I started Volunteering with the USO in 11/17. I am a USAF Veteran and wanted to help the younger generation troops. I volunteer one day a week and help cook and serve lunch to 60-80 service members and veterans. It is great hearing the compliments on the food we cook and sometimes it is something we throw together with what we have on the shelves of stuff we get from donations and the food bank. We do get creative, but I do enjoy it very much. And the appreciation from those we serve is above reproach. Thank you to all the volunteers and also thank you to the service members and veterans!!!
My husband and I started volunteering at the Richmond USO after our daughter joined the military. She has been to the USO at several airports and the volunteers have always been so wonderful. We want to provide that same support to others as they pass through our USO.
After moving to Richmond I started volunteering at the RIC USO and found a strong and supportive network of volunteers. Some are absolute stalwarts and are literally on standby and fill shifts whenever they are needed- Last minute, late night, overnight, whatever. They are there.
My personal story came after volunteering with a Navy Reservist that was extraordinarily friendly and helpful. After learning about each other's backgrounds he told me I would be perfect for the Navy's DCO program....fast forward 12 months later and I was being commissioned in Norfolk. I would have never realized this opportunity without the people at the RIC USO.
After retiring from a part-time job after almost 20 years, I decided to volunteer in order to help veterans in some way. First McGuires VA hospital then the USO. Every shift at the USO has been a pleasure meeting all the young men and women serving our country. I enjoy fixing them whatever they may want to eat. Their stories are always interesting as well as informative. What a joy our veterans are.
My Husband retired after 23 years as an aviator in the Army. We consider it a privilege and honor to volunteer at the USO Center at the Richmond Airport. It is a pleasure taking care of service members and their families and listening as they share stories, whether about where they are headed, where they have been, how they met their significant other, stores good and not-so-good. Thank goodness for the USO!
I volunteer for the Richmond Airport USO (Central Virginia) and I love what I do. Supporting the Military is the greatest job I've never been paid for. Our Military work hard every day to protect this country and they deserve our support. When new Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force or Coast Guard come into our center fresh from basic training, it is so rewarding to fix them something to eat or drink or help them to feel comfortable with the new life they are starting. I love talking with the more seasoned Military who have so many stories to tell. I want them to feel just like a member of my family and to know that their country supports them.
From the minute they walk in, our service men and women tell us it feels like coming home. From the welcome , to the fully bellies , to the happy conversations. I love giving my time to support our nations military. The USO gives me the opportunity to give back to our service members and I love going in to volunteer every week.
I've been volunteering at AMC Terminal location. Director Ramon is a very dedicated director of the site, giving his 100% to make sure our visitors feel welcome and have a pleasant experience during their visits. He also takes great care of the volunteers at the location, including myself. I am very honored to be a part of this USO, and looking forward to serve active duty/Reserves/Veterans who have dedicated their lives to serve our country. :)
While deployed to Iraq 2007-2008, I visited the USO extensively to use the internet and stay in touch with my wife and family. I was a beneficiary of being among strangers who were representative of friends and neighbors back home.
So, after retirement, my wife and I decided that it was time to pay back the USO for being a home away from home for me. The USO at RIC is now our opportunity to give back to the USO and continue serving with our young patriots in the military. We enjoy interacting with the young men and women who are continuing the selfless service of previous generations and defending our country and way of life. They represent the .4% of the population actively sacrificing to preserve our constitution and way of life. We are confident that our future is secure. It always amazes these wonderful youngsters when we tell them that everything is free and we are there to help them, from blankets to cookies, to games to television shows, to locations of importance and to information about their destinations. As a veteran of combat deployments and the spouse of a retired soldier We are proud of being USO volunteers.
I volunteer with the USO at the Richmond Airport and I see the great work that we do in support of our Service people. Many come thru our facility every day and we provide them with a safe place to relax and to enjoy. I just love preparing food for them and talking to them. What a great service the USO provides.
It is always a pleasure volunteering at the AMC Norfolk terminal. Ramon, the site director is a passionate leader that is constantly improving the overall centers creature comforts. There have been many patrons that have told me how much the center has improved over the last year
I have been associated with the USO off and on since 1959. First as a Volunteer and then with my Soldier husband and our assorted children. The USO in Philadelphia was always the first place we stopped into when we came home from Europe. Our children, when they traveled alone, reported in and waited for grandparents to pick them up.
When in Rome, Italy the USO was our source for information on everything, from Papal Audiences to the best place to eat.
And now, after retirement, the USO at RIC is my Thursday home away from home. I enjoy interacting with the young men and women who are preparing to defend out country. I'm confident that our future is secure. It always amazes them when we tell our visitors that everything is free and we are there to help them, from blankets to cookies, to games to tv shows, to locations of importance and to information about their destinations. As the spouse of a retired soldier I am proud of being a USO volunteer.
Volunteering at the Newport News Williamsburg Airport USO is a great experience, it also creates opportunities to volunteer at the LPGA golf tournament at Kings Mill and other rewarding venues. It's a great way to say THANK YOU to those who are serving and those who have served our nation. With a great volunteer staff, appreciative customers and a great Center Director you just can't beat it as an opportunity to volunteer!!