Photo By Airman Keola Vischi | From left: U.S. Army Jimmy Howell, 2nd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, 11th Infantry...... read more read more
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JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska — Military and civilian community members honored hundreds of volunteers during the Annual Volunteer Recognition Ceremony on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, April 22, 2026.
Hosted by the Military and Family Readiness Center, Army Community Services, the ceremony recognized service members, families, civilians and community partners for strengthening the installation and the local area through selfless service. Their recognition highlights a year of efforts that ranged from food and family support to youth mentoring, financial readiness and community outreach on and off the installation.
“We can make a difference in terms of getting people what it is that they need,” said Sherry Worthy, a community readiness consultant with ACS. “Sometimes, it could be some larger lifesaving and career-saving type items such as helping people with managing debt, helping them with resources to care for their families, food security — you name it, we take care of it in that role.”
Worthy provided readiness services for service members and their families, as well as veterans and retirees across JBER. She said she came to this work later in her career because she wanted to support the military community.
“It was an opportunity. I felt like I just wanted to serve those who serve, and this has been every bit so much better than I could even imagine,” said Worthy.
She described working with volunteers as the highlight of her position, noting that the program helped newcomers find their footing in Alaska and at JBER.
For one military member, volunteering has not only helped her build new relationships but also serves as an inspiration for who she wants to be.
“There've been so many wonderful people that I’ve met while volunteering that really guide me and inspire me on who I want to be daily,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Joi Minier-Bryant, a 673d Medical Group logistician specializing in contract management. “I definitely feel like it goes back to having a heart of service, and I like to see what I can do for others and how I can help them.”
Minier-Bryant’s long-standing commitment to service recently earned her the 2025 Military Volunteer of the Year award for JBER.
“I started volunteering back in high school just because it was nice to be out in the community,” said Minier-Bryant. “It kind of puts me back into a service element, helping people that I meet and the lives that I can just touch and learn from myself.”
The JBER volunteer corps included service members, spouses, retirees, civilians and private organizations supporting both on and off-base partners such as the library, United Services Organization, Young Men’s Christian Association, local churches, schools and youth sports programs.
“It is a bridge between the military personnel and the civilians,” said Worthy. “They can see that they have so much in common, and that our service members are absolutely there to help support and to serve.”
Worthy called the Annual Volunteer Recognition Ceremony the capstone of a year of quiet service, emphasizing its impact on morale across the installation.
“The ceremony is the highlight of an entire year of working with these amazing people who just give tirelessly of their time and their talents,” Worthy said. “Here we get this opportunity to really recognize them and to salute them and really honor the work that they do.”
This year’s event attracted between 250 and 300 attendees, including families, leaders and representatives from across the JBER volunteer community. The program featured remarks, multiple award presentations and the announcement of Volunteer of the Year honorees in family, civilian, youth, military and unit or group categories.
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of a ceremonial check representing the number of volunteers, total recorded volunteer hours and the estimated in-kind dollar value of that service.
“For this year, it topped over $1.5 million,” Worthy said, noting that many “Humble Heroes” never logged their hours, meaning the true value of volunteer service at JBER was even higher than the recorded 45,000 hours.
Worthy emphasized that volunteer opportunities at JBER remained open and accessible to the broader community.
“Just give us a call,” Worthy said. “JBER has a vibrant volunteer program and community that brings people together. And when you have community, then you have support.”
Service members interested in volunteering can call the Military and Family Readiness Center, Army Community Services at 907-384-1517.
| Date Taken: | 04.22.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.24.2026 21:22 |
| Story ID: | 563590 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 12 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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