Soldiers, families receive valuable info at pre-deployment fair
A Soldier and his family receive information from one of the many Army program representatives available at the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, pre-deployment fair July 11. Photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph Wilbanks, 1st BCT, 1st AD Public Affairs.
Staff Sgt. Joseph Wilbanks,
1st BCT, 1st AD Public Affairs:
The 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, held a pre-deployment fair at Sgt. Joshua W. Soto Physical Fitness Center July 11 through Friday.
The pre-deployment fair is a gathering of representatives of Army programs and other civilian vendors designed to inform and help the Soldiers’ families before they deploy.
Along with the civilian vendors, booths representing Army Community Service, the Red Cross, Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers, Better Opportunities for Single Parents, Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, and Southwest Adventures were present. These booths offered a variety of pamphlets and fliers explaining the programs and provided phone numbers and building numbers.
The real benefit is the counseling and providing Soldiers and their families help while they are deployed, said Pfc. Kelsey Lawrence, a clerk with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 501st Brigade Support Battalion, 1st BCT.
One dual military family Soldier found the briefings to be especially helpful.
“Since me and my husband will be deployed together, TRICARE is going to be very important because I have a 3-month-old,” said Spc. Ashley Edwards, a clerk with HHC, 501st BSB, whose parents will be keeping her child while she is deployed.
These questions can weigh heavily on Soldiers and their families when a deployment is looming, and this is why 1st BCT holds these events.
First BCT is planning to hold another pre-deployment fair before the upcoming deployment to service all the Soldiers and family members unable to attend this one.
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