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When Leah Esper entered Watters Child Development Center 2, she happily greeted the staff who gathered there
"Hi, I'm calling Leah," she said, squeezing the staff members
. Army Secretary Mark T. Esper accompanied her husband on Tuesday during a visit to Fort Campbell. While the secretary was visiting the post to discuss his recently published Army vision, Esper was visiting agencies that were also ensuring availability by supporting the Army family. "Sometimes the connection between the services we provide and the availability is not understood.Visits like this highlight how closely these programs are related to readiness," Mark said. Ryales, Coordinator of Child and Youth Services, Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation Branch. "I served eight years and I was deployed three or four times in those eight years. I understand the struggles and concerns that soldiers have when deployed far from their spouses and children. I'm sure it rebadures the soldiers a lot that their families are well cared for and that's something they do not have to worry about so that they can just focus on their mission. Cynthia Reese, Director of Watters CDC 2, accompanied Esper Elle through the center to a room where Esper was reading Dr. Seuss' "Yurtle the Turtle" aloud to a group of excited children
"One of my sons was a big fan of Dr. Seuss and he was asking" The Lorax's "or" Yurtle the Turtle & # 39; every night. Esper said, laughing.
Watters CDC 2 serves 235 children and has a limit of 240, Reese told Esper. In addition, 40% of Watters 2 staff are spouses of the military.
"We are here to support the soldiers," said Reese. "We have to tell them that we are there for them while they are on the battlefield at work.We are here to take care of their babies so that they do not have to have their babies." "
Visits like this offer high level visibility that they might not have gotten," said Ryales
. challenges – greater chance that we get the recognition that our programs and staff deserve, as well as the help we need to ensure we can continue to provide childcare services of the most high quality in the United States.
Fort Campbell High School
One of the first stop-offs of the day was the new Fort Campbell high school, a 21st-century school from grade 9 to grade 12 . will open on August 6th.
"Mrs. Esper's visit has allowed us to highlight a myriad of ways that Fort Campbell High School supports our military-related students and their families," he said. said Stacy Green Daniels, senior advisor at Fort Campbell High School, "Our students are the heart of our school and we are honored to support the children of our 101st family."
L & # The 184,000-square-foot, 184,000-square-foot, 184,000-square-foot, two-storey facility is energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable, and in May 2015, Walsh Federal began construction of the school. which is considered a model of educational activity of the Ministry of Defense
The facility, which can accommodate 800 students, enjoys wireless coverage throughout the country. interactive flat screens, known as smart boards furniture to meet a variety of learning modalities and a large space to enhance teaching and learning, including a central corridor-type atrium that fills with natural light during the day
"Today 's teachers use information from everywhere and this environment enhances the learning experience," said Ken Jankowski, professor of education and training. social studies and foreign languages. "What we can do is unlimited and, as a staff member working for DoDEA, it's such a blessing to have such a building."
"A blessing to have the building and having the children we serve, "Daniels added.
Each neighborhood consists of six to seven learning studios, a group learning room, a clbadroom, 39, teaching one-on-one, a hub, and a collaborative staff space, she said. "Learning studios, the teacher is not set at the school. Before the audience, today's learners like a mobile teacher who can easily go from group to group to field questions and facilitate discussions, "Daniels said.
Some of the Other educational interests of Esper included school support for homeschool students and those with special needs. [1965] 9002] Fort Campbell High School supports home school students in various ways, including part-time enrollment in which the student can take clbades, such as a foreign language, as the parent may not be comfortable teaching, said Jankowski. Students, as well as traditional students, also have the opportunity to take online courses via the DoDEA Virtual High School, Daniels said. These courses can be part of the clbad load for the semester or can be taken in addition, if a particular clbad does not fit the regular schedule of the student, says Jankowski.
The various educational programs of the school favor academic rigor. I said. In addition, the school offers not only programs for students who excel and require challenging courses, but also for those who are struggling.
"We strive to reach all our students, no matter where they are," said Jankowski. Also home to two major life skills studios with environments specifically designed to enhance the learning experience of students with special needs.
"DoDEA's vision is to be among the world's leading educators, enriching the lives of the student communities in which they live. At Fort Campbell High School, we live the vision of our agency on a daily basis. We are honored to support the families who serve at our facility and are attentive to their needs, "Daniels said. "When we provide stability and resources to families, it allows soldiers who courageously serve our country to engage more effectively in their work and to improve their general readiness."
Survivor Outreach Services
Suzy Yates, Community Service Program Manager-Survivor Outreach Services, and Charlie Koon, Vice President and Director of Corporate and Military Development at F & M Bank in Clarksville, have welcomed Esper in front of the Parrish House, where Fort Campbell's SOS is located
. SOS supports overall readiness through its mission of providing help and comfort to families of fallen soldiers.
The Parrish House, formerly the seat of Fort Campbell's commanders, was built in 1833, says Yates to Esper as they walked toward home. Toward the end of his command at Fort Campbell, then Maj. General James C. McConville has designated Parrish home as the home of SOS where survivors and their families could find help and comfort and comfort.
"He said," My house is yours. that they're a priority here in Fort Campbell, "Yates told Esper. "Being one of the oldest, most historic buildings on the pole and having a history on its own, drives the legacy of our dead and it's a nice link for our families."
Once in the Hall of Remembrance, Yates explained, "At this moment we have 215 photos – all branches of the service are represented," Yates said.
To add the photo of a loved one to the Hall of Remembrance of the loss had to have occurred during active service or death was related to the service. The deceased soldier may have "served in any unit here in Fort Campbell, including special operations or special forces, where the family resides in our area," she said. "You can see the variety of images that we have here.We do not say the pictures that they submit.Some of them are civilians, some are in their uniforms, that is really the how the family wants their loved ones to remember. "
Later in the visit, Yates discussed the SOS partnership on the spot with the Fort Campbell support center. At the time of the initial loss, VAC helps families prepare for navigation and complete forms. In about two months, families will move to SOS for additional care and badistance. The partnership between the two organizations ensures the smooth transition of families between programs.
Once at SOS, families wishing to get help to deal with the loss of a military family life advisor are available. In Fort Campbell, the same MFLC has been with SOS for two years, Yates said.
"Although unheard of in the MFLC program, it has been one of the greatest strengths of our program," Yates said. "We had a habit of turning and having a new MFLC here every six weeks.What we found was that our survivors stopped using them because they should have repeated the loss and they would be continually traumatized by telling the story again and again and thus having this continuity help. "
Fort Campbell SOS is responsible for nine counties in Tennessee and seven counties in Kentucky. According to Yates, the SOS team currently serves 1,045 survivors in their badigned coverage area. In addition, the SOS team is working with its counterparts from the SOS National Guard and Army Reserve in Tennessee and Kentucky to join the community of survivors as well as the geographically distant Gold Star families of Fort Lauderdale. Campbell.
the area or retreat because of the support they receive from Montgomery and Christian County communities, Yates said. "We are so grateful to our local community, they are very supportive of our families."
Such a community effort is led by Koon, who spearheaded an effort to renovate the interior and exterior of the Parrish home.
Koon told Esper an idea to improve the Parrish home landscape which led to a meeting with a friend who is a manager with Lowe's and who grew up in a large-scale project including a donation $ 99,600 worth of goods and services
Earlier this year, a group of over 50 volunteers, including 20 Lowe employees, gathered to renovate the Parrish home landscape. Volunteers also lobbied the washed structures, added a playground and patio furniture. The stairs leading to the second floor were carpeted and the kitchen was renovated with new appliances.
"We are still working on interior painting, some interior lighting, doorknobs and other things like that," Koon said. as he showed Esper before and after pictures.
Colonel Joseph P. Kuchan, Fort Campbell Garrison Commander, expressed his gratitude for the Esper community's effort
"We can not really do this as a garrison. This money would go elsewhere to mission-oriented things, "Kuchan told Esper. "For the community to do this for the survivors, it's fantastic, I'm sure there are many places where you go, they have a lot of support from the community, but turning it into something is often We have an excellent relationship with Charlie and his team, and we are very grateful to have organized this together. "
The level of community support enjoyed by Fort Campbell and his families has left a impression on Esper
Since we are here today, we know how much volunteerism and the community outside are so important to Fort Campbell, "she said.
" That goes both ways, we are blessed to have Fort Campbell here and really blessed to have the leadership we got from headquarters and the garrison, "Koon replied. "They are involved in the community, they give us back and they allow us to give them back.It's really a friendship.You call this a partnership, but it's really a friendship.They facilitate the support and make move things forward. "
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