Mission: Never say ‘no’ to a Soldier     WTU Soldiers get one-stop service at Soldier and Family Assistance Center

Susanne Kappler              Leader Staff

Jessie Deberry is no stranger to Soldiers in conflict. Perhaps that is why the retired command sergeant major truly understands the needs of those Soldiers returning from downrange. “This is the best job I’ve ever had,” Deberry said about being director of the Soldier and Family Assistance Center on Fort Jackson. The SFAC opened its doors Jan. 1 as a service center for wounded warriors and their families. Currently, 90 Soldiers are assigned to the installation’s Warrior Transition Unit to heal from injuries sustained in the line of duty. The SFAC provides centralized services to these Soldiers and their family members in all areas, ranging from educational, financial and personnel services to child care and veterans benefits information. “We will never say ‘no’ to a Soldier,” Deberry said. “The SFAC is a one-stop center. When a Soldier assigned to WTU comes here for service, we’re going to cut out all the middle men.  “The Soldier or the family member will not have to run all over post to get service. They come here and we provide it here,” he continued. “If we can’t do it here, we bring the service to them. And in some cases, if we can’t bring the service to them, we’re going to make priority appointments and refer the Soldier to that particular agency.” To make this possible, the center employs service specialists who provide on-site assistance in the most requested areas, such as education and personnel services. In addition, SFAC personnel work in close cooperation with related agencies on post.  “The SFAC is a wonderful center for the WTU. It provides WTU Soldiers the ability to access so many resources in one building,” said Spc. Lauren James, who is assigned to the WTU. “Our schedules can be hectic, and it is comforting to know that such an amazing group of people is there for us.” The SFAC is more than just another office, though. The center also provides Soldiers a library, entertainment rooms with big-screen TVs and an Internet cafe.  Deberry is looking forward to the center’s move to its permanent location on the corner of Marion Street and Strom Thurmond Boulevard in August or September “It offers individual offices to give us a little more privacy,” he said. “We’re going to have a day care center and a family room. It’s going to be a little bigger.” What makes the SFAC a welcoming place for wounded warriors, though, is not the space, but the people. “The staff is just great. They’re real nice and courteous,” Spc. Benjamin Ackerman, WTU, said. “We’re coming in here with a group of people and have Bible study and (they) let us use (the facility) for that. It’s a good place for us to come and just hang out.” The appreciation is mutual.  “I’m trying to go above and beyond the call of duty for our WTU Soldiers,” emphasized Brenda Johnson, the SFAC’s education services specialist. “I love working with them. I appreciate what they do on a daily basis.” “Before we send a Soldier in conflict, we give them the big parties and pat them on the back and show how much we love them and care and then we send them off,” Deberry said. “And you know when you send a Soldier off to combat, he’ll never come back the same. “I want to show them and give them that same love that we sent them off with. And that’s what I feel good about,” Deberry explained. “And that’s what all our employees care about when we deal with these WTUs and family members.” Susanne.Kappler1@us.army.mil