Sponsorship

Sponsorship is also available for youth. Installation youth sponsorship programs help military-connected youth make a successful transition to a new community. Primarily directed to preteen and teenaged youth, installation youth programs/centers provide information and materials on programs and services available at their new location. Where available, youth can exchange emails, talk on the phone or chat online with other youth. The youth program staff at your new installation can offer more information on installation youth sponsorship programs.

You can also contact your installation School Liaison Program office for information about school-based youth sponsorship programs such as Anchored4Life and Student2Student. These peer-to-peer programs help your student adjust to and navigate their new school.

If your child would like to become a youth sponsor, contact your installation School Liaison Program or youth program/center.

To help prepare sponsors for success, the Sponsorship Program provides training and access to important information and resources that can help newcomers master their move. The Sponsorship Program helps sponsors fulfill their responsibilities, which may include:

• Contacting the service member and family with an introductory email
• Staying in contact with the service member throughout the moving process
• Sending information about the new community and duty assignment, responding to questions and providing information about resources
• Confirming transportation and lodging arrangements
• Helping with post office arrangements
• Meeting service members and family members upon arrival
• Going with service members to unit check-in point
• Introducing service members to the Military and Family Support Center and loan closet, if it’s available
• Familiarizing service members and families with the installation and key locations, like the commissary

Note: Responsibilities may vary based on service-specific policies and guidance. Make sure to check with your service branch for sponsor training requirements.

Overall, the Sponsorship Program aims to:

• Provide newcomers with a sense of belonging
• Ease the transition for inbound service members or civilians and their family members
• Increase productivity of service members and loved ones
• Help newcomers make informed decisions
• Cultivate new friendships
• Improve morale

For more information on the Sponsorship Program, contact your installation Military and Family Support Center.

Sponsorship processing begins upon receipt of reassignment notification and ends when the soldier and/or family has successfully integrated into the unit, installation and community. Units should try to match sponsors and service members by rank and family status.

All incoming soldiers in the grades of E1-E6, O1-O3, and W1-W2 are required to have a sponsor assigned by their gaining unit prior to arriving at West Point. Those soldiers must request a sponsor by logging in to the Act Sponsorship Module (www.actnow.army.mil ) and completing sections 1, 2, 4, and 5 of the DA Form 5434 at the current unit.

Those soldiers in the grades of E7-E9, O4-O10 and W3-W5 are not required, but can request a sponsor by logging in to the Act Sponsorship Module (www.actnow.army.mil) and completing sections 1, 2, 4, and 5 of the DA Form 5434 at the current unit.

A sponsor will be assigned in the ACT Sponsorship Module within 120 days of the report date. The soldier will be then contacted by his/her newly assigned unit and sponsor.  A soldier's sponsor should arrange to meet with him/her upon arrival. If this is not possible, the sponsor will instruct the soldier to begin in-processing by reporting to the unit commander or S1 office.

Newly arrived soldiers are required to complete the in-processing survey no later than 45 days after arrival to gaining command in the ACT Sponsorship Module.