FORT EUSTIS, Va. –
Military spouses are often confronted with being without their significant other for any length of time. They endure the challenges of multiple deployments and spending holidays apart while juggling everyday duties.
The Fort Eustis Regimental Chapel community lends their support every second Tuesday of the month by sponsoring a free dinner for families and spouses of deployed servicemembers. This month's event was at the Regimental Chapel March 8, when Bonnie Kurtis, dinner coordinator, and about 25 volunteers provided dinner and various activities for families throughout the Eustis military community.
"We do this for the love of the military family. Being separated by deployments is never easy and we want to ensure that the spouses have a good support system," said Mrs. Kurtis.
Each month the Regimental Chapel community provides an opportunity for spouses to enjoy food, fellowship and fun. According to Mrs. Kurtis, events like this open up opportunities for spouses to meet, build relationships and share their experiences with one another.
"This is my first time participating and the morale here is really good. I highly recommend that all military spouses from everywhere come out be a part of this special event," said Lindsay Bennett, an Army spouse.
Not only does the Regimental Chapel community provide free dinners, they also address issues that occur within the military lifestyle.
"This is my fourth time participating and I love it. The food is wonderful and the people are just amazing," said Navy spouse Susan Doyle.
Mrs. Doyle, whose spouse is a Sailor aboard the USS Jason Dunham, said this event gives her and her children a reason to leave the house.
The role of the family is critical to military success. Military members can stay focused on their mission when they know their families are safe and well.
"Overall this is a great service. We want to build a support base with as many volunteers as we can. It's very important that we continue to make ourselves available for the military spouse and their families," Mrs. Kurtis added.