John Curry, deputy to the garrison commander, speaks to counselors about Fort Gordon’s priority, families. Charmain Z. Brackett About 100 guidance counselors from Richmond, Columbia and Aiken County schools gathered at Fort Gordon’s Child, Youth and School Services complex Jan. 27 to discover ways to help the military children in their schools.

“A lot of our students have a military parent,” said Maggie Flavin, who splits her time as a guid- ance counselor at A. Brian Merry Elementary School and John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School.

John Curry, Fort Gord deputy to the garri- son commander, welcomed the counselors and gave them a little insight into life at Fort Gordon.

“We have a wide variety of organizations with very important missions that are criticaltonationalintere sts,” he said. “It’s very important we take care of the kids. They are a numb er one priority in Fort Gordon’s mind, a number one priority for those org anizations, and a number one priority in families.”

Caring for the Soldier begins with caring for the Soldiers’ families, he said.

“The mission has to happen. With all that said and done, there is a high priority for youth,” he said.

In addition to hearing from Curry, the counselors toured the CYSS complex and attended a training session with a military family life consultant. Also, they perused an in- formational fair with Fort Gordon organization’s providing reference mat erials such as brochures and DVDs.

Frances Maxwell with Army Community Serv ice said the educators had cleaned her out of the materials she brought with her. Among the items she had at her table were the welcome packets ACS provides for families re- locating to Fort Gordon. In addition, she had DVDs with Sesame Street chara cters which help children deal with deployment is- sues.

Sharon Beaver, one of Fort Gordon’s school liaison officers, said the event was planned bec ause of the feedback they’d received from area schools.

“They wanted to come to Fort Gordon,” she said.

Flavin, who is in the Army Reserves, said that the event was beneficial.

She said she didn’t know a lot about the Army Family Covenant and was pleased to learn more.