The United States Army
07/23/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 07/23/2024 04:35
Gold Star Families Find Support at Vicenza ACS
[Link] Francesca Dorrity Gheller at Army Community Service holds a picture of her son Staff Sgt. James Paul Dorrity at the wall of heroes. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Giuseppe Terrasi)VIEW ORIGINAL
Vicenza, Italy - Francesca Dorrity Gheller is a Gold Star mother and spouse and a long-time member of the Vicenza Military Community. She visits Army Community Service regularly to be around the wall of heroes, which is adorned with photos of the fallen servicemembers from the VMC including one of her son, Staff Sgt. James Paul Dorrity who died in a helicopter crash during the global war on terror in 2002. In the seating area she enjoys reading and being with the memory of her son.
"I often dream of him and when I wake up, I feel sad, so I come here to ACS, I see him and spiritually I talk to him," Gheller said.
[Link] ACS building on Caserma Ederle in Vicenza Italy (Photo Credit: Sgt. Giuseppe Terrasi)VIEW ORIGINAL
One of the pillar services ACS offers is the Survivor Outreach Services program or SOS which is designed to support Gold Star families in the community. The program provides long term support to the surviving family members who've lost loved ones regardless of the circumstances of the loss.
Jolly Miller is the Vicenza Army Community Service Director and is an advocate for the SOS program.
[Link] Gold Star mother and spouse Francesca Dorrity Gheller and Vicenza Army Community Service Director Jolly Miller sitting by the ACS Wall of Heros. (Photo Credit: Sgt. Giuseppe Terrasi)VIEW ORIGINAL
"We are very proud to have the program imbedded within ACS because when the program was established it was a means to connect the surviving families to the rest of the community." Miller said. "We serve our newcomers, Soldiers, civilians, retirees and our survivors."
"When they go to ACS they'll always have a family here for as long as they desire and keep their link to the Army."To help with the many needs in the community, ACS offers mobilization, deployment, financial readiness, family advocacy and relocation readiness resources.
Newcomer, Pfc. Christopher Milanes, with the 293rd Military Police Co., said, "I think that's good for them [the families] to make sure everything gets straightened out, through their grieving."
"They pointed me in the right direction and helped solve my problems," Milanes added.
For more info on the Army's SOS program and access to the SOS factsheet.