- Provide newcomers with a sense of belonging
- Ease the transition for inbound service members or civilians and their family members
- Increase productivity of Service Members and loved ones
- Help newcomers make informed decisions
- Cultivate new friendships
- Improve morale
Sponsorship
Moving is a way of life for Service Members and their Families, as well as many DOD Civilians and Contractors.
Resources like MilitaryINSTALLATIONS, Plan My Move, and Military OneSource provide important information to help make moving easier.
However, for many newcomers, a sponsor adds that personal touch.
A sponsor is assigned by a newcomer's gaining unit or DOD civilian agency and helps the newcomer before, during and after a move. They can provide information for installation resources.
If you haven't been assigned a sponsor, you can request a sponsor through your new unit or agency. Sponsors are assigned that have similar rank, family status and job duties.
We also recognize that incoming Service Members and Civilian employees aren’t the only ones affected by a move, so spouses can also receive training to become sponsors.
Overall, the Sponsorship Program aims to do the following:
To help prepare sponsors for success, the Sponsorship Program through the Army Community Service (ACS) Relocation Readiness Program provides training and access to important information and resources.
Roles & Responsibilities
Training
Army Community Service (ACS) part of Stuttgart Family & MWR is responsible for providing sponsorship training through the Relocation Readiness Program. The training is offered to all military branches, DOD Civilians and Contractors. Spouse sponsorship training is also available upon request.
Assignment of Sponsor
Your Unit or Central Processing is responsible for assigning an Official Sponsor or Spouse Sponsor.
The School Liaison Officer (SLO) under Child & Youth Services (CYS) part of Stuttgart Family & MWR is responsible for assigning a Youth Sponsor.
Types of Sponsorship
Official: Official sponsors are Service Members or Civilians who have been assigned as part of their official duty. They may be assigned by unit commanders or the supervisors of civilian agencies. Official sponsors fulfill the duties of providing pre- and post-arrival information and assistance to their assigned newcomers.
Spouse: Spouse sponsors are volunteers who have agreed to provide assistance for arriving spouses. They are trained in sponsorship by the Army Community Service Relocation Readiness Program and registered in the Voluntary Management Information System (VMIS) as volunteers. Although their duties are not official, a spouse sponsor may provide valuable information and resources to arriving spouses as well as introducing them to their unit’s Family Readiness Group.
Youth: Youth sponsorship programs provide opportunities to meet current students prior to (online) or upon arrival. Stuttgart Family & MWR Child & Youth Services (CYS), specifically the School Liaison Officer, can assist you to request a youth sponsor. Contact your School Liaison Officer directly for more information and assistance.
Sponsorship Training
The training is a mandatory training and is available to all Service Members and Civilian employees who will become a sponsor. The training is offered once a month as well as upon request through the Army Community Service Relocation Readiness Program.
Training information may be found on the Stuttgart Family & MWR calendar or by calling the Army Community Service (ACS) Relocation Readiness Program.
Spouse Sponsorship Training is also available upon request through the Army Community Service Relocation Readiness Program..
