“We will forever hold a special place in our hearts for Fort Carson, the surrounding community and the 4th Infantry Division.”
— Janet Gonsalves
Greetings, Fort Carson community and Army Family,
My husband, Maj. Gen. Ryan F. Gonsalves, commanding general 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, and I have been so touched by the well wishes that we have received over the past few weeks.
Throughout our 33-year Army journey, it is usually my husband who gives the speeches. However, today I would like to take a moment to say thank you and reflect on what Fort Carson and the 4th Infantry Division have meant to us. As we transition from this tour (our last within the division and on Fort Carson), I can’t help but feel overwhelmed with pride, yet a little bit of sadness. You see, Fort Carson and the 4th Infantry Division have been such a big part of our lives and are an integral part of our Army story. My husband and daughter were born on this post. My husband was a platoon leader, battalion commander, deputy commanding general (DCG) and now the commanding general (CG), all within the historic “Ivy” Division.
Fort Carson was my husband’s first assignment after being commissioned a second lieutenant; we arrived here in November 1984. I am sometimes asked if my husband knew then that he would one day be a general. I often laugh and respond, “Absolutely not!” Back then he was focused on being a good platoon leader. Company command wasn’t even on his radar, let alone division command.
We lived in a small, furnished apartment in Security-Widefield until post housing became available. Eventually, we moved into on post housing. We didn’t have any furniture, so we bought a whole living room set for $400 from one of the Soldiers in the unit.
Family readiness groups weren’t even a twinkle in anyone’s eyes in 1984. (They were actually formed at the onset of Operation Desert Storm.) These days I see Family readiness groups flourishing across Fort Carson. I firmly believe the reason the Families are able to sustain and endure the current operations tempo is because of the amazing support they are given here at Fort Carson. Fort Carson is often used as the model for other posts because of the people and programs we are fortunate to have here: directors, employees, and volunteers who are all passionate about serving Soldiers and Families.
It was during my husband’s battalion command time in 4ID that I realized one person could make a difference. We were very fortunate to have a division command team who recognized the importance of Family readiness and the effect it had on Soldiers performing their mission. We were handed everything on a silver platter … all the support we could possibly need through the agencies on post including Army Community Service; Morale, Welfare and Recreation; and Child and Youth Services. We saw that spouses were choosing to stay put with all the support systems in place, rather than move back to their hometowns during a deployment. I was able to take part in panels and forums with military leaders and congressmen who wanted to know, “What do you need? What are your challenges? How can we help?” It was then that I caught a glimpse of the bigger picture — I was representing the Families in our unit and what I was expressing was actually being heard and taken into consideration.
Over the years I came to recognize the value of volunteering as well … not just the dollar value that is saved and given back to each post, but also the intangibles. As our children grew, we included them as much as we could in our extended Army family activities.
Together we packed care packages, served Thanksgiving meals, and cleaned and decorated billets rooms before Soldiers returned from deployments. All the while, logging their volunteer hours wherever we went. Both my children and I received job offers based solely on our volunteer efforts we listed on our resume.
I focused my time as a DCG and CG spouse serving on boards of organizations that serve Soldiers and Families in the Fort Carson area: the Mountain Post Spouse Board, the Thrift Shop Board, the Fort Carson Layette Board, the Southeast YMCA Board, the Santa’s Workshop Board, and the Peak Military Care Network Board, to name a few. All of these organizations along with the many terrific agencies on post are here to serve 100 percent of the Soldiers and Families in the Fort Carson area.
Volunteers from all walks of life, giving freely of their time and working together toward the betterment of life for each Soldier and Family member in our area. Quite simply, that is what makes Fort Carson “Home of America’s Best” … the phenomenal support of the people, commitment of the organizations, and dedication and professionalism of the agencies here on post and in our local area.
To us, we are the same couple as we were in 1984 when we arrived here … super excited to be in such a beautiful place and serving our nation. In fact I sometimes witness that same enthusiasm when I go “undercover boss” in the commissary, post office or other venues around post. I talk with complete strangers, listen to their stories, learn their needs and get an honest feel for their experience here. The fact that my husband or I could make someone’s day a little brighter by engaging with them and sharing an authentic moment to connect with them has never been lost on us.
In retrospect, I would like to thank you all for enriching our lives so much with your love, kindness and wisdom. My husband and I only hope that we have been able to return a little bit of what we have been given over the years.
Please realize that there are people who care deeply for you and want you to succeed. Take care of each other, as we are one big family. We will forever hold a special place in our hearts for Fort Carson, the surrounding community and the 4th Infantry Division. Thank you all for your continuing support for Soldiers and Families.
Steadfast and Loyal,