2020 Armed Forces Insurance Spouse of the Year Fort Bragg rallies support for soldiers in quarantine after deployment

Tiffany Marquis is no stranger to serving her community through volunteerism. Together with her active neighborhood, she's turned quarantine walks into decorative art treasure hunts with sidewalk chalk displays, massive egg hunts, and even painted sign photo ops.

When Marquis learned from another Family Readiness Group leader that troops were seeking resources for incoming troops facing quarantine after deployment, she quickly pulled resources together.

"Another FRG leader had seen my spouse of the year Facebook page and thought I might be able to help her and reached out. We had never met before, but this is just what you do. We are all here for the same mission, the same cause," said Marquis.

All returning soldiers were facing a 14-day quarantine in the barracks no matter what their living or marital status was.

"You want them to be comfortable. You want to make what they are going through easier if you can," Marquis said.

Marquis called upon her contact at NC Packs 4 Patriots, a nonprofit organization supporting service members and families out of North Carolina through care and comfort item donations.

"I met the organization at a back to school drive years earlier. Immediately you get the understanding that they are there to help, to show up. When I called them, they were immediately on board asking me what I needed," Marquis said, who volunteers her time at the organization whenever possible.

Marquis didn't stop at calling upon just one organization; she put the ask out to her community Facebook page where the group has regularly shown up for each other throughout the pandemic.

"People were excited to help however they could. Within a few days I had over 15 packs of toilet paper and facial tissue." While these items may seem obvious on the list of comfort, given the scarcity of local stockpiles nationwide, it speaks volumes to the love and selflessness of those contributing to the project.

"Not only did we get hygiene kits, but we had plenty of favorite snack items donated as well," she explained. Snacks represent normalcy in America for soldiers. Receiving the comforts of home upon arrival is one small way to help with the reintegration process.

The efforts of Marquis and her neighborhood throughout this tough season is a prime example of how capable and strong the military community is no matter what obstacle they are facing. "We weren't going to let this pandemic stop us from supporting each other," stated Marquis confidently.

"The FRG overall is a team. As a leader your goal is to support the unit however you can throughout deployments, homecomings, or with fundraisers." Marquis and the FRG leader who reached out for support are now mutually invested in the success of each other and their missions, exchanging help and resources to rise to meet the need.

In uncertain times and with plenty of units across all service branches facing similar situations, the example set here is one to follow.

"It starts with one person," Marquis shared. "One person to form a team and the team then moving forward in the right direction."