Col. Edward C. Rothstein
A great opportunity for the community will take place this afternoon, from 4:30 to at least 6 p.m., as I will host the installation’s first social media town hall meeting on the garrison’s Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/ftmeade).
I encourage you to post your Fort Meade-related questions, comments and suggestions as I and other garrison leaders will be working together to reply to your messages. I sincerely believe this is a great opportunity for all of us to learn more about what we can do to make Fort Meade a better community.
There have been a few other military installations such as Fort Bragg, N.C., that have organized a social media town hall, and I want to see how receptive our community is to this opportunity to “connect” online. We know our social media interaction continues to grow on post. There are nearly 7,600 of you who have already “liked” Fort Meade’s Facebook page.
Each time we have bad weather, like a snowstorm, or an incident, like an earthquake, or a power outage, we attract more people to the page. During Hurricane Irene, Fort Meade’s Facebook friends increased by 500 over the course of the storm. Using Fort Meade’s Facebook page seems to be an easy and quick way for the community to share information with each other.
Your comments help me “see Fort Meade through your eyes,” and I believe we can use that viewpoint to continue to make this a better community. We do not respond to every “post” with an official response, however you should know I’m probably on Facebook more than you imagine. I read your comments and questions and I hear about your postings from other community members.
For those of you who do not use Facebook, you may email your questions, comments and suggestions to fggm.pao.web@us.army.mil during the town hall. Better yet, you can sign up for Facebook in a matter of seconds and join the conversation.
As a follow-up to the Facebook town hall, Friday will be the “Commander’s Open Door” in place of Monday. On Friday from 3 to 5 p.m., I will make myself available to service members, retirees, government employees, and family and community members to discuss issues and concerns, which I routinely do on Mondays.
With the Facebook town hall, I am aware that we may not be able to address every question or comment. And for some subjects, a face-to-face meeting may be the best forum.
In November, I will also host a traditional town hall meeting. Details are still being finalized. We’ll make sure you get the word about day, time and location.
I’m excited about presenting these opportunities for you to share your thoughts. I am constantly looking for ways to connect with the community, inside and outside of the gates of Fort Meade. I hope you agree that using Facebook for a town hall is an awesome use of technology. I look forward to reading and responding to your posts.
Looking ahead, October will be another busy month for Fort Meade with several significant observances.
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a time when we recognize the significant achievements we have made in reducing domestic violence in America. However, there is still much work to be done. Let’s recommit ourselves this month to continue to speak out against domestic violence and support local efforts to assist victims of these crimes in finding the help and healing they need.
October is also National Disability Employment Awareness Month, which is designated to recognize the skills that people with disabilities bring to our workforce and a time to rededicate ourselves to improving employment opportunities in both the public and private sectors for those living with disabilities.
October is also Energy Awareness Month. We need to keep efficient energy use at the forefront of everyone’s mind. As energy becomes a more expensive commodity, we need to be more selective about its use. Please take time to review your daily routine for ways to conserve energy and empower others to take energy conservation action.
Working together, I know we can continue to find ways to help Fort Meade save energy and other resources.
Fort Meade’s Facebook town hall will be held tonight, Thursday, Oct. 6, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Chat with Garrison Commander Col. Rothstein about your questions, concerns and suggestions.
Post you comments on the Fort Meade Wall at facebook.com/ftmeade.
