ACS welcomes new volunteer coordinator

Photo By Rachel Larue | Kathryn Feehan, new volunteer coordinator for Army Community Services, poses for a photograph in her office in Building 201 on the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall. (Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall PAO photo by Rachel Larue)  

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, VA, UNITED STATES

12.11.2014

Story by Julia LeDoux 

Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall

JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, Va. - Army Community Service on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall welcomed a new volunteer coordinator to its staff earlier this month.

Kathryn Feehan, a native of Little Rock, Arkansas, and wife of an active duty Soldier, began work on the joint base Dec. 1. She also manages the Army Family Action Plan and Army Family Team Building on JBM-HH.

“We just moved to the area back in June, we PCSed [permanent change of station] from Fort Shafter, Hawaii. It’s been kind of fun wearing scarves again,” she said with a laugh.

Feehan holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and has a variety of experience in the family resource field. She said she understands the struggle that military spouses face when looking for a job as they follow their service members from duty station to duty station. While stationed overseas, Feehan said she had a difficult time finding employment in her career field and making new friends.

“I think a lot of military spouses have been in that situation,” she said. “I was also in a career field that wasn’t prevalent in that area.”

Feehan said that led her to begin volunteering with ACS as an Army Family Team Building instructor.

“That helped me meet new people and build my resume,” she said. “And, I can’t stress this enough. I would not be in this position today if I had not volunteered way back then. I don’t see how it would have happened.”

Feehan said people may not realize how important volunteers are to the military community. She said organizations like chapels, scouts, holiday toy drives and even the Army Ten-Miler are fueled by the efforts of volunteers.

“In this economic environment right now where government funding is being cut, volunteers are going to play an even more important role,” she said.

And for those who may be sitting on the fence about volunteering, Feehan said to give her a call at ACS at 703-696-3510. Potential volunteers can also search myarmyonesource.com for volunteer opportunities.

“There’s an opportunity for everybody,” she said. “Volunteering is not only a way to benefit your community, it’s a way to benefit your own life.”

• Date Taken: 12.11.2014
• Date Posted: 12.17.2014 16:35
• Story ID: 150579
• Location: JOINT BASE MYER-HENDERSON HALL, VA, US
• Hometown: LITTLE ROCK, AR, US