Chaplains, this year’s ACST (2025) will be unique, i.e. not what you are used to.
Please keep this email for your future planning.
1- First NOTE that we have shifted our ACST one day to the right. We will meet Tuesday-Friday Evening, instead of our usual Monday through Thursday evening. You will be authorized early checking at the Hotel at 1400 on Tuesday, 18 February.
2- The Ark Encounter (AE) and Creation Museum (CM) is hosting our 2024 ACST. Because (in the past) DTS and members of the Military have at times have incorrectly considered these to be Theme Parks, they were not inclined to grant funded TDY orders. So, we have intentionally censored the attached ACST Schedule from most references to the AE and CM. We hope that this will help you with orders. This is a legitimate Endorser Religious Education Training Event!
3- We are staying at the Holiday Inn Express in Dry Ridge (15 minutes from the AE). It is a brand-new Hotel and they have given us a good group rate. The rate however may be $8 higher than your per deim allows. And, you may not be able to find the Hotel in DTS (it is brand-new). Please work with your Travel people early on to set up your travel orders. They may have to do this manually. Don’t wait until the last minute.
4- There’s a Registration Fee this year – $125.00 for which the Govt. should reimburse you.
5- AGC will pay for your Entrance Fee to both the AE and CM and your parking pass for both places. If you are bringing family (which is a great idea) you will need to pay for their entrance fee to both AE and CM. We will give more info on when you will do this as we get closer to the ACST.
6- The AGC will pay for your Meals for: Tue. Dinner (Pizza at Hotel), Wed. Lunch (AE), Thu. Lunch (CM) and the Banquet (AE). [You will need to pay for Wed. Lunch (AE) and Thu. Lunch (CM) for any family members you bring. (Wed. and Thu. evening meals and Fri. Lunch will be on your own)]
7- We will conduct all AGC Business at the beginning of our ACST. The AE and CM are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays in the off season (this is why we shifted one day to the right). We will start our ACST with a General Session on Tuesday evening in the Hotel Conference Room. After that first session we will have Pizza catered in. Then, Chaplains will return to the Conference Room for our first Business Session on Tuesday evening. We will have our second Business Session on Wednesday Morning in the AE Answer’s Center Lower Level (AEACLL) Room.
8- AGC Ladies will have their special time together on Wednesday Evening. Hazel Benzing will be the special speaker for that event. We are still researching a good (and very nice) location and will let you know when we know.
9- Please note that the AGC Banquet will be on Friday (late afternoon). We will have a Group Picture in Class A Uniforms in front pf the Ark at 1430 and then begin the Banquet at 1500. We will honor Chaplain Ron and Hazel Benzing that evening and conclude the evening at around 1730.
Please begin praying now for our time together. The AE and CM wonderfully present a visual confirmation of the many Truths of the first 9 Chapters of Genesis. All of God’s Word is True…even that which we do not fully understand…we should never discount any of it (Deut. 29:29).
**Hotel reservations for 2025 AGC Training:
1. Try to find hotel on DTS.
2. If Hotel is not on DTS (probably won’t be) contact your local SATO office to book the room.
3. If room price is at or below per diem rates, no justification will be needed
4. If room price is over per diem rate, provide a justification through the audit screen in DTS.
1. AGC should put a statement on the MOI for the conference stating the preferred hotel.
i. The Justification can be as follows. “This hotel is the preferred vendor for this conference, as referenced in the attached MOI.
AGC rate $115.00
Holiday Inn Express, 300 Sgt. Daniel Wallace Way, Dry Ridge, KY 41035.
Semper Fidelis, SDB+
Chaplain Steve Brown
President/Endorser
The Associated Gospel Churches – The AGC
Enabling Local Church Missional Access into Restricted Institutions for over 80 years!
www.agcchaplaincy.com
864.268.8707
For in him we live, and move, and have our being;… (Acts 17:28a)
