Photo By Chad Menegay | Col. James D. Hoyman, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Gregg-Adams Commander, provides opening...... read more read more
Retired service members local to Fort Gregg-Adams are not forgotten.
To prove as much, installation leadership and the Retiree Council hosted the annual Fort Gregg-Adams Retiree Appreciation Day Sept. 30, 2023 for the first time in-person since 2019 under the direction of the Directorate of Human Resources at the Soldier Support Center.
Retiree Appreciation Day is an annual event for Army installations to thank and demonstrate continuing appreciation for retired service members’ past service and to foster their support for the military, active-duty service members and their families.
Guest speaker Mark E. Overberg, the Army Retirement Services director, encouraged an audience of about 50 retirees to carry-out the retired community’s mission to ‘hire and inspire’ as a Soldier for life.
“The hire part represents helping veterans find employment,” Overberg said. “There are two parts to the inspiring part of the mission. The first part is inspiring Americans, and the next is inspiring the next generation.”
Overberg argued that a force of over a million retired Soldiers could be used to help solve the U.S. Army’s recruiting problem if that force were more vocal, more visible and more actively recruiting young Americans outside of just their families.
Other speakers who discussed retiree benefits and resources included: Defense Commissary Agency Director/CEO John Hall; U.S. Army Combined Support Command and Fort Gregg-Adams Commanding General Maj. Gen. Mark T. Simerly; U.S. Army Garrison Fort Gregg-Adams Garrison Commander Col. James D. Hoyman; Kenner Army Health Clinic Commander Lt. Col. Shani Thomson-Burkes; and Fort Gregg-Adams Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Acting Director Thomas Green.
These guest speakers provided current information on retiree-specific interests like updates to financial, commissary and healthcare benefits.
“Today is an opportunity for you to get caught-up on what we’re doing and to avail yourselves of services,” Simerly said to the retirees present. “But, I will tell you that the services that are available here today are here in a convenient way just for you, so that’s why it’s helpful for you to come here on this Saturday, but they’re also here for you year-round.”
On Retiree Appreciation Day at Fort Gregg-Adams, retired service members are the only customers for services like ID cards, health screenings and flu shots.
About 13,000 retirees reside within a 40-mile radius of Fort Gregg-Adams according to the Plans, Analysis and Integration Office.
Hoyman and Simerly invited these retirees to continue visiting the installation and using its services.
Installation services are essential to populations both on and off the installation and include: hospital, health clinic, pharmacy, veterinary, shopping, grocery, religious, hunting, events, bowling, restaurants, ID cards center, administration assistance and golf.
Retirees were encouraged to attend upcoming installation events in the coming months such as: Oktoberfest, Thanksgiving meal and Grand Illumination.
Vendors were present with informational table displays and interacted with retirees, providing information on numerous programs and resources available to retirees, including higher education, insurance and healthcare.
This event not only celebrates retirees’ military service and encourages interaction between active and retired service members, it also provides a vehicle for keeping them connected and allowing their voices to be heard.
The event was open to all military retirees, their spouses and military retiree surviving spouses.
| Date Taken: | 09.30.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 09.30.2023 15:28 |
| Story ID: | 454782 |
| Location: | FORT GREGG-ADAMS, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 101 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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