Generally Speaking: Tremendous turnout for Bay Ridge’s Summer Stroll

Kudos to Bob Howe, Chuck Otey, the Merchants of Third Avenue, business owners and the volunteers who did a top-notch job which drew thousands of attendees to Third Avenue for the first of this year’s Summer Strolls, making it one of the largest such programs in the city.

Among the local theatrical groups participating were the Narrows Community Theater singers featuring former Bay Ridge Community Council President Dawn Hansen, and Jeff Samaha Productions cast for the soon-to-hit-the-stage version of “Mary Poppins.”

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Very few people are aware that one of the largest quasi-military operations on the Fort Hamilton Army Base is the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department, better known as the MWR.

This particular directorate covers a diverse array of activities and services for soldiers, their families, retirees and authorized civilians. My understanding is the MWR is responsible for the operation of the Community Club, the base swimming pool, bowling alley, special entertainment events, library, Army Community Services, sports and fitness center, child and youth services.

Up until this past week, the top gun for this incredible multi-faceted operation was former U.S. Army Ranger Wallace Grant, who served as MWR director for several years. I also recall him doing a brief stint as acting deputy base commander a few years back. Grant is moving on to a MWR post at the Anniston Army Depot in Bynum, Alabama.

While at Fort Hamilton, he was credited with running one of the most efficient and economically viable MWR programs in the country. At a recent reception at the Community Club, Colonel Joseph Davidson, the garrison commander, pinned an Army medal on him for outstanding service.

I was delighted to have the opportunity as a representative of the Fort Hamilton Citizens Action Committee, along with fellow columnist Larry Morrish, veterans, base military personnel and MWR staffers, to attend his farewell reception.  

Yet on another Army front, I just learned the Department of the Army is dropping the slogan it has been using for nearly the past decade — “Army Strong.” The new catch phrase is “The Army Team.”