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 WASHINGTON— The USO volunteer force brings
hope to service members in every corner of the planet, Joint Chiefs
of Staff Vice Chairman Air Force Gen. Paul J. Selva said at
the 2015 annual USO Gala and awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on
October 21st.
Selva
was the keynote speaker at the formal event where an estimated 1,000
dignitaries, military leaders, Congressional members and USO board
of governors and sponsors gathered at the Walter E. Washington
Convention Center.
“It is an absolute privilege to stand before you
this evening and say the two words in the English language
that are wholly inadequate to this evening's event: ‘Thank
you,'” Selva told the USO volunteers. “Thank you for what
you do every day for the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines,
Coast Guardsmen and National Guardsmen who defend freedom
and liberty for this nation every day.”
The sun was
just casting its morning shadows in the mountains of
Afghanistan and dawn had yet to break in Baghdad, the vice
chairman said, “But somewhere out there tonight, a soldier,
sailor, airman, Marine, Coast Guardsman or a member of our
National Guard is defending the freedoms and liberty that
you and I hold dear. And we all owe you a debt of gratitude
because standing next to that young man or woman is the
spirit of the [USO].”
USO Volunteers are Special ... USO volunteers touch
75,000 lives every day, Selva said.
The vice chairman
said he and his wife recently visited USO volunteers working
in mortuary affairs at Dover Air Force Base, where they
“provided loving embraces to families who had lost loved
ones.”
It takes a special kind of person to open his
or her heart to families who are grieving, Selva noted.
“I'm humbled tonight,” he said. “I'm not here as a
senior military leader or as an officer in the United States
Air Force, but as a citizen of the United States, a member
of the greatest nation in the world that is defended by some
of the greatest young men and women humanity has to offer.”
Selva thanked the USO for “not for standing in our
shadow, but for standing by our side and taking care of us
and our families when it's most important. When we need a
little touch of home, we know you will always be by our
side.”
2015 USO Awards
The annual USO gala is
also a time to honor and recognize volunteers and service
members for significant achievements.
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USO Service Members of the Year awardees Army Sgt. Aaron Burdash, Coast Guardsman Petty Officer 1st Class Angel J. Leott, Senior Airman TJ Brantley, Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Jessica A. Jusino, Marine Staff Sgt. Joseph P. Bedarik, and Spc. Christian T. Sheers stand on stage during the 2015 USO Gala in Washington, D.C., October 20, 2015. (DoD
photo by Army Staff Sgt. Sean K. Harp)
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The USO
volunteer awardees were former Air Force Airman Richard
“Dick” Anderson of the USO in Las Vegas, who received the
USO Volunteer of the Year, U.S. award; and Air Force Airman
1st Class Eric Chun of the USO in Guam, who was honored with
the USO Volunteer of the Year, Overseas.
Senior
military leadership presented a service member from each
service branch for outstanding and heroic actions.
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Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley
presented the USO Soldier of the Year award to Spc. Christian T.
Sheers of Beast Troop, 1st Squadron, 33rd Cavalry Regiment,
101st Airborne Division, Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
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Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert
B. Neller presented the USO Marine of the Year to Staff Sgt.
Joseph P. Bednarik of Company E, 2nd Battalion, Recruit Training
Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego.
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Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm.
Michelle J. Howard presented the USO Sailor of the Year award to
Petty Officer 2nd Class Jessica A. Jusino of the USS Abraham
Lincoln, Newport News, Virginia.
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Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. David
L. Goldfein presented the USO Airman of the Year award to Senior
Airman TJ Brantley of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal flight,
2nd Civil Engineer Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base,
Louisiana.
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Coast Guard Vice Commandant Vice Adm.
Charles D. Michel presented the USO Coast Guardsman of the Year
award to Petty Officer 1st Class Angel J. Leott of Maritime
Safety and Security Team Boston, in Boston.
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National Guard Bureau Chief Army Gen.
Frank J. Grass presented the USO National Guardsman of the Year
award to Minnesota Army National Guard Sgt. Aaron Burdash of
204th Area Support Medical Company, 347th Regional Support
Group, in Cottage Grove, Minnesota.
By Terri Moon Cronk
DOD
News / Defense Media Activity
Copyright 2015
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