GRAFENWOEHR, Germany -- While the name Better Opportunity for Single Soldiers implies the care and welfare of Soldiers, the BOSS program is actually fostering opportunities for the Bavaria Military Community at large.
"We know that the community supports our program's message," said U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria BOSS President Sgt. Shanika Guyton. "And we support theirs."
BOSS is a Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation program where single Soldiers enhance their quality of life, contribute to their community, and assist in the planning and execution of their own recreation and leisure events.
And while the USAG Bavaria chapter has numerous recreational activities planned throughout the year, their volunteer efforts within the community often take precedent.
BOSS Soldiers volunteer as coaches for CYSS as well as work with community schools and organizations like the USO and Kontakt Club to assist with various events.
"It's great to have a strong team behind me," said Guyton. "We need nothing in return … this is truly a selfless program."
The BOSS program was started in 1989 as a balance to the emphasis on increased family-oriented programming, and remains a leading program in Soldier resiliency.
It aims to provide a collective voice of single Soldiers through the chain of command, which serves as a tool for commanders to gauge the morale of single Soldiers regarding important quality of life issues.
Within the local garrison community, BOSS Soldiers balance outreach efforts with personal recreation.
Upcoming events include a Thanksgiving potluck dinner at the Rose Barracks' Langenbruck Center, Nov. 27, and a New Year's Eve trip to Berlin for all single Soldiers living in the USAG Bavaria footprint.
These activities allow participating Soldiers to enjoy what Guyton calls "their family away from home."
BOSS continues to grow each year, with backing worldwide from the garrison, and locally from individual communities. For Guyton, the program is so successful that it can only "go up."
"There is no 'down' with the amount of support we have," she said.
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