Couple create family prep room – Fort Carson Mountaineer

FORT CARSON, Colo. – Sgt. 1st Class Sean Embler and Jessica Embler with the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division stand in the unit’s yellow ribbon room at Fort Carson Jan. 26, 2022. The Yellow Ribbon Room is designed as a multi-purpose room space to allow soldiers and family members to handle all matters related to family readiness. The couple played a key role in building and creating the space for unity to prepare the family. (Photo by Major Jason Elmore)

“It’s a room where our families can come together, where the kids can be safe, and we can talk about what’s next for our soldier and family readiness program.”

—Jessica Embler

By Major Jason Elmore

2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office, 4th Infantry Division

FORT CARSON, Colo. — First impressions are everything. They can instantly change your perception of an organization or person and set the tone for your attitude towards them in the future.

That’s why a couple from the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, spent countless hours developing and building the Battalion’s Yellow Ribbon Room, a welcoming space dedicated to creating an environment where soldiers and their family members can work toward family preparedness.

sergeant. 1st Class Sean Embler, the battalion’s Charlie Company first sergeant, alongside his wife Jessica Embler, played a pivotal role in the genesis of the hall.

“It’s a room where our families can come together, where the kids can be safe, and where we can talk about what’s next for our Soldier and Family Readiness Program,” Embler said. “Our commanders can meet, (military family life counselors) can do family counseling sessions…it’s a multi-purpose room.”

“It’s also a place where our (command family readiness representatives) and command teams can meet with families outside of military offices,” Sean Embler added.

The room includes an entire wall mural that depicts the ideas of unity, family, and cohesion. There is a small meeting area, space for representatives preparing soldiers and families to do business, a play area for children, and even a refrigerator.

Many organizations struggle to find inclusive ways to integrate family members into their units. Inclusion is one of the concepts behind the Yellow Ribbon Room. Ensuring that battalion members—whether soldiers or family members—know that they are valued members of the unit team is critical. There is an important link between family readiness and overall unit readiness.

FORT CARSON, Colo. — A Soldier and Family Readiness Workstation is located in the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Yellow Ribbon Room Jan. 26, 2022. The Yellow Ribbon Room is designed as a multi-purpose room space to allow soldiers and family members to handle all matters related to family readiness.  (Photo by Major Jason Elmore)

FORT CARSON, Colo. — A Soldier and Family Readiness Workstation is located in the 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division Yellow Ribbon Room Jan. 26, 2022. The Yellow Ribbon Room is designed as a multi-purpose room space to allow soldiers and family members to handle all matters related to family readiness. (Photo by Major Jason Elmore)

There have already been many positive comments from many members of the unit.

“The most important thing is that our nursing soldiers are so grateful to have this quiet place,” Jessica Embler said.

She described how another company’s SFRG volunteer, Baylee Fust, had used the room in the past.

“When you come here, there’s no confusion,” Jessica Embler said. “You are not lost. There is a program in place, and we have things ready.

She said it was really helpful. We hope other advisors will use it in the same way.

Sean Embler added that there has been a lot of positive feedback, with volunteers being able to come, focus on SFRG classes and have one-on-one talks with other volunteers.

“It’s just something we want to do to give back,” he said.

Of course, they weren’t alone in this endeavor. The battalion leadership supported this effort. A whole battalion effort came together to discuss concepts, what would be needed in the room, and how best to serve the unit.

They enlisted the help of talented soldiers in the unit for the design, and Army Community Service donated much of what can be seen in the hall.

Jessica Embler said she and her husband are now working on smaller-scale SFRG events.

“These will be smaller events so that we can disseminate information while adhering to current COVID-19 restrictions,” she said. “We are focused on creative ways to show our soldiers and their family members that we are still here, and we are ready to support and communicate with them.”


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