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FORT LEE, Va. (Oct. 6, 2016) -- What thought immediately comes to mind when you see the title of the Fort Lee Area Spouses’ Club?
Gossipy ladies at luncheons, perhaps? Or an exclusive social group for wives of high-ranking military leaders on post?
Those stereotypical images of long ago no longer hold true. Spouses’ clubs in military communities these days are all about promoting family morale, building friendships, creating mentorship opportunities, helping others with scholarships and charitable donations, and so much more.
“We are an Army Family, and few organizations reflect that better than the spouses club,” said Kathryn Honsberger, 2016 FLASC president. Her officer husband is an Army Logistics University student who will complete his training in January. When they depart from Fort Lee, club vice president Adrienne Johnson will take the lead role.
“The FLASC mission reflects this message – no military spouse, male or female, should be sitting home alone feeling frustrated by, or alienated from, the community in which they live,” Honsberger noted. “We offer a support network of enlisted and officer spouses with varying degrees of experience. The club also promotes a sense of involvement; opportunities to make new friends and take an active role in making the community better.”
Recalling her first introduction to a military spouses club while stationed in Germany, Honsberger said she was experiencing the usual challenges of an overseas assignment.
“Being overseas is hard for anyone, especially if it’s your first time away from your family,” she said. “I felt the spouses’ club did a great job promoting family activities and a wide array of opportunities to see the country around you. We tried our hardest to become a family with resources to help our adjustment of being in a foreign country away from home. With all the things I had learned and experienced in my journey thus far, I was able to speak to new military spouses and hopefully show them the military journey is how you make it.
“In addition, I find there are so many options for learning new things while getting involved and giving back to the community,” Honsberger continued. “The club helps members build their toolbox of knowledge and experience; things that make them stronger, more resilient and better leaders among the Army Family.”
Long-time FLASC member Susan Loden, who is serving as the club’s secretary this year, said she appreciates the nonprofit organization’s ability to “set the tone” for Army life among young spouses. Her husband, Thomas Loden, retired from the military in 2009 and continues to serve as a government civilian employee here. He actively supports the FLASC activities and community efforts.
“I am always mindful of what it’s like for the youngest spouses in the Army Family,” said Loden, who also serves as the manager of the Army Volunteer Corps here. “What we do as an organization shapes their attitude about military service and builds their ability to endure future challenges of Army life.
“If we can give them a good first experience with the spouse’s group (or any other community service organization), they’re going to take that with them and will be more likely to establish similar connections at future duty stations,” she continued. “They will know how to get hooked into their communities faster and make those transitions and challenges less stressful.”
To facilitate that goal, Loden said the club “makes an extra effort” to reach out to spouses of the Army Logistics University, the Marine Detachment and the Air Force Training Squadron. “There is no difference in their value to Fort Lee,” Loden asserted. “They are part of our family. And if they had a bad experience at their last duty station, we want to turn that around. We want to give them the positive experience they deserve.”
The significance of that mentality from a DOD standpoint should be obvious. Military personnel who are confident their families are being well taken care of are more likely to stay in uniform and perform their duties in an undistracted, efficient manner. With that in mind, and the fact budget constraints are putting a squeeze on long-standing community support services funded by the Army, the FLASC could arguably be described as a force enabler.
“It’s kind of awesome when you think about it that way,” said Honsberger, “but honestly, I see it more as keeping a tradition alive. Spouses groups are almost as old as the Army itself. We have a legacy of taking care of our own.”
The FLASC leaders reiterated their group is open to spouses of all ranks and services, both active and retired military as well as government civilians. “We’d love to see more male spouses join us and even become possible members of our board,” Honsberger noted. “That’s the best way to totally eliminate those lingering “stereotypes” of it being a ‘women’s group,’ and encourage a wider variety of individuals to consider membership.”
Routine club activities include a luncheon on the third Tuesday of each month featuring a guest speaker and, oftentimes, an entertaining theme to increase the fun along with the information value. In September, FLASC members showed up with school supplies that were donated to the junior and senior high schools in Prince George County. The guest speaker discussed fall decorating.
“My challenge to any spouses in our community who have not had the FLASC experience is to join us at a luncheon and sit at any table of their choosing,” Honsberger said. “You’re going to feel welcome, and will encounter individuals who are ready to share their experiences, whether it’s a few years with the military or a 15-20-year journey.
“You’re going to hear conversations like ‘have you tried out this restaurant?’ or ‘this agency may be able to help you,’” she continued. “That’s what I’m talking about when I describe this as a mentorship opportunity. There are no barriers either. Unlike the past, you’re not going to hear comments like, ‘I can’t talk to you because your spouse is only a captain.’ As spouses, we’re on a level field when it comes to helping each other.”
In the community support arena last year, FLASC gave $14,000 in scholarships to graduating high-schoolers and military spouses in continuing education programs. The money was raised through events like the Pineapple Express 5K Fun Run conducted in conjunction with Kenner Army Health Clinic each April. FLASC fundraisers also include holiday giftwrapping at the Exchange, and the club operates a Thrift Shop on post that sells second-hand items. The shop is open Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m., and Thursdays from 4:30 - 7 p.m. It is closed on Monday, Tuesday, Saturday, Sunday and all holidays.
To learn more about FLASC activities or establish contact with its members, visit www.fortleeareaspousesclub.com or https://www.facebook.com/fortleeareaspousesclub.
| Date Taken: | 10.06.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 10.06.2016 11:02 |
| Story ID: | 211428 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 156 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, The club: behind fundraisers, social gatherings lies a group dedicated to caring for spouses, by Lesley Atkinson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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