Efforts will overcome obstacles

Inspiration comes in many forms and often when we least expect it.

I recently received an e-mail from a person whom I had met during the holiday season. Pam Slay had been part of the contingent with the Hallmark Channel dignitaries and cast who visited Belvoir in December when the Hallmark Channel presented the movie A Christmas Card in a premier showing in Wood Theater. I want to take the opportunity in this week’s column to share Pam’s message and to remind us all that our efforts to deal with the multitude of challenges we face are making a difference.

What we do matters in the grand scheme because there are many more folks out there who care about the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform; our civilians and contractors who work tirelessly to support them; and the families who bear the burden of separation and loss.

I am blessed and humbled to work alongside professionals and true American heroes every day. I am honored to have the mantle of command of such a fine installation as Fort Belvoir and I know that together we can overcome the most daunting obstacles we face. Together we can rise above the political jousting and work to define real and enduring solutions that make our future brighter and reward our investment of time and energy.

Over the next four years we will undergo a transformation of sorts on Fort Belvoir. We will see the completion of the initial development phase for privatized housing; we will see significant physical structure development to accommodate the work force influx for the base realignment; we will see development changes in concert with our ongoing installation master plan; and we will harvest the benefits of new technologies to make us more capable, more precise, and better connected with one another.

Through all of the change and growth, we must remain committed to our fundamental principles of maintaining a safe and secure environment, to provide for the defense of our homeland, maintain our operational and contingency support role, and preserve the well-being of our residents and workers. Regardless of how we negotiate the next set of challenges, our enduring mission for Fort Belvoir will remain and we must show what Stephen Ambrose termed as the “undaunted courage” to persevere and embrace the opportunities.

I thank each of you for your sacrifices and your commitment as we move forward and I invite your attention to Pam Slay’s words of appreciation:

Dear Colonel Lauritzen,
It has been a very visible week for the nation’s wounded veterans and reminds each of us of the commitment all of you are making so that every American can be free and safe at home. Seeing so many wounded Soldiers on the covers of magazines and on news programs this week makes me think of Hallmark Channel’s very memorable visit to your base and our separate visits to Walter Reed and Bethesda Naval Medical Center.
I wanted to reach out to say thank you again and to let you all know that you’re loved and appreciated. I’m sitting here with Newsweek on my desk and ABC News on my television and I am deeply moved by the commitment of all of these sons and daughters, husbands and wives – our neighbors and our friends.

My staff and I were so honored to be with all of you, and I won’t forget that we received so much more than we gave.

Take good care.
Kindest regards,
Pam Slay
Senior Vice President, Network Program Publicity