Eagle BELVOIR
Little League season opener honors Coach Bill, Page A7
April 19, 2018
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Volunteers honored, work valued at nearly $5 million By Adrienne Anderson Staff writer Fort Belvoir honored its volunteers with a lunch, Friday at the Community Center, as part of National Volunteer Week. Volunteers’ work over the year had a value of $4,877,684. This year’s theme is “Army volunteers: we salute you.” Organizations honored included the Belvoir Thrift Shop, an independent nonprofit organization that was established in 1950. The money it raises by selling donated goods goes back to the community in scholarships and grants. Last year, the thrift shop gave out more than $77,000 in grants and scholarships and more than $45,000 in consignment checks to Belvoir families. The Belvoir Bowhunters were also honored for their service helping MWR’s Outdoor Recreation. Other organizations honored included the Army Geospatial Intel-
Photo by Paul Lara
Some Fort Belvoir volunteers pose after the Volunteer Appreciation Lunch last week. Collectively, they and many others volunteered for more than 2,000 hours, for a total savings to Fort Belvoir of nearly $5 million. ligence Battalion Family Readiness Group; Army Community Service; Fort Belvoir Tax Center; Fort Belvoir chapel volunteers, MWR coaches and Fort Belvoir library volunteers. Lt. Col. Christopher Tomlinson, Fort Belvoir garrison commander, thanked the more than 2,000 Bel-
voir volunteers for their service to the community. “We are so grateful for all that you do. Please know the importance of each of you in this room and the value of your contributions,” he said. “All of those contributions have been making a real difference in the countless lives in our com-
munity, on and off the installation.” The organizations honored played a critical role at Fort Belvoir and contribute to Belvoir’s mission readiness. Volunteers “demonstrate a generosity of spirit, which reflects the highest values and traditions of our military and defines what makes our military families and communities strong,” Tomlinson said, adding that volunteers help the military extend its resources. “Without volunteerism, the Army could not provide the level of quality of programs that it does today,” he said. “The importance of volunteers cannot be overstated, especially as we continue to face increasingly difficult fiscal challenges.” For information on volunteer opportunities on post, contact Laureen DuPree, volunteer programs manager at ACS, 571-231-7001, laureen.t.dupree.civ@mail.mil; or visit armyonesource.com.
Acquisition executive visits PEO Soldier on Belvoir By Marissa Cruz PEO Soldier Public Affairs Bruce Jette, Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology) visited PEO Soldier April 11. Jette serves as the Army Acquisition executive; the senior procurement executive; the science adviser to the Secretary of the Army; and the Army’s senior research and development official. Beyond a PEO Soldier portfolio overview for Jette, Brig. Gen. Anthony “Tony” Potts led a discussion of how the PEO provides support to the Army Cross-Functional Teams, or CFTs. “Even though we (PEO Soldier) are one of the smallest portfolios, we are involved in every single CFT in the Army,” Potts said. Col. Ed Barker, PM Soldier Warrior; Col. Chris Schneider, PM Soldier Sensors and Lasers; and Col. Stephen Thomas, PM Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment, described their
work on network and lethality CFTs, in particular. They explained they are able to take on these responsibilities, beyond those in their PEO Soldier portfolio, thanks to their strong deputy support in the PEO. During his visit, Jette received an overview briefing of PEO Soldier capabilities, including the Warrior Integration Site, Nett Warrior and Soldier Power. Jette even got fitted for the Tactical Communication and Protective System, which provides Soldiers concurrent hearing protection and auditory situational awareness. He also received briefings on the modular handgun system, Enhanced Night Vision Goggle III and Family of Weapon Sight-Individual. Jette then led the quarterly PEO Soldier Leadership Professional Development. Jette has previously served in PEO Soldier and at the Rapid Equipping Force, so the visit was a homecoming of sorts.
Submitted photo
Maj. Gary M. Keller of PM Soldier Warrior gives a Soldier Power briefing to Bruce Jette, Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology).
Save the dates! Highway cleanup
All-Army Softball tryouts
Bi-annual Career Fair
Saturday, 8:30-10:30 a.m. Meet at Candlewood Suites 8847 Richmond Highway 703-360-6925
For men and women Saturday 4 p.m. Graves Softball Fields
April 26, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Community Center ronald.g.adams2.civ@mail.mil or Laureen.t.dupree.civ@mail.mil
Kids/teen fests
April 28, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Markham School Age Center and Youth Center Games, prizes, crafts, food Free