PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. - When a service member deploys, he or she often times leaves a family behind, separated by thousands of miles.
One of the duties of Army Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation is to enhance the quality of life, contribute, and maintain the morale of the Army community, which includes families.
Before his recent retirement, Picatinny's FMWR director, Lee Moreau, vowed to assist one family before leaving his job.
When Maj. Brian Spurlock, of Project Manager Combat Ammunition Systems, deployed in May on a six month tasker to represent PEO Ammunition in Afghanistan, Moreau and his staff ensured that Spurlock's family would continue to enjoy its ongoing activities.
Spurlock's eight-year-old son Drew began playing golf when he was about six years old when the family was stationed in Virginia.
When Spurlock transferred to Picatinny, he enrolled Drew in the youth golf program.
Drew participated in the half-day summer camp last year and played with his father during the father/son tournament.
The elder Spurlock had the opportunity to caddy during the 2009 Barclay's tournament in Paramus.
"Drew's favorite player on the PGA tour is Jim Furyk and I just so happened to caddy for him," Spurlock recalled. "Drew was thrilled to see me walking up the fairway with Jim."
This summer, while his father was deployed, Drew participated in both the half- and full-day camps offered during the season.
"The Picatinny Unit Fund is subsidizing 50 percent of the cost of Drew's lesson fees while his father is deployed," Moreau said.
Then, Drew got an opportunity he could not pass up.
Lt. Col. Brian Bosworth-director of the Munitions Engineering Technology Center within the Armament Research Development and Engineering Center- and Chris McDermott, a golf professional with the Picatinny Golf Club, took Drew to the 2010 Barclays Golf Tournament.
As part of his other duties related to the tournament, Bosworth rounded up 40 caddies, 10 from each service to assist with the August event.
Later, the elder Spurlock expressed gratitude to all the people who helped his son improve his golf swing and gain increased enjoyment from the game.
"I just want to say thanks from a deployed Soldier for the effort you all have made in making the summer better, and the deployment a bit easier to swallow for my son," Spurlock said.
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