Eagle BELVOIR
Barracuda basketball Pages A7 and B2
February 15, 2018
www.belvoireagleonline.com
Community recognizes ongoing partnership with Belvoir By Adrienne Anderson Staff writer Fort Belvoir, Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce, and community partners gathered for an annual breakfast that honored their partnerships Feb. 8, at Belle Haven Country Club. The event culminated in a covenant signing, showing continued interest in growing their relationships with each other. “We appreciate the strong support you are giving to all of our active-duty military members, their families, veterans and retirees,” said Lt. Col. Chris Tomlinson, Fort Belvoir Garrison commander. “In working with our community partner, particularly the Chamber of Commerce, it’s important to the success of our overall mission at Fort Belvoir.” Using opportunities to work with the local community is something Belvoir highly values, he said. “It’s that continued bond and friendship and community engagement that serves as a driving force keeping Fort Belvoir the premiere Army installation in the National Capital Region,” Tomlinson said. The installation has seen enor-
Photos by Paul Lara
Col. Christopher Tomlinson, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Belvoir commander, left, and Fairfax County Supervisor for the Mount Vernon District, Dan Storck, renew the covenant between Fort Belvoir and the Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce, Feb. 8 to build strong communities that support our military Service members and their families. mous growth over the last decade, with a diversity of mission partners, construction on Route 1, and a new
Col. Christopher Tomlinson, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Belvoir commander, speaks to the Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce before renewing the Community Covenant, Feb. 8 at Belle Haven Country Club.
elementary school, commissary and fire station, he said. With the new elementary school, Fort Belvoir Elementary Campus, Karen Corbett Sanders, a member of Fairfax County School Board, said Belvoir was established as a place for training and education, and now holds the largest elementary school in Fairfax County. “Here in Fairfax County, we believe that we have a covenant with our families and our children to provide a world-class education, she said. “So, to have such a premiere learning institution on Fort Belvoir … that exemplifies the covenant that Mount Vernon has with Fort Belvoir.” Belvoir houses more than 10,000 families, and more than 50,000 people work at Fort Belvoir each day, Tomlinson said. The overall economic impact the installation has on Northern Vir-
ginia is $14 billion, he added. He also thanked the business community for helping veterans who are transitioning to the civilian world. “I strongly believe that companies that make the commitment to employ these outstanding men and women, many of whom sustained life-altering injuries, sends an unwavering message to all those who volunteered to make the ultimate sacrifice,” Tomlinson said. Mount Vernon Supervisor Dan Storck said he always appreciated and values the covenant because of its focus on community. “This is natural for the chamber, natural for all of us to, at least once a year, honor those relationships, honor those partnerships, honor those things that make us better and help us become more than what we would otherwise be on our own,” he said.
Save the dates! All these events are open to everyone. Presidents’ Day gate closures Pence, Telegraph and Walker gates are closed Weekends and holidays, Including Monday
Bridge closure Dogue Creek Bridge Mount Vernon Road near Walker Gate closed for bridge-design inspection 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Feb. 23
Wedding Fair, Bridal Show Feb. 24, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. O’ Club, $10 per person Gifts, giveaways 703-780-0930
Military Saves Week Annual campaign Feb. 26 – March 3 Complete story, page A5