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Volunteers soar to new heights

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Michael O'Connor
  • 51st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  The Osan Air Base Volunteer Resource Program reached an all-time high with more than 90,000 volunteered in on- and off-base communities during the 2006 "Volunteers Make A Difference Every Day" campaign. 

More than 100 members of Team Osan joined Brig. Gen. Joe Reynes, 51st Fighter Wing commander, during a luncheon at the Officers' Club here Thursday to thank and reward five outstanding volunteers for their selflessness throughout 2006. 

"It's a pleasure to honor our Team Osan volunteers and their many achievements during the 2006 calendar year," General Reynes. "Truly, our volunteers are the 'unsung' muscle behind the mission and heroes of Team Osan. With more than 1,000 registered volunteers contributing more than 90,000 hours in 2006 alone, it's clear that we couldn't accomplish all we have on base and in the local community without you." 

The general said there are many measures of the impact volunteers have made here. One is the large amount of volunteer hours saved the base more than $1.6 million. From our schools to the hospital, the Red Cross to the post office, more than 30 base agencies are supported by Team Osan volunteers. Volunteers also support more than a dozen community outreach programs which engage the Korean communities throughout the Greater Pyongtaek area. And these are just the agencies we know about and the hours that have been reported and documented. 

"This brings up a very important issue to me: keeping track of our volunteer hours," said General Reynes. "So many of our volunteers simply give of themselves and leave their times undocumented. Today we thank them and all who quietly contribute, for their volunteer spirit. Thanks in large part to Sherri Kitchens, we have a very ambitious volunteer program, and here's the most impressive part: we don't really advertise for volunteers -- Team Osan members just step up when there is a need. 

"The people who received today's awards are being acknowledged by the agencies and units they serve, for their selflessness and dedication. I am extremely proud of them and the fact that they have chosen to contribute by volunteering," said General Reynes. "I know our operations tempo is high and that our free time is precious, but these people remind us, it's not what you receive, but what you give of yourself. It is by your efforts that we benefit as a community -- no one does it better!" 

Of the more than 1,000 registered volunteers, 75 percent of those are active duty, said Mrs. Sherri Kitchens, Airman and Family Readiness Center Volunteer Resource Program manager. They work a full eight to 10-hour day and then still find the time to contribute to both the on- and off-base community. 

"We absolutely could not run many of our programs, especially our youth programs, without our dedicated volunteers," said Mrs. Kitchens. 

2006 Volunteer Award Recipients 

-  Mrs. KaTanya Miles, 51st Fighter Wing Chapel, received the Volunteer Excellence Award which is the highest volunteer award given out at Osan. She dedicated the majority of the 895 hours she volunteered toward creating a women's spiritual readiness program at the chapel and provided her prior environmental engineering experience to the 51st Mission Support Group. 

-  Ms. Alicia Bratten, 51st Services Squadron, received the Volunteer of the Year Award for the Youth Category. She dedicated the majority of the 425 hours to the teen and adult partnership program. Due to her leadership as vice president of the Osan Keystone Club, the club acheivd Gold Level Charter and subsequently, $10,000 for the Osan Teen Center. 

-  Staff Sgt. Andre Alford, 607th Air Intelligence Squadron, received the Volunteer of the Year Award for the Direct Service Category. He dedicated the majority of the 1,211 hours he volunteered to mentoring elementary students on fitness and basketball, as well as raising money for a clothing drive for a local orphanage. 

-  Staff Sgt. Jon Powell, 51st Communications Squadron, received the Volunteer of the Year Award for the Service to Youth Category. He dedicated the majority of the 932 hours to being a role model to Osan youth through mentorship which contributed to the development of the Osan American High School football and wrestling teams for the last two years. 

-  Senior Airman Jason Robertson, 607th Air Support Operations Squadron (Camp Casey), received the Volunteer of the Year Award for the Administrative Service Category. He dedicated the majority of the 100 hours he volunteered to the American Red Cross at Camp Casey where he spent Christmas Eve as a Red Cross volunteer at Camp Bonifas on the southern boundary of the Demilitarized Zone.