The American Red Cross, U.S. Army officials, congressional staff, state and local elected officials, and others gathered for a ribbon cutting to mark the completion of renovations to the Hero Care Center at Fort Sill.

The Hero Care Center at Fort Sill moved into its building on post in 1999. Renovations inside the historic building started in the spring. The project included removing old wallpaper, patching walls, painting, and installing new flooring, cubicles, network wiring and audio/visual equipment.

The ribbon cutting was more than the opening of a renovated facility, though.

“It reflects shared commitments to supporting those who serve our nation and honoring the enduring partnership between the American Red Cross, the military and the communities we serve,” said Geovana Thomas-Hale, Manager of the Fort Sill Hero Care Center. “We are privileged to call this historic landmark home and continue our work for a place that represents both heritage and service.”

The Hero Care Center at Fort Sill is the largest of the three Red Cross Hero Care Network call centers in the country. The center has about 70 employees and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Red Cross Hero Care Network provides free, confidential assistance to active-duty service members, veterans and their families and is available anytime online, by phone, mobile app or in person.

Every day, 1.4 million active-duty service members and countless military families around the world carry the weight of service. The Red Cross Hero Care Network helps families connect during crises such as illness, death or birth, and facilitate emergency leave by verifying these situations to military commanders.

As the only organization congressionally chartered to provide emergency communications between active-duty military personnel and their families during personal emergencies, the Red Cross has a unique responsibility to carry out this work.

“I think about a story that I had from Poland, where a Red Cross worker called a deployed soldier whose wife needed an emergency C-section, thousands of miles away,” said Becky Streifler, Vice President of Operations for Red Cross International Services and Service to the Armed Forces. “Through the secure connection and connection through the Hero Care Center, he was able to witness the birth of his child, from a remote access on base. In a moment when he felt so far from home, the Red Cross helped him stay connected.”

The red cross symbol means a lot to Reynolds Army Health Clinic Commander Col. Nicole Charbonneau. She drew connections between American Red Cross founder Clara Barton, whose humanitarian work started with soldiers on Civil War battlefields, and the Red Cross volunteers on post, who support service members today by greeting and guiding clinic visitors, connecting with veterans, training youth volunteers, or responding to disasters.

“Clara was the first angel on the battlefield, and she inspired a worldwide legion of angels to also answer the call. Whether we're facing fire, floods, hurricanes, combat, or just quiet assistance in a local clinic corridor, our Red Cross volunteers never, ever hesitate to answer the call.

“Today, as you cut the ribbon and open the doors, we celebrate, honor and thank all of our Red Cross volunteers. Thank you for your service, your compassion and your unwavering devotion to our military community,” Charbonneau said.

Visit our Flickr page to see photos from this event.