Photo By Angie Thorne | Brig. Gen. David S. Doyle (left) speaks with Fort Polk Installation Tax Center...... read more read more
By Christy Graham
Public Affairs and Communications
FORT POLK, La. — The Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk Installation Tax Center, located inside the Home of Heroes Soldier Recreation Center, 2165 Ninth St., held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 21 and began taking appointments Jan. 24.
This free service saved more than 700 customers $167,555 in fees and more than $2 million in state and federal refunds for the 2020 tax season.
Brig. Gen. David S. Doyle, JRTC and Fort Polk commanding general, remarked on the various military occupational specialties among the volunteer staff prior to cutting the ribbon with the help of Staff Judge Advocate Col. Leslie A. Rowley.
The volunteer Soldiers at the Tax Center range from backgrounds in medical fields to combat arms; but each Soldier received specialized training by Internal Revenue Service employees to “ensure the volunteers are prepared to process taxes for Soldiers, retirees and Family members,” said Capt. Terence Prial, Tax Center officer-in-charge.
Doyle next thanked the Soldiers for their volunteerism and told them he was proud of what they were doing for the Fort Polk community. “What you do matters; your work is going to make a big impact on the community,” Doyle said.
Also in attendance at the ceremony was Command Sgt. Maj. Michael C. Henry, JRTC and Fort Polk command sergeant major. Henry reminded the tax center staff that, in their roles, they acted as ambassadors of the installation.
Henry also encouraged the newly trained volunteers to teach their fellow Soldiers some of the things they had learned — to pass on the knowledge as would a leader.
“Part of the reason you were selected is because of your skills and professionalism — remember this and the training as you help each customer and interact with your formations,” he said.
Once the ribbon cutting was complete, Doyle and Henry toured the tax center and the Soldiers explained their roles in the process.
Spc. Trent Alleman, C Company, 1st Battalion, 509th Infantry Regiment, said he processes customers at intake.
“I make copies of their tax documents while the customer completes our intake form. Once this paperwork is done, I hand the file to a tax preparer,” said Alleman.
Due to COVID-19 precautions, customers are asked to leave while their tax return is being prepared. Before the customer is called back into the tax center, their return is reviewed by a second set of eyes for accuracy.
The tax center’s noncommissioned-officer-in-charge, Sgt. Prince Tauvela, 286th Medical Detachment, 32nd Hospital Center, explained the process takes about an hour before the customer is called back to sign their return.
After this, a site coordinator conducts a final review before transmitting the return to the IRS.
Prial said this service is an amazing benefit for Soldiers, Family members and retirees.
“Tax returns can be expensive to have prepared,” said Prial, “so this is just a great way to get them done, and for free.”
Bernadine Lenahan, Soldier and Family Service chief, oversees the tax center and added, “the tax center also assists Soldiers, Family members and retirees in understanding various tax issues, helping them make decisions throughout the year that save them even more money.”
If you would like to set up an appointment, call the tax center at 531-1040.
| Date Taken: | 01.31.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 01.31.2022 14:30 |
| Story ID: | 413728 |
| Location: | FORT POLK, LOUISIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 507 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Installation Tax Center opens, offers free tax filing option, by Angie Thorne, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
