Subscribe
FORT BRAGG, N.C. – The Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) program is an Army sanctioned program that was founded in 1989. BOSS was established to improve morale of single Soldiers across the Army by utilizing the four pillars of service. The four pillars of BOSS are life skills, quality of life, community services, and recreation and leisure.
Fort Bragg has 20,000 BOSS-qualified Soldiers, but the program has only been able to reach 3,500 of them. A BOSS-qualified Soldier is a single Soldier, single parent, or a geo-bachelor who is living separate from their spouse.
“We are here to be able to advocate for you,” says Sgt. Lorna Nieves, the Fort Bragg BOSS President, “and provide a safe environment for Soldiers to come out and be themselves.”
BOSS hosts over 15 events a month, each centering one of the pillars. They provide opportunities to BOSS-qualified Soldiers to do activities such as game nights, volunteering, cooking classes and much more. They provide the atmosphere to build a stronger community among Soldiers that otherwise would be alone in the barracks. Sgt. D. Germain, The BOSS Vice President, mentions that Soldiers that meet through BOSS events are more likely to hang out on weekends during non-BOSS related events.
“BOSS is something more than a program,” says Sgt. Germain. “It's a family to me. The BOSS program is an area in which you can be around fellow service members that you don't see on a daily basis, and you can come together to make something as a collective whole.”
The BOSS program is able to maximize the events and services they provide to Soldiers, because each pillar of service is allocated a separate budget. For example, cooking classes are funded through the life skills budget, and sky zone and other fun activities are funded through the quality of life budget. The program's funding for quality of life events like 5k races and rock climbing is reserved for BOSS-qualified Soldiers.
“It is also extremely beneficial for us to put on events for Soldiers tailored to those specific pillars,” says Sgt. Nieves. “Our volunteer events, our fun events, which would be recreation and leisure, and then the extracurricular hobbies that Soldiers may want to start partaking in fall into our life skills.”
Sgt. Germain is also responsible for overseeing the volunteer pillar of the program. Not all events hosted by the program are restricted to single soldiers. “Anyone and everyone is able to volunteer with the BOSS program,” says Sgt. Germain “regardless of your military status. Whether you're a single service member, a married service member, or a DOD cardholder, you can volunteer with us.”
Soldiers can log their BOSS volunteer hours through the Volunteer Management Information System.“As long as 100 hours are done through the BOSS program, we can recommend the service member for the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal,” says Germain, “Which is not only a ribbon for your AGSUs, but it's also worth ten promotion points as well.”
BOSS has a variety of volunteer events teaming up with animal shelters and food banks across Fayetteville and neighboring cities.
BOSS gives service members the ability to not only make friends but gain connections as well. The program falls under Garrison Sergeant Major Daniel Scott, who actively participates in events. Sgt. Maj. Scott has been to tailgate parties, combat cross country ruck marches and was even the victim of a “Dunk tank” at a lake party. Due to this close relationship, BOSS offers mentorship and information to soldiers in need.
“That mentorship and guidance from NCOs at a higher level? We work very closely with our garrison sergeant major and his team, and we are able to find out and educate ourselves and become knowledgeable,” says Sgt. Nieves.
Many new Soldiers are intimidated by having to go to the Soldier Support Center for information. BOSS is staffed by Soldiers and located closer to the barracks where many BOSS-qualified Soldiers live.
“You can come to BOSS,” says Sgt. Nieves “ and BOSS will gladly point you in the right direction and give you those point of contacts to facilitate and bridge that gap between the resources and you”
Sgt. Nieves is trying to reach the other 16,500 BOSS-qualified soldiers on the installation to improve their morale and quality of life, as the program intended.
“We are 100% the voice and the mind of every single single Soldier on this installation.”
| Date Taken: | 04.23.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 05.14.2026 15:38 |
| Story ID: | 565311 |
| Location: | NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 19 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, What Is BOSS? | FORT BRAGG BOSS PROGRAM, by SPC Jadyn Merritt, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
