Soldiers for life: Fort Cavazos hosts 49th Retiree Appreciation Days

FORT CAVAZOS, Texas - Fort Cavazos held its 49th annual Retiree Appreciation Days Oct. 25-26, providing retirees with socials, resources and services.

The Retirement Services Office worked with the Command Sgt. Maj. Elijah King, Jr. Retiree Council and other organizations on post to host the two-day event, which featured a golf scramble, evening social, county fair, 1st Cavalry Division Horse Cavalry Detachment demonstration, and health, legal and ID card services.

"It's an honor to stand here today," said Lt. Gen. Kevin D. Admiral, commanding general of III Armored Corps and Fort Cavazos, at the opening ceremony at the Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center. "I want to extend my gratitude for your brave service. You defended freedom and carried forth the values of loyalty, duty and selfless service. The dedication that shaped your lives is also the strength of our Army today.

"The Army would not be what it is today without those of you who served first, who paved the way for us to better serve and protect our nation," he added. "Therefore, it is the least we can do to provide these events and resources to assist you all in your lives and honor you for your service."

Retirees from not only the Army, but other branches of the military were in attendance, as well as Col. Lakicia Stokes, U.S. Army Garrison-Fort Cavazos commander; Maria Bentinck, director of Army Retirement Services; city of Killeen Mayor Debbie Nash-King; and the Command Sgt. Maj. Elijah King, Jr. Retiree Council.

During the ceremony, retired Master Sgt. Lori Spencer was recognized as the Fort Cavazos Retiree of the Year, while the retiree council's previous chairman, retired Brig. Gen. Oscar R. Anderson, and vice chairman, retired Sgt. Maj. Jerry Hernandez, who is also a transition services specialist for the Fort Cavazos Transition Assistance Program, were recognized for their contributions.

The ceremony was followed by the County Fair at CRDAMC, which featured resources for veterans.

Additionally, the ID Card Facility and Legal Assistance Office opened their facilities solely to retirees and their family members Friday and Saturday. For the Legal Assistance Office, retirees could create estate-planning documents for themselves and receive legal advice.

"We're drafting wills for retirees, along with medical powers of attorney, advanced directives and statutory durable powers of attorney, as well as agent of disposition of remains," said Capt. Kiara Martinez, chief of client services, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, III Armored Corps.

While they are still continuing to count the total, Martinez said the office drafted over 700 legal documents on Oct. 25 alone, as of Oct. 28.

"Out in the civilian sector, documents like this that we draft can cost north of $1,000, right?" she explained. "And we're doing it for them for free. It's 20 attorneys at a minimum and 20 paralegals at a minimum that volunteer their time Friday and Saturday. And I can tell, just Friday alone, this entire building was just about at complete capacity."

While the wait was long for some people, all of the retirees seeking assistance were grateful they had time to speak with an attorney, Martinez said.

"Having that dedicated time where they can just walk in with no appointment, and they're going to speak to someone live, I think, is very imperative," she expressed, "and it's important to give back to that particular community.

"My office and I look forward to this weekend, especially myself," she added. "I was raised in Killeen … and this is my only year that I will be in this role, so I was very excited, personally, to put on a good event for the retirees as best as we could."

While there were medical and administrative resources for the retirees to use, there were also social events, like the Friday evening social to provide retirees an opportunity to interact with others.

"There's some people who many not actually live right here at Fort Cavazos, and if they come here, they get to meet friends of theirs that they've been around before," said retired Brig. Gen. Michael A. Ryan, chairman of the Command Sgt. Maj. Elijah King, Jr. Retiree Council. "That's why we restarted this bingo evening, and the dinner and everything else is for old friends to get together, meet new ones that, maybe, they haven't seen since the last time that they were here."

Retired Air Force Master Sgt. Paul Homes agreed, having driven almost three hours with his wife Gina to attend the festivities.

"We like coming here because there's people just like us," he expressed. "Military retirees - it doesn't make a difference what service, but we all did the same stuff. So it's just an enjoyable time … It gets us back in familiar spaces. Even though we weren't Army, a base is a base is a base."

The Friday evening social featured food, door prizes, raffle prizes and bingo for those who came out.

For Soldiers who volunteered for the weekend to help facilitate the event, like Pfc. Naomi Itinga, 104th Engineer Construction Company, 62nd Engineer Battalion, 36th Engineer Brigade, interacting with the retirees affirmed their choice to serve.

"You get to ask veterans questions about their experience, whether it's the Army or Air Force or whatever branch they were able to serve in," Itinga said," and it gives you a sense of purpose to know that you're fighting the same fight they were fighting, and the only difference is that it's different times, different experience, but we all have the same purpose."

Itinga noted she had never seen so many women veterans before and it was inspiring since many had held senior leadership roles.

"(These were) roles that people might think because they're a woman that they might not be able to reach," she said, "but it's very inspiring to see that there are people who've done the same thing before me and any other females, and they've also shared, 'Hey, you can do it. If we did it, you can do it, too.'"

Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Ron Cowan, vice chairman of the retiree council, said this was his first time at the Retiree Appreciation Days and thought it was a great opportunity, speaking of the community in and around the installation.

"It's an awesome community," he said. "I'm part of the Veteran's Association, too. I chair the 82nd Airborne Association that's here and getting to know the circle of friends - no matter where they were stationed at, they all come together here. It's just amazing the camaraderie that I've seen. We don't really have to ask for help in the committee. I think (the Retiree Appreciation Days) are awesome for the state of Texas and Fort Cavazos."

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