Happy 49th Birthday ACS!!!

The United States’ Armed Forces, comprised of several different military branches, has the mission to “fight and win our Nation’s wars by providing prompt, sustained land dominance across the full range of military operations and spectrum of conflict in support of combatant commanders.” Whether our Soldiers are enlisted, fighting on the field, or on reserve, civilians also have a crucial mission to provide services to those defending our country, and the family members they leave behind.

Army Community Service (ACS) evolved from a natural, humanitarian concern for the welfare of others, and was first created by Army wives who envisioned a community that could come together to understand and meet the needs of their locality; most importantly, the sense of duty that comes along with being a service-family.

ACS was created as an organization in response to the need for stability in social service activities, which often suffered when their advocates transferred or left the service. Basically, ACS provides the flexible framework for a successful system of operation of these social services, and is all volunteer-based.

The road to full ACS accreditation wasn’t easy. There were many obstacles along the way. It wasn’t until the 1940s that the Army Emergency Relief (AER) Program was created - funded by donations from the American public - to give money to those desperately in need of financial aid. ACS was considered a quasi-military organization under the supervision of the 1202nd Service Command Unit until March 1944, when the AER office was redesignated as the “Personnel Affairs Branch (PAB).” The PAB laid the real groundwork for the foundation of ACS more than 20 years later. It wasn’t until 19 November 1965 that ACS was truly established as a viable and important Army program. The confusion during this time period may be the reason why some continue to refer to ACS as “Army Community Services;” however, there is only one officially designated “Army Community Service.”

Army Community Service has achieved extreme success through the commitment of its volunteers. In particular, Army wives from the very beginning have fostered an environment of success and support for ACS. For example, Mrs. George S. Patton (Joanne), an ACS Volunteer Consultant, was an early advocate for military personnel with exceptional family members. She made invaluable contributions to the development of the ACS program.
In 1995, on the cusp of the millennium, ACS coined its official mission statement, “to facilitate the commander’s ability to provide comprehensive, coordinated, and responsive services that support readiness of Soldiers, civilian employees, and their Families.”

Today, ACS consists of the following programs: Army Emergency Relief; Army Family Action Plan; Army Family Team Building; Army Volunteer Corps; Employment Readiness Program; Exceptional Family Member Program; Family Advocacy Program; Financial Readiness Program; Information, Referral, and Follow-Up; Outreach Program; Master Resiliency Training; Military and Family Life Counselors; Mobilization and Deployment Program; New Parent Support Program; Relocation Readiness Program; Survivor Outreach Services; and Unit Service Coordination.

Eighty-three ACS centers exist globally. Each one remains vital in compliance with the Army Force Generation Model (ARFORGEN) and acting unit commanders. ACS only continues to mature and develop to meet the ever-changing needs of the global Army Family and the military community.

Happy 49th Birthday to Army Community Service!