12/27/24
The New York Army National Guard’s Honor Guard provided graveside military honors over 6,800 times in 2024. Since 2,000, National Guard members have been providing military funeral honors for the Families of any former military member who was not dishonorably discharged from the service.
12/23/24
The Religious Support Office at the Presidio of Monterey plays a vital role in supporting the spiritual well-being and resilience of the Monterey military community. Sgt. Brian Bills enjoys his work as a religious support specialist because of the meaningful connections that he makes with service members daily. In carrying out his duties to provide religious support and advisement to all service members who seek it, Bills says bigger topics often begin with basic introductions and simple conversations.
12/20/24
Construction of the new Freedom Center barracks, a collaborative effort between the U.S. Army and the National Security Agency, is underway, bringing modern housing and enhanced amenities to Fort Meade. The Freedom Center barracks project began as a vision over a decade ago, driven by a shared commitment from Army and NSA leaders to provide higher-quality accommodations for service members.
12/18/24
The Boys & Girls Clubs of America recently awarded $5,000 to U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz’s Baumholder Youth Program to pilot a new Money Matters program. The initiative is designed to empower kids with the skills and knowledge they need to make informed financial decisions, providing them with hands-on experience and expertise in investing strategies and the stock market, setting them up for a strong financial future.
12/18/24
The Wounded Warrior Hunt, an event held solely by sponsorships, donations and volunteer work, provides a respite for injured service members to visit Fort Walker for a tailored hunting experience that can accommodate injuries or disabilities.
12/13/24
U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz held a town hall and information forum at the Rheinlander Community Center on Smith Barracks. The quarterly town hall provides a platform for the Baumholder military community to pose their questions and concerns to garrison leadership, to receive updates on ongoing projects and activities, and to learn about new programs and initiatives scheduled to be implemented in the upcoming months.
12/12/24
Fort Cavazos leadership, members of the Gary Sinise Foundation and more gathered to send off Gold Star Families to Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, for the annual Snowball Express at Killeen Regional Airport. The Gary Sinise Foundation hosts a five-day experience every December at the amusement park, sending 1,750 people.
12/10/24
Military Families at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, received an early dose of holiday cheer Monday with the start of the base’s annual Toys for Kids program, which provides gifts to hundreds of Families who cannot afford to buy them due to financial challenges.
12/10/24
Military Families stationed at Fort Drum, New York, should have fewer hassles when relocating now that the base is transitioning to a new digital management system to schedule household goods shipments. Through the Global Household Goods Contract, Families will experience a streamlined scheduling and claims process and more customer-support options.
12/9/24
The Fort McCoy East Barracks Project is progressing well toward its scheduled completion date of April 24, 2026, according to Nathan Butts from the Resident Office of the Army Corps of Engineers at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin. Workers with contractor L.S. Black Constructors are putting in more steel framing and enclosing the structure with plastic to help the area stay dry and to allow for better working conditions.
12/6/24
Military service members, Families and friends gathered last week for the annual holiday tree-lighting ceremony at U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan-Casey, in South Korea. The event, hosted by the Yongsan-Casey Family, Morale and Welfare program, included a musical performance by kids from Tong-Sa Children’s Welfare Center, a free dinner and an appearance by Santa Claus.
12/5/24
1st Cavalry Division Artillery continued to strengthen its bond with Maude Moore Wood Elementary School through its dedicated participation in the Adopt-a-School program. Since the program’s inception, Soldiers from DIVARTY have engaged in various activities to connect with students and enhance their learning experiences while supporting Families in the community.
12/3/24
Seven New York Army National Guard Soldiers helped local veterans load up 125 Christmas trees being donated to military bases around the country at Ellms Tree Farm in Ballston Spa, New York. This was the 20th year tree farmers in the Albany-Saratoga area have been part of the Trees for Troops program. The donated trees are destined for service members and their Families around the country.
12/3/24
Non-commissioned officers taking care of fellow Soldiers was at the forefront of this year’s U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria Holiday Assistance Program event at U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria. New this year, Army Emergency Relief partnered with the Commissary to distribute gift cards to deserving junior enlisted service members.
12/3/24
The Department of Defense recognized the winners of the 34th Annual Secretary of Defense Community Drug Awareness Awards in a ceremony at the Pentagon in October. The Community Drug Awareness Awards recognize the best Drug Demand Reduction Program within each Military Service, the National Guard, Reserves, Defense Agencies, and DoD Field Activities. This year’s award nominations highlighted efforts and actions aimed at preventing fentanyl misuse.
12/3/24
While its prevalence is widely acknowledged, domestic violence is frequently minimized or hidden, leaving profound, unaddressed impacts on individuals, Families and even entire organizations. This disparity between perception and action is especially critical within high-stress environments like the Army, where domestic violence not only affects individual health and family dynamics but also has far-reaching consequences for organizational readiness and culture.
12/2/24
The Army worked to continuously improve quality of life for Soldiers and their Families in 2024.
Changes included enhancing a program to reimburse Spouses for business expenses, connecting Soldiers with holistic health teams, authorizing deployment pay, broadening professional writing opportunities and expanding child care access.
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