Specialized Volunteers Enhance USO Mission Delivery

The Power of Volunteerism in America’s History

The spirit of volunteerism is resplendent in the collective American psyche. This deeply rooted tradition reflects the nation's values of selflessness, community service, and civic responsibility. From the earliest days of America's founding, volunteers have played a pivotal role in shaping the social fabric of the United States, by responding to the needs of individuals, families, and communities in times of crisis, emergencies, and war. This spirit of helping others not only strengthens communities but also embodies the core principles of unity, compassion, and social progress that define the American identity.

The Role of the USO in the US Military Community

Within the US military community – the military itself being a tremendous volunteer institution for the past five decades – service members and their families find numerous ways to contribute to the well-being and resiliency of the community. Particularly in the overseas environment, wherein many military spouses are not in the workforce for a variety of reasons, volunteerism provides a means to hone important professional skills while also enabling networking opportunities to meet others. Likewise, it underscores the legitimacy of the organization and robust support by those who donate their time and talents. Many fantastic organizations offer volunteer opportunities to service members, spouses, and in some cases, even military children; of all of these organizations on military installations, one that particularly offers a wide range of these opportunities is the United Service Organizations, the USO.

Many people are familiar with USO airport lounges worldwide as well as USO centers on military installations. The USO strengthens the well-being of the people serving in America’s military and their families. Traditionally, we have done this by keeping them connected to family, home, and country throughout their service to our nation. And a significant aspect of this endeavor is due to our robust Volunteer Corps. The USO is a very large organization, with a little over eight hundred full-time staff members globally; in sharp contrast, we are also proud to say that we have more than 30,000 volunteers worldwide.

USO: The People Behind the Force

So, what exactly do volunteers contribute to the USO? Members of the military community are familiar with the most common roles of USO Volunteers which include greeting patrons at the front desk of our centers, assisting at special events, welcoming and cheering at homecomings, or simply by providing a listening ear. Our volunteers are the reason service members and their families know they can count on the USO as a place to relax and feel welcomed. However, more recently, our teams have broadened volunteer positions in order to appeal to a wider community of interest. I would like to illustrate some of these specialized volunteer positions that we have adopted in our USO Centers here in Korea.

Specialized Volunteer Roles at USO Korea

First and foremost, we have learned over time that the best recruiter of a new volunteer is someone who currently volunteers themself. USO Volunteers share their experiences with friends and members of their unit by describing what they do, the people with whom they interact, and the gratification they experience. This largely draws additional people from the community who are interested in sharing this great opportunity. As such, the first specialized volunteer position is the Recruitment and Training Volunteer. USO Casey in Dongducheon has successfully implemented this important position which focuses on both identifying potential volunteers and providing them with the necessary training. This role involves assisting new people who are interested in becoming a volunteer, particularly those from a 9-month rotational unit, by training them over the weekend so they can begin their volunteer activities quickly and seamlessly. Moreover, USO Casey is responsible for two unstaffed lounges along the DMZ at Warrior Base in Paju and Rodriguez Live Fire Complex (RLFC) in Youngpyeong. Again, specialized volunteers assist the staff by periodically traveling to these remote locations to replenish drinks and snacks for the members of all of our training units to enjoy.

Serving at Air Mobility Command and Outreach Locations at Osan Air Base

USO Osan in Songtan has developed two specialized volunteer positions that support its unique mission. The team at USO Osan conducts welcomes and farewells for the arrivals and departures of military families at the Air Mobility Command (AMC) Terminal. These flights are oftentimes at non-standard workday hours. The volunteers assist tremendously in preparing and distributing care packages to the newly arrived personnel while also offering snacks and drinks for those awaiting departure. Similarly, USO Osan also conducts outreach programs at Kunsan Air Base and Gwangju Air Base, both of which are quite a distance away from Osan. Again, volunteers who have the time and interest to assist provide critical capabilities for the team to travel to these installations quarterly to provide programs and offerings to US Service Members stationed at these remote locations.

Welcome to Korea Briefings and Building Community at Maude Hall

At USO Humphreys – Maude Hall in Pyeongtaek, volunteers deliver the “Welcome to Korea Briefing.” Since the vast majority of new arrivals to Korea process through Maude Hall – also known as the One Stop – it has become an information nexus for the community. As such, the USO team has designed a tailored briefing that informs newly arrived patrons of the programs and offerings at all five USO Centers and three Unstaffed Lounges in Korea. Our volunteers frequently present this briefing to newly arrived patrons. Another interesting volunteer option at Maude Hall is one of our signature programs, the Dungeons and Dragons Adventurer's Guild, which we conduct each Saturday. A growing community of interest has developed and several volunteers have served in the specialized volunteer position of Dungeon Master. These volunteers, demonstrating knowledge and experience in tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), lead guests through curated fantasy campaigns and gameplay of Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, Fallout, and a variety of other TTRPGs. 

Engaging Youth and Promoting Cultural Exchange at Sentry Village

Across the installation at USO Humphreys – Sentry Village, our dedicated volunteers play a key role in coordinating and facilitating the Youth Dungeons & Dragons program, providing an immersive and creative experience for young participants. Through their commitment and enthusiasm to this specialized volunteer position, they help foster teamwork, problem-solving, and imagination in an engaging environment. Additionally, patrons at this center have increasingly inquired about language classes, prompting volunteers to teach conversational skills in such languages as Korean, German, and Arabic to diverse learners. These specialized volunteers help create an inclusive space that promotes language learning and cultural exchange.

Special Delivery, Supporting Expecting Parents at Camp Walker

Nestled in the city of Daegu, USO Walker has developed several specialized volunteer positions to support their local programs and core programs; one such core program is Special Delivery. This program provides baby showers and a touch of home for parents-to-be, who are often far away from their families, friends, and support networks during pregnancies and within the first few months of infancy. Special Delivery combines baby shower games, local guest speakers, drawings for traditional baby shower gifts, and cultivating community connections. Additionally, USO Walker has responsibility for the unstaffed lounge at Camp Carroll in nearby Waegwan. Specialized volunteers assist the staff in replenishing snacks and drinks, as well as designing and running programs for the troops and families on Camp Carroll. 

Corporate Outreach,  Behind-the-Scenes Volunteers at USO Korea

Finally, at the Area Office, which has overall responsibility for all USO operations in Korea, we have a specialized volunteer position that assists with corporate outreach. A very important part of USO operations is to solicit corporate sponsorships and conduct fundraising activities. This specialized volunteer position assists the Country Director with scheduling meetings, conducting correspondence, in some cases providing language translation, and coordinating with venue staff for events. Although not very publicly visible, this specialized position plays an extremely important role in posturing USO Korea for future mission delivery.

These descriptions highlight some of the many specialized volunteer opportunities offered by USO Korea. If you are looking for a way to give back to your community, consider volunteering at your local USO; likewise, if you have an idea or an interest in a specialized area, please stop in and discuss it with your local Center Operations Manager. You can continue to exercise your talents before you return to the workforce or you can learn some new skills – we will even help you to capture these onto your resume. Accumulated volunteer hours assist in promotion points and specific skills that may greatly enhance your marketability for future employment. We also love to recognize our volunteers with appreciation events, USO swag, Mission Awards, and Presidential Volunteer Service Awards (PVSA). Volunteers power community organizations every day by creating solutions for community needs, building bridges between cultures, and being the welcoming face to newcomers and visitors alike! 

Joining the USO volunteer team provides an incredible opportunity to give back, enhance your skills, and make an immediate impact in the lives of service members and their families - we can’t wait to have you on the team and for you to be part of something truly meaningful.

Learn More About Volunteering with the USO