(BPT) - The holiday season inspires us to reflect on what we have, and what we can do for others. And while U.S. Army Soldiers have dedicated their careers to service, many still find other ways to give back and positively impact their communities - from addressing food insecurity to mentoring the next generation of female leaders.
Read on to learn about the Soldiers who are using the skills they learned in the Army to go the extra mile for others.
Saving lives in unexpected ways
Each year, about 17,000 people are diagnosed with a life-threatening disease best treated with a bone marrow transplant, but fewer than half find a match. With only 7% of the U.S. population listed on the national registry, more donors are needed to increase the likelihood for future recipients to find a match.
Sgt. Christian Sutton (pictured above) created "Operation Ring the Bell," a Soldier-led grassroots program intended to raise awareness of bone marrow donation registration and encourage his fellow Soldiers to join the registry. By bringing his efforts to the Army, Sutton is enabling Soldiers to serve in a new way and build connection with one another by coming together under a common goal.
With the support of Army leadership and his fellow Soldiers, in just two years Sutton and his team have registered over 10,000 Soldiers to the national registry and are laying the foundation for the Army to become the largest source of potential marrow donors in the country.
Breaking barriers for the world to see
Inspired by her father's legacy of Army service and her mother's history competing in pageants, 2nd Lt. Alma Cooper had a strong work ethic instilled in her from a young age. When Cooper commissioned into the Army as an Intelligence Officer, she never gave up her passion of competing in pageants, and today, she represents the country as both a Soldier and Miss USA 2024 - the first ever Active-Duty service member and Afro-Latina to win the title.
The values of service, strength, and resilience she has learned in the Army all came to fruition when she won the crown. In addition to her career in uniform, Cooper uses her platform to elevate the issue of food insecurity, working with Feeding America and the Food Bank of Michigan to help underserved communities access better nutrition. But perhaps the most impactful way Cooper hopes to give back is by being a visible leader and role model with a unique path for young people - both in the Army and the pageant world - living by the words, "if you can see me, you can be me."
Twin sisters paving the way for female leaders
Sisters Col. Clydea Prichard-Brown and Col. Clydellia Prichard-Allen are using their experiences and professional savvy to lay the foundation for the next generation of Army leaders.
Each having over 30 years of Army service, the sisters rose through the ranks from Privates to Colonels. They earned several degrees along the way, while leading Soldiers. But their ambition did not stop there. Prichard-Brown founded the Female Mentoring and Morale Program (FMMP) after noticing the need to provide a safe environment for women to freely express the challenges they were experiencing, and Prichard-Allen became the program's Executive Director.
Established in 2020 at Fort Gregg-Adams, FMMP is a grassroots, all-inclusive program that provides personal and professional development to male and female Soldiers and civilians, with a focus on empowering women in and out of uniform. FMMP has built their network to 62 current and pending chapters across the Army.
Local response delivers major impact
The Southeastern United States continues to experience the impact of this summer's natural disasters, including Hurricanes Helene and Milton. With record-breaking winds, rainfall and flooding, communities were left with irreparable damages. But in the wake of the devastation, thousands of Army National Guard Soldiers were deployed to relief missions across the impacted areas - delivering food and water, providing security, and clearing debris for their local communities.
National Guard Soldier Spc. Jamel Robinson provided relief services - including loading supplies, water and food distribution, and conducting welfare checks - to residents of Greenville, South Carolina, following Hurricane Helene, noting that he felt "like a superhero" to be there for someone in their time of need. He then immediately traveled to Florida to help residents prepare for Hurricane Milton by surveying vulnerable land areas before the storm and then returning after to assist and rescue those who had experienced flooding.
With the mission of responding to state-level emergencies, Robinson notes the deep bond he developed with his fellow National Guard Soldiers during the relief efforts, knowing that they were having a direct impact on their local communities.
The Army provides the opportunity for Soldiers to make a global impact throughout their career - but by using the skills, determination, and network of support found only in the force, Soldiers are also able to pursue their passions to make a lasting difference for the people and communities around them.