Photo By Staff Sgt. Courtney Davis | Spc. Dionisio Marcelo, former USAG Humphreys BOSS treasurer, receives coin from Lt....... read more read more
CAMP HUMPHREYS, Republic of Korea – Members of U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys Better Opportunity for Single Soldiers celebrated their second Best BOSS Large Garrison Award.
The Best BOSS award recognizes large, medium, and small installation BOSS programs on their ability to produce and execute programs focused on the four pillars of BOSS: quality of life, recreation and leisure, community service, and life skills. This year, social distancing was introduced as a fifth category.
“Social distancing was a new criterion which was added in fiscal year '20 toward the beginning of the COVID pandemic,” said Spc. Ian Holmes, BOSS president. “The team and I decided to start conducting virtual classes showing Soldiers how to read their Soldiers Record Brief, Leave Earning Statement or how to build and wear their dress uniform. These videos allowed Soldiers to sill participate in BOSS and stay healthy.”
The virtual classes were such a success, said Holmes, that even after restrictions were lifted the BOSS team continued to produce videos and upload them to their Facebook page (@humphreyboss).
Life skill videos were just part of the reason the USAG Humphreys BOSS program won. By collaborating with the garrison’s single Soldiers, Army Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) leaders, Military Equal Opportunity Advisors, Sexual Assault Response Coordinators, and Behavioral Health professionals, the council members were able to create volunteer opportunities for BOSS representatives, in addition to bringing the Humphreys’ community together.
Partnering with these garrison directorates paved the way for programs and events such as:
• ASAP ambassadors, a quarterly course where participants learn about alcohol abuse, how to recognize substance abuse and the role of a unit prevention leaders.
• Sexual Harassment Assault Response Program reverse panel, where representatives from SHARP conduct an open-floor forum with Soldiers to discuss the effectiveness of Army SHARP.
• The Inclusion Cup, which brought together brigades and their Korean Augmentation to the United States Army counterparts, to promote teamwork, diversity, and involvement within units.
• Wellness Wednesday, where Soldiers spend lunchtime bowling and eating pizza at the Downtown Bowling Alley. After lunch a chaplain or behavioral health specialist provides attendees tips on the importance of spiritual and mental resiliency.
Holmes said Sexual Assault Aware Prevention Month events such as: the SHARP reverse panel, the women and men’s mentorship panels, and the garrison’s Take Back the Night Run, took place in large part due to the support Master Sgt. Kyisha Crawford, sexual assault response coordinator (SARC) and Lt. Col. Melissa Boyd, clinical phycologist provided to the BOSS program. These panels took place the first week of April and provided Soldiers information on SHARP resources both on and off the installation. The panels also afforded Soldiers a chance to get familiarize with their SARC and Military Equal Opportunity (MEO) representatives.
“The panel discussions are held so that SHARP and MEO representatives can explain, step-by-step, the complaint procedure from filing a report to prosecution,” said Holmes. “The panel moderator also allots time for questions and answers at the very end. Last year we had ten Soldiers come forward and report right after the discussion. This year we have been asked to hold a dual mentorship, with men and women in the same room, it’ll be interesting. We hold these forums to show there are resources are out there to support you.
“We also have signs posted on the inside and outside of the walking gate that say, ‘SHARP stops here,” said Holmes. "We want everyone to know that there is a zero tolerance for such behavior."
Along with quality-of-life events, USAG Humphreys BOSS program focuses on recreation and leisure to encourage Soldiers get out of their barracks and explore Korea. The council provides Soldiers a variety of leisure activities, such as trips to Everland and ski resorts. They also host pie-eating contests and behavioral health beach-day getaways.
Community service events are created to be a part of the BOSS’s Inclusion Cup and are incentive to get Soldiers and the Humphreys community members to come out and volunteer. Some of the events are organized annually and are open to the public such as the haunted house in October, the tree-lighting ceremony in December, and the Eggsperience (egg hunt) in April. Other community-service projects take place on a weekly or monthly basis and are single-Soldier centered such as toy drops, library volunteering and the "Ville clean up," which seeks to improve the beautification of the dining and entertainment area frequently used by service members close to the installation.
Holmes said everyone he worked with on the BOSS council had passion and drive. He said because the whole team was on the same page, they were able to take care of the more than 17,000 single Soldiers at Humphreys, with and without dependents. He thanked the previous USAG Humphreys BOSS representatives: Lorenzo Ranche, council advisers; Spc. Austin Gano, vice president; Spc. Sarah Gonzalez, secretary; Spc. Dionisio Marcello, treasurer; and former garrison Command Sgt. Benjamin Lemon, who all made it possible for the success of the BOSS program.
“A second win could not have happened without this team and all of the BOSS volunteers’ creative ideas and long hours,” said Holmes whose next duty assignment is Fort Carson. “For the next council members, I say ‘lead with your heart, listen to the community and there is a foundation laid for you, so build up from there how you see fit.’ It has been an honor to be BOSS president and I know the next team will lead USAG Humphreys to another win.”
| Date Taken: | 03.10.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.15.2023 00:11 |
| Story ID: | 440095 |
| Location: | PAENGSEONG-EUP, GYEONGGIDO [KYONGGI-DO], KR |
| Hometown: | FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US |
| Hometown: | SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 26 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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