was “Remembering the Fun in FMWR” at the All-Hands Day training event Jan. 17 at Abrams Physical Fitness Center at Fort Cavazos.
Nearly 700 employees with the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, many of whom have never met, packed the bleachers, prepared to embark upon a day of camaraderie and fun.
The event was the first involving employees from all DFMWR organizations, to include Child and Youth Services, Army Community Service and Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area.
Shantae Braswell, CYS program assistant, said the training was a unique opportunity to see many of her coworkers in one place.
“It’s something different,” she said. “It helps you get out and meet the other people you work with. A lot of times we’re separated, and this helps bring us together.”
Dr. Peter Craig, DFMWR director, explained the goal was continuity throughout the organization. “It’s important that the team gets together, it’s important that the team hears from me and leadership consistently,” Craig said. “They need a consistent message. They need to hear who I am, what I am and what I believe in, so they can take what I’m saying across what they’re doing.”
During her address, Col. Lakicia Stokes, U.S. Army Garrison-Fort Cavazos commander, explained the bonds the directorate shares as a team are critical to its success.
“It takes a team, and when we lift each other up, when we collaborate, when we encourage and support each other, we are stronger as a workforce,” she said.
She went on to highlight the critical role the employees play in supporting the mission.
“Each one of you is important, and what you do every day is important as you are the heartbeat of this installation,” Stokes said. “The impact you have on the lives of our Soldiers, families and civilians cannot be overstated.”
Stokes noted in addition to remembering the “fun in FMWR,” the event highlighted the importance of service.
“At the core of what we do is all about people,” she said. “So, when we talk about serving
others, it’s not just about the services we provide, though they are incredibly important. It’s about creating an environment where people feel supported, valued and empowered.”
After a guest appearance by motivational speaker Charles Marshall, creator of video presentation “Real Heroes Don’t Wear Spandex: How to Positively Impact the Lives of Others Without Wearing a Costume,” the group divided into smaller teams for various interactive exercises.
With teamwork and service in mind, teams of 100 employees rotated through eight stations identified with the letters in “customer.”
Each letter represented the words: cooperation, unity, selfless, team, oblige, motivation, empathy (encourage) and respect.
For eight minutes per station, teams participated in various hands-on tasks that correlated to their respective word, reiterating the importance of teamwork and underscored the “fun in FMWR.”
“The idea is to integrate everybody,” Craig explained. “You get to know someone, you get to meet someone you don’t know, you get to talk to other people and engage with other people because you don’t get that opportunity.”
Stokes challenged the group to make the most of the event and incorporate ways to keep fun at the forefront in the future.
“As we look to the year ahead, I want us all to remember the impact that fun has, not just on the community we serve, but on us as a workforce,” she said. “We are here to serve others, each other, and to bring the fun that makes life a little brighter for everyone in our community.”
Craig agreed.
“That’s what we do,” he said. “We serve.”
Social Sharing