SEMBACH, Germany – Sgt. Christopher Stocum kicked off 2021 with a new assignment as the BOSS president for Installation Management Command-Europe. And, he wasn’t the only one with a new role in the new year. Across the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers programs at European garrisons, almost 25 new faces joined the leadership rosters.
At IMCOM-Europe’s seven garrisons, there are 11 BOSS programs distributed geographically so single Soldiers – and all single service members – have a program nearby.
The 11 BOSS leadership teams each consist of a Soldier president, senior enlisted advisor – often the garrison command sergeant major – and a BOSS advisor from the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation. These teams lead the local programs and tailor activities based on input from their members.
“I love what I was doing at the garrison level,” said Stocum who moved to the regional position from the Baumholder BOSS program. “But, you know, you’ve always got to move up and forward, and I wanted to be able to use my enthusiasm for a greater cause.”
This year, Stocum said, his greater cause is increasing communication between the garrison BOSS programs across Europe. One of the first steps was training the new team members on the BOSS Life Skills program, which offers funding for learning activities ranging from classes on how to identify stress to sports activities and more.
Angela Flowers, the IMCOM-Europe recreation program manager and regional BOSS advisor, said the Life Skills programs can cover almost any interest as long as there is an identified need with measurable and attainable goals. To apply for Life Skills funding, the BOSS Soldiers must put together a business plan complete with contingency plans, a budget and marketing goals.
“It’s a great practice in community involvement,” Flowers said. “It’s also a great practice in working with others; they have to sell it within their garrisons.”
The recent training taught the teams how to submit packets, but also offered a chance for networking and sharing ideas to keep Soldiers involved and active until COVID-19 restrictions allow for more gatherings and travel.
“Right now everybody is working in teams of ones and twos, but we have 11 programs,” Stocum said. “So, instead of ones and twos, we can be working in teams of 20 or 25 and sharing those ideas.”
While the recreation and leisure activities planned by BOSS have taken a hit during the pandemic, BOSS teams have continued to address quality of life issues for their Soldiers, and the Soldiers have spent countless hours volunteering in their communities.
They often don’t pat themselves on the back for all of their contributions to the community, Flowers said, but they’ve helped with restocking Commissary shelves, delivering masks and supplies, delivering meals to those in quarantine, sorting mail in the post offices and more.
“Volunteering and helping out in the community has never slowed down,” Stocum said. “BOSS has still been at it, trying to do the most for the garrisons that we can.”
And while the name of the program specifies “Soldiers,” Flowers emphasized it is open to all eligible service members, not just those in the Army. All participants can also contribute ideas for Life Skills programs and BOSS activities – just let the local BOSS council know.
One upcoming activity BOSS is promoting Armywide is the Esports Soldier Showdown II, which features three weeks of qualifying tournaments for Fortnite (1v1), Rocket League (1v1) and Call of Duty Warzone (3v3). For more information on this event, visit https://www.armymwr.com/esports.
“Keep your eye out for BOSS,” Stocum said, “2021 is going to be a lot better than 2020. We’re just excited to get the ball rolling.”
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