On July 22 from 11:30 a.m.to 1 p.m. at Freedom Park, Army Community Service will celebrate its’ 45th birthday. Army Community Service offers a wide variety of programs designed to support Soldiers, civilians and their families and has consistently evolved to meet the community’s needs, offering support and assistance.

Programs such as Mobilization and Deployment and the Family Readiness Center assist in educating and preparing Soldiers and families for the rigors of deployments and extensions. Army Family Team Building educates on the Army way of life and personal development. The Outreach Services acts as a liaison between families and Fort Gordon Command. The Family Advocacy, Employment Readiness, and Financial Readiness programs deal with personal life issues, working towards the enhancement and betterment of Army families. ACS also provides Relocation Readiness for those transitioning both in and out of Fort Gordon.

By participating in Army Volunteer Corps, volunteers obtain valuable work experience and opportunities for training to learn new skills, opportunities to increase marketable job skills and to assume responsibility in leadership roles, the enjoyment of meeting and working with a variety of people, the satisfaction of contributing to their community, and recognition for their contributions. The Exceptional Family Member Program helps provide support and the required care for Family members with disabilities and special needs, to better support Soldiers and family members.

The Information and Referral Program provides Commanders, Soldiers, Department of the Army Civilians and their family members with information and referrals regarding military and civilian community resources. The Army has made a commitment to the families of our fallen Soldiers. The purpose of Survivor Outreach Service is to deliver on that commitment by providing access to support , information and services that is closest to the location where the survivor resides. The Soldier and Family Assistance Center strives to provide a supportive environment for Soldiers and family members as they deal with the stress and uncertainty of injury and the effects of war.

On Oct.8, 2007, the Army unveiled the Army Family Covenant, which institutionalizes the Army’s commitment to provide Soldiers and families - active duty, Guard, and Reserve - a quality of life commensurate with their level of service and sacrifice to the Nation. It commits the Army to improve family readiness. On Nov. 5. 2007, Fort Gordon affirmed that commitment.

Fort Gordon signed the Army Community Covenant June 13, 2008, which is designed to foster and sustain effective state and community partnerships with the Army to improve the quality of life for Soldiers and their families.

For more information about any of these valuable resources, call 791-3579 or 1-877-310-5741 or visit www.gordon. army.mil/acs.There are a wealth of programs and facilities available through ACS to help you transition to a new location, handle emergencies, expand your horizons and much more.