Welcome to the March issue of the Paraglide - Fort Bragg’s premier source for information

Courtesy Photo | Col. Scott Pence, Fort Bragg Garrison Commander  

FORT BRAGG, NC, UNITED STATES

02.28.2022

Courtesy Story

Fort Liberty Garrison Public Affairs Office

March is Women’s History Month and stands as a reminder of the strength the Army has gained and will gain through having a high-quality and diverse all-volunteer force. It honors and celebrates the struggles and achievements of American women throughout the history of the United States.

Army diversity is about knowing who our people are, understanding the value individuals bring and optimizing what they offer to build high performing and cohesive teams. Women make up 16% of the regular Army, the Army National Guard and Army Reserve, and 36% of the Army’s civilian workforce.

In 2016 and 2017, I had the honor of overseeing the first female armor officers as they joined the 82nd Airborne Division. They were among the very best officers in my squadron and they continue to serve in professionally developing roles throughout the Army. Their inclusion into the combat arms has been a welcome addition, expanding our diversity of knowledge and capabilities.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, I unfortunately need to report that our beloved Fort Bragg All American Half Marathon will be virtual again this year. This is an unfortunate situation, but hopefully the last year it will need to be virtual. Runners can still register for the virtual 13.1 mile run at https://bragg.armymwr.com/programs/all-american-races. I ran along the route of the future Liberty Trail spread over two days last weekend and enjoyed the experience. I especially enjoyed the new Liberty Park and the new trails in Willow Lakes Park.

Investing in parks and trails is a small community measure in support of the newly published Army Climate Change Strategy. The strategy calls for the Army to slash emissions from buildings, develop an all-electric, non-tactical vehicle fleet by 2035 and implement the placement of a microgrid, an independent energy system that can use many sources of power including renewables at every installation by 2035.

On Fort Bragg, we recently completed installation of our floating solar panel array on Camp Mackall. This 1.1 megawatt system and battery provides additional energy resilience and security to Fort Bragg.

Another Installation Arbor Day Volunteer Event is quickly approaching. It will begin at 9 a.m., March 8 in the 82nd Airborne Division Area. For more information, visit the Volunteer Opportunities Calendar at https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/embed?src=[e-mail]&ctz=America/New_York. If you want to volunteer, you can use the site to find opportunities. If you have a community event and need volunteers, you can have your event added by emailing Mrs. Alice Stephens, Fort Bragg’s Volunteer Coordinator, at [e-mail].

Lastly, I want to take this moment to encourage everyone to contribute to our Army Emergency Relief Fund. Since 1942, AER supported two million Soldiers with nearly $4 billion in financial assistance, including $1 billion since 9/11. AER has over 30 different assistance categories to include rent, medical, unforeseen emergencies and personally owned vehicle repairs. The contribution window kicks off on March 1 and runs through May 13 for Soldiers and civilians. While raising money to fund the AER resources is important, the top priority is making sure Soldiers and Families know they can access them. To find out more about AER and the resources available go to https://www.armyemergencyrelief.org.

This is Our Home: Pitch In. Own It. Be Proud.

• Date Taken: 02.28.2022
• Date Posted: 02.28.2022 13:38
• Story ID: 415428
• Location: FORT BRAGG, NC, US