ARMY CENTER TO CLOSE IN JUNE
STORY AND PHOTO BY TOM BOGGESS
The Army Strong Community Center, located on the
Oregon City campus, is closing its doors June 30.
It will be missed by the veterans use the service and
depend on this facility. The Army is focused on the big
picture, not the local effect of the closure.
Nick Hadley, former staff member of The Clackamas
Print, now associated with the Army Strong Community
Center, said that, “ The fam ilies and veterans are going
to su ffer.” He also said that there’ s no turning back
now, it’ s official.
“It is ju st a budgetary thing,
basically trying to get more
bang fo r their buck.”
RB Green
William E. Burkhalter, customer support coordinator
for the Arm y Strong center, said, “ The Arm y Strong
project from its inception was a pilot project and it was
championed by Gen. Talley from the Army Reserve and
his wife.”
What this entire center does for veterans will be turned
over to the Fort Fam ily Initiative, which is a hotline
available to veterans 24/7,365 days a year. The advantage
o f this is that veterans and their families can get help
at any time; although, there are limited hours available
in which the army strong center can help.
Burkhalter said, "The A rm y Strong initiative has
helped a lot o f veterans and their families and this is
no way a punitive decision. The Army Strong center is
a valuable resource, but they started to realize we were
duplicating effort in a lot of w ays.”
Only six o f these facilities exist. The one on campus
is the only one W est o f M ichigan. AU but two these
facilities are located within an Army Reserve Center. The
college’ s facility helps vets and their families connect
with organizations that can provide help for all of life’ s
necessities.
The Vet Center and the A rm y Strong Com m unity
Center work together on a number of things pertaining
to vets and family members, but the Vet Center mainly
focuses on educational benefits for people in the military.
RB Green, veteran affairs coordinator, said, “ It is just
a budgetary thing, basically trying to get more bang
for their buck.” He went on to say that the decision to
cancel was made at a national level and it was an entire
program that was taken away.
Green said, “ The one who made the decision to close
this program probably didn’t have any knowledge about
our needs here at this facility. This was a great facility
for veterans and even good for the com m unity.” '
On April 18, the notice was posted on the front door
o f the Army Strong office announcing the closure. It
also said that the Army will continue providing services
that connect veterans and family members with critical
resources.
William E. Burkhalter Is the customer support
coordinator for the Army Strong Community Center.
Illustration by Saige Keikkala
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