Fort Sill Retiree Appreciation Days brings services, fellowship under one roof

FORT SILL, Okla. — For many military retirees, returning to Fort Sill for Retiree Appreciation Days is about more than checking on benefits, getting a flu shot or updating an identification card. It is a reunion, one that some plan months in advance. Retirees travel from across Oklahoma, Arkansas and several other states for the annual gathering, reconnecting with people they served alongside and sharing what they have learned with those more recently retired. “It’s almost like a reunion in a lot of ways,” said retired Army Lt. Col. Allen Shell, former officer co-chair of the Fort Sill Retiree Council. “You’ll get folks from multiple different states come in, and they link up together and share stories, share information.” Shell said longtime retirees often use the opportunity to help newer retirees find organizations, services and fellow veterans who can help them navigate life after military service. Fort Sill held its 48th Annual Retiree Appreciation Days Sept. 17-18 under the theme “Soldier for Life: A Lifetime Commitment to Service.” The two-day event brought together military retirees, future retirees, surviving spouses and families for services, information, fellowship and recognition while reinforcing the Army’s connection with Soldiers after they leave active service. That connection is more than tradition. Army Regulation 600-8-7, Retirement Services Program, requires garrison commanders to budget for and conduct a Retiree Appreciation Day at least annually. The regulation says the events are intended to demonstrate the Army’s continuing appreciation for Retired Soldiers’ service, update Retired Soldiers, surviving spouses and families on benefits and entitlements, and keep the retired community informed about Army programs and initiatives. At Fort Sill, the event has grown well beyond a small benefits briefing. Fort Sill’s Retiree Appreciation Days is the Army’s largest such event in the continental United States, with between 400 and 600 people typically attending over the two days. This year’s Open House brought approximately 75 to 80 organizations and service providers together Sept. 17 inside Rinehart Fitness Center. The result was what Shell calls a “one-stop shop” for retirees. “A lot of times when you look, you’ll get questions all the time: ‘Hey, how do I get in touch with this person?’ or ‘How do I get in touch with this organization?’” Shell said. “This event, we try to put everything into this one gym, at least one time a year.” Representatives from government agencies, health care organizations and community partners gave retirees an opportunity to ask questions face-to-face rather than track down multiple offices on their own. Health services were among the most-used resources. Medical personnel administered 80 flu shots during the Open House, while dental personnel conducted 75 screenings and educational encounters. Those conversations included information about VA dental eligibility and available treatment. VA dental benefits are not automatic for every Veteran; eligibility depends on factors including service history, disability status and other qualifying circumstances. For Veterans who are eligible for VA dental care, services can include cleanings, fillings, crowns, bridges, oral surgery and dentures. Other organizations assisted retirees with veterans benefits, disability claims, identification cards, legal questions and other services that can become increasingly important as retirees and their families age. Although Fort Sill is an Army installation, Retiree Appreciation Days welcomes military retirees from across the armed forces. “Everybody’s welcome,” Shell said. For Shell, the event has become a personal tradition. He has volunteered with the Fort Sill Retiree Council for 18 years. He has also maintained another tradition for just as long: bringing doughnuts for the early arrivals. The reason he keeps coming back is less about the event itself than the people it serves. “That’s our way of giving back,” Shell said. “A lot of these individuals and these organizations have helped me along the way.” Shell said he understands how frustrating it can be to navigate the organizations and programs available to veterans and military retirees, particularly when someone does not know where to begin. Retiree Appreciation Days gives them a place to begin and often someone who has already been through the process. That exchange of experience is part of what makes the event feel less like a benefits fair and more like a gathering of generations. On Sept. 18, the focus shifted from services to fellowship during the Retiree Appreciation Luncheon at FISTA’s Pitts Room. Retired Command Sgt. Maj. T.J. Baird served as guest speaker as retirees and family members gathered for a meal and an opportunity to reconnect. The two-day event concluded that afternoon with Fort Sill’s monthly retirement ceremony at Rinehart Fitness Center. Placed alongside the Open House and luncheon, the ceremony provided a fitting connection between those who have spent years or decades in retirement and the Soldiers just beginning that transition. Army Regulation 600-8-7 describes the Soldier for Life concept as one in which Soldiers continue to identify with the Army after their service ends. The regulation also directs the Army to maintain communication with Retired Soldiers and surviving spouses about programs, benefits and opportunities to remain connected.

At Fort Sill, that connection can be seen in practical ways, in a retiree getting a flu shot, learning about a benefit, asking a question at a service table or sitting down with someone who served in another generation. It can also be as simple as an 18-year tradition of showing up early with doughnuts. Together, the Open House, luncheon and retirement ceremony reflected the message repeated throughout the event: “Once a Soldier, Always a Soldier … a Soldier for Life.” For the Soldiers entering retirement, the hundreds of retirees who return to Fort Sill year after year offer a visible reminder that leaving uniform does not necessarily mean leaving the military community behind.

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