Military Gala salutes our troops

GoodCause_MilitaryBall_USAFDrillTeam — USAF Drill Team. Photo credit: greaterdallasmilitaryfoundation.org

(ROCKWALL, TX – March 18, 2016) Local resident and Greater Dallas Military Foundation President Major General Kimberly Siniscalchi, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), invites all within the community to come show their support for our active duty military service members during the 2016 Greater Dallas Military Foundation Gala on Saturday, April 16, at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas (1717 N Akard St).

The event will begin with a 6 p.m. reception followed by dinner and dancing, and some very special entertainment by the USAF Honor Guard Drill Team, which will give a four-man performance featuring professionally choreographed weapon maneuvers, precise tosses and complex weapon exchanges. The American National Guard Band of the Southwest will be on hand to provide attendees with high quality musical entertainment recognizing the sacrifices of our active duty servicemen and women in all branches of the military.

“It is an opportunity to experience the military and the culture of those serving our nation,” Siniscalchi said.

Siniscalchi, Kimberly Maj Gen 8X10HS 1MB — Major General Kimberly Siniscalchi, U.S. Air Force (Ret.) of Rockwall

Siniscalchi served nearly five years as assistant surgeon general, medical force development and nursing services for the USAF and currently serves as vice president of strategic initiatives for the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. When she first moved to Rockwall after her retirement, she was immediately drawn to the patriotic sense of the community and the respectfulness which its residents regard the U.S. military.

“It still has that small town feel to it,” she said. “The people are warm and welcoming and, spending my whole life in a uniform, it’s nice to be in a community that respects the sacrifices that our young men and women make. Rockwall is a very patriotic community.”

Siniscalchi has also had the honor of serving two of our nation’s presidents – George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton – as an Air Force nurse assigned to the White House Medical Unit, an assignment which she described as the highlight of her career. Regarding her service to the Bush family, she had nothing but kind praise for President Bush and still remains close to the family today.

“He is just one of the greatest leaders…a statesman, a gentleman, nationally and internationally very respected, and did so much to support those who served. And it wasn’t just because he was the Commander in Chief; it was genuine, it was from the heart. He genuinely cared about every life lost.”

The Greater Dallas Military Foundation – a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation – has been helping to fund military service relief organizations aiding active duty military members for over 50 years through its gala fundraiser. Over $7 million in proceeds from the Gala have been distributed to military relief agencies since 1965. The Foundation’s board of trustees is made up of retired military service members from all branches of military who volunteer their time to raise funds for service relief organizations which help fund active duty soldiers if they have a need. For example, if a military member who is deployed, has a death in family and needs financial assistance to return home, he/she could contact their service relief organization and request financial aid.

“The other purpose of the Greater Dallas Military Foundation is to show support of our military throughout the Dallas/Ft Worth area,” Siniscalchi said. “It’s an opportunity for us to connect with people from the local community, because there are a lot of people who support the foundation who haven’t been in the service but want to contribute to it and learn more about it.”

Among the honored military servicemen and women expected to be in attendance at the Gala is Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force General Mark A. Welsh, III, who serves as the senior USAF officer responsible for the organization, training and equipping of 690,000 active duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the U.S. and overseas, and also acting as military advisor to the Secretary of Defense, the National Security Council and the President.

Siniscalchi said the event is expected to attract military service members and local residents from across North Texas, including Rockwall and Greenville.

“Any time our military service members know that a community is pulling together to help, it makes a big difference,” she said. “When that happens, even if you’re not wearing the uniform, you’re still a part of it because you’re doing what you can do to help support them.”