KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany – U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz honored the outstanding service of its volunteer workforce during the Volunteer of the Year recognition ceremony at Sembach Kaserne, April 25.
More than 100 guests attended the event to honor the 21 nominees. Col. Jeffery Higgins, USAG Rheinland-Pfalz commander, opened the ceremony.
“Our volunteers see a need and don’t wait for others to act,” Higgins said. “Rather, they step forward, offering their time, talents, and most importantly, their hearts. On behalf of U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz, thank you for your kindness, compassion and selfless contributions to our servicemembers, civilians, retirees, and their families.”
In 2024, USAG Rheinland-Pfalz volunteers contributed more than 50,000 volunteer hours, totaling $1,652,044.95 in economic value for programs like Army Community Service (ACS), Child and Youth Services, Cub Scouts, Armed Forces Network, KMC Onstage, Religious Services, Armstrong’s Club, Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers, Department of Defense Education Activity, Global Military Lactation Community, United Services Organization and more.
The winners in each category were:
o Military Volunteer of the Year: Lt. Col. Paul Hester
o Single Soldier: Staff Sgt. Kevin Jean Paul
o Family member: Toby Holland
o Civilian: Beth Dougherty
o Youth: Keandre Anderson
Col. Todd Allison, 21st Theater Sustainment Command deputy commander, highlighted the direct support volunteers make toward Soldier readiness.
“Our volunteers’ commitment builds resilience in our community, which strengthens our programs and provides essential support to our warfighters and their families.”
Timi Olusanya, an ACS program manager with USAG Rheinland-Pfalz’s Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, also serves as the Volunteer Corps coordinator for the garrison. She said this annual event promotes a culture of giving back, while boosting volunteer and community morale.
“Volunteers promote civic engagement in our community and remind us about true purpose,” Olusanya said. “They fill the gaps in service in Rheinland-Pfalz and help understaffed organizations run better.”
That’s good news for the garrison’s total force community, as volunteers fill a variety of roles, from mentoring and coaching children and youth to leading classes and workshops, she said.
Olusanya said she is passionate about volunteering. She’s a member of AmeriCorps and got her start at USAG Rheinland-Pfalz as a volunteer with ACS, giving her time as an instructor for courses geared toward military spouses.
“I think people giving their time selflessly reflects the goodness in humanity,” Olusanya said. “Ultimately, volunteers make the Kaiserslautern Military Community – and Rheinland-Pfalz – a better community.”
Interested volunteers can explore garrison volunteer opportunities by making an account in the Volunteer Management Information System at https://vmis.armyfamilywebportal.com/.
U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz advances the Department of Defense mission to achieve peace through strength as we serve, support and secure the total force community, enabling power projection for the European Theater.
| Date Taken: | 05.06.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.06.2025 03:24 |
| Story ID: | 497098 |
| Location: | KAISERSLAUTERN, DE |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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