Today, formally, your Army pledges to do more. 

To that end, General Casey, Sergeant Major of the Army Preston, and I,
on behalf of our Army, have signed a covenant with Army Families –


With this Covenant:

We recognize the commitment and increasing sacrifices that our Families are making every day.

 We recognize the strength of our Soldiers comes from the strength of their Families.

 We are committed to providing Soldiers and Families a Quality of Life
that is commensurate with their service.

    We are committed to providing our Families a strong, supportive environment where they can thrive.

We are committed to building a partnership with Army Families
that enhances their strength and resilience.

 We are committed to improving Family readiness by:

o Standardizing and funding existing Family programs and services;

o Increasing accessibility and quality of health care;

o Improving Soldier and Family housing;

o Ensuring excellence in schools, youth services, and child care;

o Expanding education and employment opportunities for Family members.

I ask each of you to join your Army in committing to the principles of this Covenant.

Our All Volunteer Force, Soldiers and Army Families – these few deserve the support of us all, the many.

Images

MG Durbin signs the Army Family Covenant at a ceremony in October at Fort Riley

Army Community Covenant is next step

The Army recently released information about the Army Community Covenant which is designed to develop and foster effective state and community partnerships with the Army in improving the quality of life for Soldiers and their Families, both at their current duty stations and as they transfer from state to state.

The Army Community Covenant is tailored at the local level, with leaders at both local and state levels participating in covenant signings, planned between April and December 2008, recognizing the strength of Army Soldiers and their Families and the support of their local Community.

Fort Riley will host an ACC signing later in the year and will invite representativies from all 22 communities in the Greater Fort Riley area to participate.  Tentatively set for August 20, both Gov. Sebelius and the Secretary of the Army are expected to attend.  Keep checking for further details as they develop.