The 2011 Spirit of America CSM John & Brenda Perry Support for Military Families Award will be presented to

CSM John & Brenda Perry

CSM (Retired) John Perry and his wife, Brenda, have been helping soldiers and their families ever since 9/11. Immediately after 9/11, John’s unit commander told John to prepare his soldiers and their families of their Army Reserve unit for mobilization and deployment. At that time, Brenda was the Family Readiness Group Leader for the unit. Immediately, Brenda activated the Family Readiness Group support plan which prepares the families for mobilization while John prepared his soldiers. Brenda and her team met regularly with John and his commander giving status reports on the progress of the FRG team and the preparation of the unit’s families. Numerous soldiers from John’s unit were mobilized and deployed.  John, Brenda and her FRG team supported those families until the soldiers returned.

Shortly after, John and Brenda’s son’s unit was mobilized.  John and Brenda volunteered to be the FRG Leaders for their son’s unit. The company was part of the 926th Combat Engineer Battalion and was comprised of soldiers from Alpha Company in Decatur, Bravo Company in Birmingham and Charlie Company in Huntsville. Brenda and John provide support for over 140 families of the combined company. Together they coordinated the Farewell Ceremony, conducted numerous teleconferences, organized fund raisers and Blue Star Banner ceremonies. Upon the company’s return from a year in Afghanistan, John and Brenda organized the welcome home ceremonies both at Ft. Benning and back in Alabama. Together they kept the families informed through e-mail, phone calls and newsletters during the entire time. On occasion they helped provide groceries to families who were unable to make ends meet. At other times, they provided assistance with child care and supervision. They continued to support their son’s unit for several years and provided guidance to the new FRG leaders during the unit’s second deployment last year.

For the past seven years, John and Brenda have been part of the team to provide holiday cheer to the families of those young men and women in uniform and Department of Defense civilians deployed at Christmas.  Operation Christmas Bear started after 9/11 as a way to show community appreciation to young men and women in uniform and their families during the holidays.   The even provides a day of magical entertainment and a chance to visit with Santa and receive a Christmas bear. Brenda was one of the original team members and continues to support the program. John has been chairman of the event for three years and continues to support the program. John and Brenda have their entire family involved each year.

John and Brenda have worked with the City of Madison and other organizations on a program called Holiday Cheer Brigade. This program provides assistance to needy Army Reserve and National Guard soldiers in the North Alabama area and their families who are experiencing financial difficulties at Christmas.  Since the program started five years ago, the it  has help over 100 soldiers and their families to experience the magic of the season free of financial worries.

Upon John’s retirement, he received two State Resolutions for his outstanding record of public service to the nation and to the community over the span of almost four decades.

In 2008, John, Brenda and their son, Chad, were awarded the Family of the Year award by the North Alabama Veterans Coalition. The award was given for dedicated service to the military, for their tireless support of the military family and their continued involvement in numerous activities that benefit our young men and women in uniform and their families.