The United States Army Community Covenant - supporting those who serve.

Community Covenant is an Army program designed to foster and sustain effective state and community partnerships with the Army to improve the quality of life for Soldiers and their Families, both at their current duty stations and as they transfer to other states. It is a formal commitment of support by state and local communities to Soldiers and Families of the Army – Active, Guard and Reserve.

Army leadership recognized that our Soldiers and their Families are asked to do a lot in service to our Nation. Their quality of life should be commensurate with the quality of their service. Multiple deployments have put a strain on Army Families. The Community Covenant allows communities (states, cities, and towns) across America to demonstrate their support for Service Members and their Families in this time of war – the longest in our Nation’s history with an all-volunteer force. The Covenant highlights and shares initiatives which support Soldiers and their Families. Support from communities helps build resilience in our military Families who provide the strength of our Soldiers.

The Secretary of the Army initiated this program in 2008 in an effort to find out what support existed in America’s communities and to raise awareness of the sacrifices our men and women in uniform and their families make every day. The Army recognizes that most community-based programs support all military service members, not just Army Soldiers. So the Community Covenant embraces all military but is still carried under the Army name.

Best practices are programs, initiatives or services provided by state or local governments, non-profit organizations, or private companies and citizens supporting our military and their Families. Sharing these practices provides opportunities for all Americans to get involved where and how they want, including potentially initiating new programs. These best practices help fill gaps in services provided to Families, especially those who do not live near a military installation.

A Community Covenant signing ceremony is a public display of support by community leaders to the military and family members living in that community. Over 450 Community Covenants have been signed at ceremonies across the country attended by thousands of American demonstrating support for Service Members and their Families. Often, these events also became an opportunity for communities to demonstrate their support by announcing a new initiative or program of support for Service Members and their Families.

A Community Covenant signing ceremony is a public display of support by community leaders to the military and family members living in that community and to raise awareness of their sacrifices. The ceremony should be a call to action for community members to get involved if they aren’t already to support Soldiers and their Families in a meaningful way that is most suitable to them. Volunteering time with programs or initiatives in their communities, engaging others to get involved, or helping a military family during a deployment. The Community Covenant provides the means for community involvement.

Look through the programs listed on the community covenant web site to find something that suits your interest. There are many ways to support a military family beyond sending care packages to deployed units. Look at programs in your state or near Army installations as well.

For questions about the Community Covenant program, please go to the contact link on the Web site.