DVIDS – News – Fort Bliss, native educators kick off annual Companions in Training Program

FORT BLISS, Texas – Fort Bliss hosted native educators and group leaders for the twenty first Companions in Training Program kick-off occasion held on the Centennial Banquet and Convention Middle Sept. 30.

The Fort Bliss College Liaison Workplace introduced collectively unit and group leaders and educators from accomplice colleges to acknowledge excellent partnership success from the earlier yr, focus on program modifications, and permit these current to collaborate on methods to make the partnership profitable this yr.

The occasion opened with the Bel Air JROTC Shade Guard of Ysleta ISD posting the colours. Jonathan Money Vazquez, a kindergarten pupil from Bliss Elementary College, then led the group within the Pledge of Allegiance, adopted by an invocation by COL Kevin Wainwright, senior command chaplain and eventually, the Nationwide Anthem performed by the first Armored Division Band.

Brig. Gen. Michael Simmering, deputy commanding normal of operations, 1st Armored Division, delivered the opening remarks. He highlighted the challenges the COVID pandemic created for our educators and, extra importantly, the scholars. The aftermath of these challenges has resulted in a drop in pupil take a look at scores throughout the nation, which for the Army, has resulted in a bigger variety of people who want to be a part of the armed companies however can’t cross the Armed Providers Vocational Aptitude Battery or ASVAB.

“This can be very necessary that we have now occasions like this to deliver us again to a way of regular to get the USA again to the place it must be,” Simmering stated. “Even in these difficult instances, we have now companions who’ve discovered methods to supply significant help and interplay with their accomplice campuses and slowly started to re-engage. And the aim of this kick-off right here is we’d prefer to take it to new heights as we get into the following faculty yr.”

The Companions in Training Program has been lively between the Fort Bliss and El Paso communities for 36 years. Nonetheless, this yr Fort Bliss realigned set up items with colleges to extend the variety of colleges that obtain companions and maximize this system’s potential.

“What it means, from our perspective, is that Fort Bliss, as we come out of this COVID setting and as we wrestle with recruiting challenges within the Army at the moment, we understand that we should do a greater job involving all of the items on Fort Bliss with as many colleges as potential,” Simmering emphasised.

“We predict we have to take a extra proactive position in our group,” he continued. “We are able to’t merely help the few colleges on the market which have massive army populations and never enable our Troopers to be seen by the higher group. We should be on the market with you, the educators on the sting serving to make the kids of at the moment into the residents, troopers, and fairly actually, the leaders that can lead this nation into the long run.”

Simmering mentioned the truth that the Senior Mission Commander of Fort Bliss Maj. Gen. James Isenhower encourages max participation within the PIE Program by items on the set up. The group wants to use emphasis to tutorial help to the El Paso and Southern New Mexico campuses by matching skillsets to create deeper connections with the group and supply impactful assets that promote constructive pupil outcomes. He additionally reaffirmed to the educators within the room Fort Bliss’s dedication to have interaction with and help them.

“Training is a excessive precedence for Fort Bliss. I do know it’s a excessive precedence for each group on the market, and we need to work collectively to make everybody higher on the finish of the day,” he stated as he closed his remarks.

Simmering turned it over to Simone Hendricks of the Fort Bliss College Liaison Workplace to current the Partnership Awards for the 2021-2022 tutorial yr.

“As you all know, the final three years have been difficult for a lot of campuses, and this additionally offered a problem for a few of the packages which are so hands-on, just like the Companions in Training program. However, what we noticed, have been partnerships rising to the event, and we noticed resiliency at its finest,” Hendricks stated earlier than saying the awards and winners.

Prime Hour Awards – Introduced to the items that had the best variety of hours reported to the College Liaison Workplace.

Winners:

2nd Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment, 1st Armored Division Fight Aviation Brigade partnered with Morehead Center College, El Paso ISD

third Battalion, forty third Air Protection Artillery Regiment, eleventh Air Protection Artillery Brigade partnered with Charles Center College, El Paso ISD

86th Expeditionary Sign Battalion, eleventh Corps Sign Brigade partnered with Congressman Silvestre and Carolina Reyes Elementary College, Canutillo ISD

Excellent Volunteer of the 12 months – Introduced to the person who made the biggestt influence on the unit’s partnership, which had a direct influence on pupil achievement.

Winner: Employees Sgt. Tyler Burkel – third Battalion, forty third Air Protection Artillery Regiment, eleventh Air Protection Artillery Brigade

Excellent Unit Award – Introduced to the unit chosen for the energy of the partnership resulting in enchancment in pupil achievement and efficiency.

Winner: 86th Expeditionary Sign Battalion, eleventh Corps Sign Brigade

Partnership of the 12 months Award – Introduced to the partnership that traveled the additional mile and made a major influence in college students’ lives all through a difficult time. This partnership was chosen for its energy of reciprocal relationships between the unit and the campus.

Winner: third Battalion, forty third Air Protection Artillery Regiment, eleventh Air Protection Artillery Brigade partnership with Charles Center College

After the awards presentation, Hendricks supplied an summary of the PIE Program and steerage to develop targets and requirements for profitable partnerships for these within the room and suggested that they need to check with the PIE Program Handbook all year long. Then, she invited all in attendance to collaborate amongst their companions to debate methods they’ll allow their partnerships for the college yr for the rest of the occasion.

Most of the leaders and lecturers who stayed to collaborate felt positively in regards to the occasion.

“It was nice, you’ll be able to really feel a constructive vibe within the room, and I believe everybody is keen to determine partnerships for the betterment of our children and the betterment of our group,” stated James Vasquez, affiliate superintendent of Ysleta ISD. “So, there’s a variety of pleasure within the room, and you’ll hear nice conversations taking place on how we are able to work collectively to attain this.”

Carole Lindsey, the army, mum or dad and household engagement liaison at Montwood Center College, Socorro ISD, felt it was a beautiful occasion.

“This was the primary time I attended this occasion. I’m more than happy that our campus is definitely receiving a unit. I’m so, so excited,” she stated. We now have labored with Ms. Simone and her group for a number of years now and we simply received fortunate this time, so we’re actually completely happy. It’s lovely.”

Lindsey shared that this partnership is a stepping-stone for her campus and its college students as this may enable Fort Bliss to be much less overseas to her college students. The partnership will create studying alternatives for these with no army connection. Among the alternatives she mentioned together with her accomplice brigade included having Troopers come to play basketball with the youngsters throughout lunch hours and a PE day for the entire faculty the place the Troopers introduce a few of their bodily coaching necessities.

“Thanks to Fort Bliss, to all of you, to everybody in cost for permitting this to occur and for persevering with to help, not simply the faculties which are shut by, however reaching out to your complete group, and we simply hope it continues to be an excellent partnership,” she stated.

Col. Micha Hutchins, commander of the first Armored Division Sustainment Brigade, discovered that his unit has had a long-standing partnership and deep connection to the Paso Del Norte College consultant the DSB companions with. Their faculty consultant’s husband was the 377th Transportation Firm (Heavy Tools Transport)’s first sergeant when the unit moved from Germany to Fort Bliss. The brigade’s firm had an ongoing partnership with the college earlier than the realignment, so it was a contented coincidence they proceed to accomplice collectively following the set up’s accomplice realignment efforts. He thinks the partnership will probably be good not just for the kids however for the Troopers.

“I believe goes to be very useful not just for the scholars but in addition for the Troopers, serving to folks, simply giving again to society,” Hutchins stated. I believe it’s going to additionally assist with a few of our different adjustment challenges that new troopers have as properly, to allow them to get out, out of uniform and go do one thing completely different, and at instances assist those who don’t have as a lot as they’ve, however they don’t understand that. I believe that can present them a distinct facet of life and convey some achievement to their hearts.”

The DSB is increasing the partnership from one firm to all the corporations inside their brigade. The management plans to help faculty competitions, together with science festivals, debates, sporting occasions, festivals, or different occasions that want judges. In addition they plan to have Troopers volunteer to tutor and discussing massive brother/massive sister mentorship alternatives.

Hendricks was happy with the turnout for the occasion. She felt it was an amazing dialog starter and is wanting ahead to the alternatives.

“The largest takeaway, I believe, is that the faculties are actually, actually excited to have troopers come out. It’s, , all the colleges are excited to have interaction with Fort Bliss in some vogue or one other, whether or not that be an elementary faculty, center or highschool. So, I believe they’re grateful for the help, they usually perceive what an amazing asset soldier help may be for these colleges,” she concluded.