New Army Reserve ambassador appointed to Virginia

99th Readiness Division
Courtesy Story

Date: 07.31.2015
Posted: 07.31.2015 08:51
News ID: 171720
New Army Reserve ambassador appointed to Virginia

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. – Maj. Gen. Margaret W. Boor, commanding general of the Army Reserve’s 99th Regional Support Command, has confirmed the appointment by Lt. Gen. Jeffrey W. Talley, Chief, Army Reserve, of M. Isabelle Slifer as a United States Army Reserve Ambassador for Virginia.

M. Isabelle Slifer is a retired teacher and formerly worked as the assistant director for Army Reserve Affairs at the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) from 2005 until 2015.

Slifer is a member of the American Legion, Army Women’s Foundation (Board member), Reserve Officer’s Association, Disabled American Veterans, Veteran’s of Foreign Wars, Blue Star Mothers of America, Military Officers Association of America, Civil Affairs Association and is a charter member of the Women in the Military Service of America Foundation.

Slifer received her Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in secondary education from the State University College at Buffalo, New York. On Sept. 1, 2005, she retired as a lieutenant colonel from the United States Army Reserve as the reserve component branch chief for Personnel Policy Integration, Army G-1, Pentagon.

The Army Reserve Ambassador (ARA) Program was established in April 1998 for private citizens to promote awareness of the Army Reserve and the identified goals and objectives of the Chief, Army Reserve (CAR).

ARAs develop awareness and advocacy with community leaders and are vitally important bridges to communities across the nation. They function at the state and local level and voluntarily represent the CAR without salary, wages or other benefits. Most beneficial is that they provide “continuity” over the long term; while local Army Reserve team leaders come and go, Ambassadors are vested in the community.

Their function is similar to that of Civilian Aides to the Secretary of the Army (CASA), and they carry a protocol status equivalent to a major general.

ARAs educate the public, community leaders and congressional staff offices about the capabilities and value of the AR and its Soldiers. They establish open lines of communication within these communities to help establish mutually supporting relationships with community leaders and community organizations. ARAs promote support for Soldiers and their Families during deployments and play an active role in facilitating community support through “welcome home” ceremonies and the Yellow Ribbon Program.

Not only do they build relationships that improve understanding and awareness of the AR within the business and civilian sectors, they also work with ESGR contacts, Military and Veteran Service Organizations, Employer Partnership Program Support Managers, and Family Readiness Groups on key Soldier and Family issues, including those that may have strategic implications and benefit across the Army Reserve.

While not all ARAs have military experience, many are retired officers or senior non commissioned officers who wish to remain engaged in military affairs. Each state and territory has at least one ARA.

For more information, visit http://www.usar.army.mil/community/ambassadors/Pages/default.aspx.