Photo By Staff Sgt. April Campbell | Marissa Wentling receives a certificate of appreciation from 82nd Airborne Division...... read more read more
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FORT BRAGG, N.C. – With careful precision, the little girl in pink, tops off the ice cream sundae with a swirl of chocolate that is sure to satisfy the waiting staff sergeant’s sweet tooth. By the end of the social, hosted by the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade Family Readiness Group, nine-year-old Marisol Wentling will have served tasty treats to a number of soldiers and families.
For Marisol, whose father Spc. Matthew Wentling, serves in the 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 82nd CAB, pouring the right amount of chocolate syrup is just another way she volunteers her time to support her military family and community.
As a result of the selfless service and extensive volunteerism shown every day by Marisol, her parents, Matthew and Marissa, and her brother, Kaleb, they were named the first runner up, 2013 Association of the United States Army Volunteer Family of the Year, Oct. 22, during the association’s convention in Washington.
The AUSA Volunteer Family of the Year Award is a national honor that recognizes an exceptional Army family whose dedicated volunteer service significantly contributes to improving Army well-being and the well-being of the local community.
“Volunteers mean a lot to our brigade and our families, so it is an honor for the CAB to have the Wentling family recognized,” said Col. Mike Musiol, 82nd CAB, commander. “Their dedication and service is a tribute to their character and their family.”
The Wentlings understand the positive impact their service can have on the community.
“Volunteering is a very important part of our family because we have been given so much,” Marissa said. “We feel like it is what we were called to do.”
Marissa recalls her first encounter with the 82nd CAB when she arrived at Fort Bragg, N.C.
“I actually arrived a few months early while Matt was still in AIT [Advanced Individual Training],” Marissa said. “The unit had no idea we were coming, and I showed up with my orders and left a post-it note on the brigade family readiness support assistant’s door. I wasn’t sure what else to do, but I knew that she would know how to guide me.”
Marissa’s call was returned by Carleen Meckenstock, 82nd CAB FRSA, and the two immediately became friends.
“She was pregnant with her son at the time and because her husband had not officially showed up, we couldn’t get her on the post housing list,” Meckenstock said. “But you could tell she was determined to get her home established and ready for her husband and daughter to arrive.”
Meckenstock and the leadership at HHC, 82nd CAB, helped Marissa find off-10post housing so that she and her family would have a place to stay while they waited for Matthew.
Following their impromptu arrival to Fort Bragg, N.C., the Wentling family established their presence through volunteerism, looking for any way they could to help the brigade and their families, the same way they had been helped.
“We just thought, you have to start somewhere,” Marissa said. “We have been in those situations where we needed help and we feel that if we can help one family and make their lives a little easier using our resources, then we have to do it.”
While juggling work and family, the Wentlings found time to offer their help with Operation Home Front, driving all over North Carolina to collect items that were placed into care packages for deployed troopers.
“Operation Home Front probably is one of the most memorable organizations we have been involved in,” Marissa said. “Our community and the entire state donated so many things that would make life easier for our Soldiers who were down range [deployed].”
The Wentlings also helped coordinate unit events celebrating the Month of the Military Child in 2012 and 2013. During these ceremonies, 82nd CAB children were presented the Military Bold, Resilient, Responsible, Adaptable and Tolerant (B.R.A.T.) Award recognizing their resilience and ability to deal with life changing events.
Lt. Col. William Braman, 3-82 GSAB commander, attended the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3-82 GSAB, Month of the Military Child celebration in April 2013.
“It was really a great opportunity to say “thank you” to those kids who have endured way more than their share of the burden,” Braman said. “We are grateful to the Wentlings and families like theirs who help make events like the Month of the Military Child possible.”
In addition to their volunteerism at their unit, Matthew and Marissa are members of the Veterans of Foreign War and are involved in countless other projects to serve Soldiers and their families around the world. They include their children in these events to help instill a sense of being greater than oneself.
“Instead of trying to find childcare, we take our children with us when we volunteer so they can learn and be a part of it,” Matthew said.
Whether it is serving at a unit FRG event or writing thank you notes to deployed service members, Marisol finds plenty of opportunities to use what her parents have taught her. Even Kaleb, who is only three years old, has found a way to pitch in during the family’s volunteer efforts.
“He helped me put stickers on notes and envelopes that we were putting in care packages to send to troops in Afghanistan,” Marissa said.
With every member of the family involved, the Wentlings have been an important resource for the 82nd CAB and the Fort Bragg community.
“Time is precious and we recognize that it takes our volunteers to help take care of our families,” said Braman. “The Wentling family has gone out of their way to take care of this unit and their community in every way they could. We couldn’t be more proud of them.”
The recognition from AUSA, although much appreciated, does not seem to drive the Wentlings to help others.
“Volunteering means a lot to our family and we do it because we have been there,” Matthew said. “If you know someone in need, then the right thing to do is reach out.”
While the Wentlings have certainly done more than their fare share of reaching out to others, they view the award as one more opportunity to do just that.
“We are a bit overwhelmed and feel honored to be placed in the same category as some who we know give so much more,” Marissa said. “We owe so much to those who have helped us. This award is not ours; it belongs to our unit and our community because without their support we would not be here.”
| Date Taken: | 10.22.2013 |
| Date Posted: | 10.23.2013 13:40 |
| Story ID: | 115602 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 462 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, AUSA honors 82nd CAB family for volunteerism, by SGT April de Armas, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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