About Total Army Sponsorship Program
The Total Army Sponsorship Program provides the structure and foundation for units to welcome and help prepare soldiers, civilian employees, and family members for their new duty station in advance of their actual arrival. This program is available to soldiers in the active Army, Army National Guard, Army Reserve, and civilian employees assigned to positions within the Department of the Army. The sponsor is the key to helping the new soldier, civilian employee, and family get comfortably settled as quickly as possible, thereby putting his mind at rest so he can concentrate on his new duties as soon as possible.
The unit will appoint a sponsor within 10 calendar days after the organization receives DA Form 5434 or DA Form 5434-E unless the incoming soldier or civilian employee declines. If no sponsor is desired, the unit will send a welcome letter from the battalion or activity commander (for officers); command sergeant major (for enlisted soldiers); or commander or activity director (for civilian employees). The unit will not provide additional sponsorship action until arrival. Upon arrival, the unit will assign a sponsor to the incoming soldier or civilian employee. The assigned sponsor will be of equal or higher grade than the incoming soldier or civilian employee when practical. The sponsor will also be of the same sex, marital status, and military career field or occupational series as the incoming soldier or civilian employee when feasible. The sponsor will be familiar with the unit or activity and community.
The sponsor will normally not be the person being replaced by the incoming soldier or civilian employee, or within 60 days of permanent change of station (PCS). For more information on Army sponsorship, see AR 600-8-8, The Total Army Sponsorship Program, your local Army Community Service office, and your unit sponsorship program proponent.
