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ATLANTA - Third Army soldiers and Families have begun preparations for the closure of Fort McPherson, Ga. Sept. 15, 2011.
Spc. Valeria Tikhonova, a Third Army video-teleconference scheduler from Homestead, Fla., expressed her concerns with the move.
“I’m most concerned with good schools and good areas to live for my 10-year-old daughter,” Tikhonova said.
Tikhonova is also concerned about her husband.
“My husband has a job as a [Department of Defense] Civilian. If he can get another job, I will be happy.”
Tikhonova, who holds a master’s degree in Criminal Justice from American Military University, also wonders about the education opportunities near Shaw AFB so that she may complete her doctorate.
Third Army operations are scheduled to continue uninterrupted throughout the next year while relocating to Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.
“Soldiers need to start thinking of it as a priority right now,” said Sgt. Maj. David White, office of strategic relocation sergeant major. “The timeline is shrinking, and before you know it, May will be here, and that first migration is going to move.”
The movement to Shaw is in compliance with the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure requirements; therefore, senior Third Army leaders have prepared a detailed plan to keep their soldiers and families informed.
“We want everyone to be informed. That’s what we’re here for,” said Sgt. Maj. William Hagzan, personnel and manpower sergeant major for Third Army.
“If Soldiers have a question, they need to come and ask us,” Hagzan said. “I can tell you what the plan is.”
Some Army families have already made the move.
"We absolutely love it here,” said Staff Sgt. Jimmy S. Blackwell, noncommissioned officer in charge of operations for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Third Army.
“The people are so friendly and the community has gone out of their way to ensure all our needs are met,” Blackwell said. “What we like most is the small, home-town atmosphere. It reminds me of where I grew up. We are planning on retiring here next year."
Relocation tasks will be organized into four phases – shaping, pre-move, capability migrations and closure.
Shaping, closure and pre-move tasks will primarily involve Third Army leaders at the office of strategic relocation.
Movement will be organized into a torch party, advance party, a main body of four capability migration windows and a trail party.
Most soldiers will execute movement during the capability migration windows.
Shaping is scheduled from Aug. to Nov. of this year. Pre-move operations are in place now and are scheduled to continue through April, 2011. Capability migrations are scheduled from May through Aug. Closure activities are scheduled from June through Oct., and the trail party is scheduled to move from Aug. to Sept.
Specific activities will be more defined when the migration windows draw closer.
Third Army leaders expect every one of their soldiers to be a part of the move — even soldiers who will be moving to somewhere other than Shaw AFB.
“Every Third Army soldier will be going,” White said.
He has guidance even for those leaving Third Army.
“You’ve still got to do transportation,” White said. “They need to start thinking about getting in a mind frame of ‘PCSing’ [Permanent Change of Station] somewhere right now. It may not be to Shaw, but you’re going somewhere.”
White also has guidance for Third Army leaders.
“We want directors to put the right people in the right migration windows at the right time,” White said. “Take care of all soldier problems and issues, so that soldiers show up to work ready to go, with a clear head and a clear mind, knowing that if the soldier has a family, that the soldier’s family is taken care of.”
Soldiers and families can call DSN 367-1938 or 404-464-1938 commercial for more information. They may also e-mail Sgt. Maj. Hagzan at william.hagzan@arcent.army.mil.
| Date Taken: | 10.14.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 10.14.2010 06:34 |
| Story ID: | 58070 |
| Location: | ATLANTA, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 116 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
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