Support for Survivors
January 29th, 2010 | 
Author: I received this press release from a PAO out of Ft. Stewart and wanted to pass it on…
ARMY’S SURVIVOR OUTREACH SERVICES PROVIDES LOCAL SUPPORT TO SURVIVING FAMILIES
FORT STEWART, Ga. – The United States Army has recently introduced a new, Army-wide program, Survivor Outreach Services (SOS), in support of Families of Fallen Soldiers. Offered by Army Community Service since April 2009, SOS provides long-term assistance to surviving Families on a local level.
“The Army has always had programs in place to support its Survivors,” said Donna Finney, Director of Army Community Service at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield. “SOS takes it a step further in that Survivors now have a local team of people that they can meet with whose sole purpose is to provide Survivor support at the Garrison level. As stated in the ‘Soldier’s Creed,’ a Soldier will never leave a Fallen comrade behind. SOS doesn’t leave family behind.”
The SOS team that serves Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield currently includes two support coordinators, two financial counselors and one benefits coordinator. Degreed professionals with a multitude of Army experience, the outreach team remains in contact with Survivors, answers questions and concerns, provides bereavement, benefits and financial counseling, holds quarterly focus and support groups, offers various transitional classes, mentoring and more in efforts to help the next of kin forward. Survivors are defined as immediate or extended Family of any Soldier, including Reservist or Guardsman, who died while on active duty regardless of circumstance, cause or date of death.
“Losing a loved is very difficult,” said Teresa White, support coordinator for Survivor Outreach Services on Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield. “It can be a terribly sad, confusing and often overwhelming time for Survivors. Unresolved issues might arise weeks, months or even years after the loss. SOS, partnering with and facilitating a warm turn-over from our Casualty Assistance Center, provides a dedicated and comprehensive support program for as long as Survivors need or want to maintain their connection with the Army.”
The Survivor Outreach Services teams, currently on most Army installations around the world, are assigned regions to support. The SOS team located on Fort Stewart, but also covering Hunter Army Airfield, assists all of the Survivors in Southeast Georgia, South Carolina counties Beaufort and Jasper, and all of Florida excluding the panhandle.
“Though our SOS has a specific area that we cover, and though we are an Army program, we will never turn a Survivor of our military away,” said Finney. “We will do everything in our power to make sure that our military Families are supported and feel a continual, welcomed part of our community.”
White continues, “Our Families and our Soldiers around the world make sacrifices for our country every day. Our surviving Families and their Soldiers have made the ultimate sacrifice. They deserve our compassion and respect.”
For more information, contact Survivor Outreach Services on Fort Stewart at (912) 767-9176 or 767-2266.
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