Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Kelsey Miller | Ray Munoz, Commander of American Legion Post 335, assists Pvt. 1st Class Seif Gabr in...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas -- Soldiers assigned to the 1st Cavalry Division Artillery Brigade volunteered with their partnered community of Leon County to aid in the construction of an American Legion building in Centerville, Texas, Dec. 13.
This is an ongoing partnership with the community as part of the Army’s community relations initiative.
“We want to make this a true partnership with Leon County where relationships are built and developed,” said Maj. Daniel Chase, the DIVARTY chaplain and the brigade’s community partnership liaison. “We want to become one as a community.”
Several Soldiers from the brigade made their way out to Centerville to help hang sheetrock at the new building. Most of them had no experience with this type of construction, but staffers were on hand to guide them through the process.
“It made me feel good to help out,” said Pfc. Anton Wingfield, one of the Soldiers who volunteered to help with the construction. “It was a good learning experience because I knew very little, but I learned a lot once I got out there. I am definitely willing to go out there and help again.”
According to Wingfield, it is important for service members to build relationships with the community because they rely on each other.
Staff Sgt. Sharidan Smith also went to help and said that the best part for him was getting to help a group of people who had already served their country.
“Just knowing that they have done a lot of things for our country, and being a young person able to help them out was great,” said Smith. “Having these relationships with the community allows us to show them we care even though they are not in the Army anymore.”
Not only was this an opportunity to help out their community, it was also a chance for the Soldiers of DIVARTY to learn a life skill.
“This is something so small that can turn out so big,” said Spc. David Gonzalez, another Soldier who volunteered to help. “The staff was really nice and they were right out there with us with smiles on their faces. After going out there and working with them, I wanted to build my own house.”
Chase said it was amazing to see the Soldiers out there working with the community. Although he cannot speak for them, he did say they seemed to have really gained a lot from the experience.
They seemed to feel a sense of accomplishment when they were finished, he said. Chase said that the Soldiers left having appreciated the opportunity to give back to veterans in the community.
| Date Taken: | 12.13.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 02.01.2019 10:48 |
| Story ID: | 309174 |
| Location: | TX, US |
| Web Views: | 61 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, DIVARTY Troopers lend helping hand, by SFC Kelsey Miller, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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