Mr. Terry Blansett presented first providing an overview of the presentation Army Community Services provides to civilians of Army 101. Army 101 is presented throughout the year the next presentation being on May 31, 2011 at the Fort Carson Community Service building. It includes a review of military Terms, Acronyms and Chain of Command; Community Resources and Benefits as well as Entitlements; Expectations and Military Culture; TBI and PTSD; and, a Windshield Tour of Fort Carson. This presentation was provided to the Colorado Springs Police to provide them a greater understanding of the Army.
http://www.carson.army.mil/acap/acap.htm
There are a number of beneficial programs that Army Community Services offers to soldiers. They include:
Domestic Relations Programs - boot camp for dads; domestic abuse, exceptional family member program (special needs), new parent support programs, marriage enrichment, relocation readiness.
Soldier and Family Assistance Program - Wounded Warriors, transportation, counselors, transition from active to civilian
Outreach Program - surviving spouses
Warrior Family Community Services Program
Military Family Life Program - counseling for couples, individuals and family; all are "off the record" no records kept, will meet in neutral public place providing for anonymity to anyone seeking counseling.
Val Hoyt presented on "Why to Military Families Need Community. She provided the web sites for both Fort Carson http://www.carson.army.mil and Peterson AFB http://www.peterson.af.mil These links can provide information the the support services each base offers the soldiers and their families.
Val also detailed what the individual churches can do and how to approach the military and their families. The key points Val offered for any individual church community to seek out and provide services to the soldiers and their families were:
Learn to recognize Military Families - Visitor information, look for single moms/dads, honor those who serve by having them stand, reserved seating for military and families, designate a military ministry leader or person at each service.
Have Community Building Events - Monthly family potlucks, picnics, barbecues, weekend retreats, girls night out pot luck; Support Groups, Activity groups, Online Fellowship Groups - i.e. Facebook, Thank you lunches, dinners on Armed Forces Day/Memorial Day/Independence Day/Veterans Day, Host Families for Military Families.
Learn About Events and Happening in your community
Reach Out - advertise, personal invites, non-threatening events - offer scholarships for military families (socials, potlucks, ladies teas, luncheons, father/son outings, welcome home parties - any opportunities to connect without feeling judged or obligated.
Partner with Other Organizations- small organization, local organization to have regular gatherings
Learn About Military Organizations - in your area
Val emphasized the that military members NEED to be with like others. Often, they need to know that there are others going through similar struggles and with whom they can relate and share resources. The military find it hard to ask for help. Organizations seeking to provide services need to be proactive. They DO NOT want to feel segregated. It is a fine line to walk for any organization seeking to offer such support services.
The last presenter was Abby Mortenson, Community Coordinator for TESSA. Abby explained the programs TESSA offers (doesn't stand for anything - just the name). http://tessacs.org Tessa's mission is to help women and their children achieve safety and well-being while challenging communities to end sexual and family violence. They do three things:
1. Provide immediate safety for women, children and other victims escaping abuse.
2. Empower survivors through programs and support such as advocacy and counseling.
3. Create a safer future through education and outreach to schools, businesses, and other organizations.
Domestic violence and sexual assault are not an easy topics to address, but with 1 in 6 households affected by domestic violence, and 1 in 4 women in Colorado becoming victims of sexual assault, it is a prevalent social ill that our friends, neighbors, and coworkers face every day.
TESSA provides 45-minute brown-bag appropriate training sessions for businesses, churches, and other organizations. Participants gain a deeper understanding about the prevalence of domestic violence, its impact on the workplace and on the community as a whole. Topics include how to recognize and respond to domestic violence, domestic violence laws and definitions, how to craft a workplace policy inclusive of employee safety from such violence.
No comments:
Post a Comment