Photo By Carrie Campbell | Sarah Bowen, right, and her daughter, Kaitlyn, pose with a poster honoring their...... read more read more
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REDSTONE ARSENAL, Alabama – The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command is committed to ensuring the families of fallen service members feel they remain part of and important to the U.S. Army Family.
One of the ways the command does that is to host periodic events, such as the fall festival hosted Oct. 5, for family members who are part of Redstone Arsenal’s Survivor Outreach Services.
“SMDC will always be there for our surviving family members, and it's important that we stay committed and that the families always know that they can stay connected with the Army,” said Lt. Gen. Sean Gainey, USASMDC commanding general. “Whether it's through the garrison, through the larger Army, or the Space and Missile Defense Command, we're going to be there to support our families. It's important to me, personally, and it’s important to us as a command.”
The fall festival provided the more than 20 family members with lunch, arts and crafts, K9 and firefighter demonstrations, a cake walk, customized balloon creations, a costume contest, bingo, a scavenger hunt, and plenty of prizes.
Michelle Smith, USASMDC’s SOS coordinator and a program analyst with the Technical Center’s Business Management Directorate’s Financial Management Division, said the command really enjoys planning and sponsoring events for the survivor families.
“It takes a lot of work and logistics, but it is all worth it when we see family members of a fallen Soldier smile or hug you and tell you how much fun they are having during the event,” Smith said. “They always express their gratitude to us for planning an event, but we are the ones who are grateful to their loved ones for serving our great country and having paid the ultimate sacrifice.”
Sarah Bowen is a widowed mother of two who lost her husband, Marine Staff Sgt. Scott Bowen, in May 2016. She has been part of Redstone Arsenal’s SOS community and attended USASMDC and SOS-sponsored events since July 2016.
“I think just the break from everyday life, so to speak, and being around a bunch of people who understand the loss and understand some of what we're going through is important,” Bowen said. “Then there are the people who volunteer and do this for the families, it means a lot to us to know that someone cares and someone doesn't forget the men and women that we've lost, especially our family members.”
Bowen recalled one volunteer spending more than an hour with her son, Christian, at a previous event talking about trains.
“He was so kind and patient with my son, who was younger then,” Bowen said. “He was just so nice and genuine.”
There were more than 40 volunteers helping with the fall festival, and Smith said their contributions made the fall festival a success.
“I really appreciate my SMDC teammates,” Smith said. “Their hard work and determination to ensure every surviving family member had a great time today was our focus, and I believe we achieve that goal.”
Smith said the surviving families are and always will be members of the USASMDC family.
“They have our unwavering support because they are part of our community,” she said. “I look forward to the next event and hope to see even more family members come out to fellowship and enjoy themselves.”
Photos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/armysmdc/albums/72177720320912881
| Date Taken: | 10.05.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.05.2024 21:55 |
| Story ID: | 482608 |
| Location: | REDSTONE ARSENAL, ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 129 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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