Pfc. Troy Stovall, a Soldier from Company C, 123rd Brigade Support Battalion, was one of many Soldiers who volunteered to distribute food at the Armed Services YMCA of El Paso Thanksgiving food drive at Fort Bliss, Texas, Nov. 22, 2019. In all, volunteers distributed approximately 400 turkeys and fixings donated by military and civilian supporters from El Paso and beyond. (Photo by David Poe, USAG Fort Bliss)
‘A good day’
By David Poe, USAG Fort Bliss
When Pvt. Hector Ramirez joined the Army six months ago, he did it with a desire to help people, yet he admits he didn’t see himself doing it where he was recently.
The 1st Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Artillery Regiment Soldier joined the Fort Bliss Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program and volunteered at the 2019 Armed Services YMCA of El Paso Thanksgiving food drive at the Junior Enlisted Family Center at Fort Bliss, Texas, Nov. 22, 2019.
BOSS, as well as employees from Navy Federal Credit Union, and other military and civilian volunteers from across Team Bliss and beyond distributed 400 turkeys and more foodstuffs for E-5 and below Army families at Bliss. This year was the organization’s 26th year offering turkey and all the fixings for junior-enlisted troops.
The ASYMCA of El Paso, a nonprofit, serves troops and families at Fort Bliss, as well as White Sands Missile Range and Holloman Air Force Base in neighboring New Mexico, with focuses on families, military kids, and helping people give back to serve others.
The Junior Enlisted Family Center at Bliss offers troops and their families emergency assistance with household goods and clothing, and it also has a food pantry that also offers diapers and baby supplies. Annually, the ASYMCA of El Paso manages more than 30 programs at four facilities.
A change from previous years, the Thanksgiving food distribution occurred at the new JEFC location on Sheridan Rd., a trade-off from the former Marshall Rd. location where the ASYMCA shared space at the Fort Bliss Trading Post. Despite the new location, Guadalupe Shields, the ASYMCA’s director of operations, who has taken part in the drive for the last 15 years, said this year’s effort brought the same success.
“We’ve had more donations than from the previous years,” she said, “the city of El Paso has been wonderful.”
She said while she looks forward to a day where there’s not a need to help junior-enlisted families save money, she said the Thanksgiving food drive will continue for reasons beyond the wallet.
“We want to show our appreciation and say ‘thank you’ for all of the sacrifices they make to keep us safe and keep our country safe,” she said.
Maybe a bit removed, due to his young age, from the big picture of “supporting the troops,” Ramirez stood his post as a snack distributor Nov. 22 and was grateful to be able to meet hundreds of Soldiers and family members from his new duty station.
Being able to help people, whether it’s as an air defender on deployment or pitching in for fellow Soldiers and their families during the holidays, giving of himself continued to be what is was all about and it was mission accomplished at the JEFC.
“I joined [the Army] to be more confident and communicate well with people,” he said. “I’m learning a lot of things that I wouldn’t have learned in the civilian world. This is a good day.”
Nicole Munnelly, a senior member service representative at a Navy Federal Credit Union in El Paso, Texas, distributes snacks at the Junior Enlisted Family Center at Fort Bliss, Texas, Nov. 22. NFCU employees joined other civilian and military volunteers to help the Armed Services YMCA of El Paso distribute holiday food for their annual Thanksgiving food drive for junior-enlisted Army families. (Photo by David Poe, USAG Fort Bliss)