Photo By Janecze Wright | Soldiers line up to congratulate the Fort Cavazos Sergeant Audie Murphy Club Induction...... read more read more
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FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — The Fort Cavazos United Service Organizations took the opportunity to recognize a long-time volunteer for his years of selfless service to others.
Thomas Vornbrock, or “Mr. Tom” as he is affectionately called by his peers at the USO, was presented the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award alongside other extraordinary Soldiers being honored during the Fort Cavazos Sergeant Audie Murphy Club Induction Ceremony May 30 at the Mission Training Complex at Fort Cavazos.
After serving 21 years in the military, Vornbrock continued serving those in uniform volunteering at the Fort Cavazos USO for the past eight years and logging more than 6,000 volunteer hours.
“I saw a need, and I answered,” he humbly offered. “I hope I’m making a little bit of a difference, something (Soldiers) can shoot for.”
Vornbrock shared what he enjoys most about volunteering is talking to the troops, adding he hopes he is setting a good example, and they can benefit from his experience.
“A little bit of knowledge that someone that is former military can still do things for them and give back,” he said.
A man of few words, his co-workers more than made up for his modest reaction to being recognized with endless accolades for a man they consider an organization treasure.
“We absolutely love him,” expressed Patti Reece, center operations specialist, Fort Cavazos USO. “He volunteers at least three days a week, six to eight hours a day. He knows the Soldiers when they come in. He knows the USO inside and out, and seeing what he does influences others to want to volunteer.”
Melissa Aguilar, Fort Cavazos USO transition specialist, agreed.
“Mr. Tom is just phenomenal,” she said. “He has great passion, and every time he comes in, he’s ready to share stories and life lessons with everybody. So, he’s just great to have around the USO, and he’s just awesome to be around.”
Reece added Vornbrock is passionate about the military, often sharing memories of his years as an Army Soldier and encouraging the younger generation of Soldiers to persevere through the many challenges of an Army career and stay the course through retirement.
She said this honor is just a small way to show Vornbrock how big of an impact his contribution has made.
“It’s important to honor him because he’s put in so many hours, and he’s just a dedicated person,” Reece expressed. “He loves the USO, he loves the service members that come in and he just wants to be a part of it.”
Volunteers are the cornerstone of the USO, and Vornbrock has established a legacy of selfless service for generations to follow. As he looks to the future, he said he has no intentions of slowing down.
“I’m going to go as far as I can,” Vornbrock said. “I’ll even have my walker if I need it.”
And the Fort Cavazos USO wouldn’t have it any other way.
For more information about volunteer opportunities with the USO, visit volunteers.uso.org or email usoftcavazos@uso.org to inquire about special volunteer projects with the Fort Cavazos USO.
| Date Taken: | 06.06.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 06.21.2024 10:51 |
| Story ID: | 473753 |
| Location: | FORT CAVAZOS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 52 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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