SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii – U.S. Army Hawaii leaders, family members, coworkers and friends gathered at the 604 Banquet Center, here, April 19, to honor more than 40 community members who have spent countless hours volunteering their time serving Soldiers and their families.
Each year in April military communities across the world take time to recognize and thank their community volunteers for their service during National Volunteer Week.
This year’s theme was “U.S. Army volunteers - the heart of the Army community.”
The U.S. Army Hawaii Soldier Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Staff Sgt. Kevin Jean Paul of the USO. Jean Paul, who is assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, was nominated for providing over 300 hours of volunteer service in 2022 while serving as a Schofield Barracks USO Center representative.
Jean Paul donated his time providing excellent hospitality and support to the service members by helping them feel connected to family, home and country. Jean Paul always demonstrates the USO core values “to do the right thing, respect, accountability, gratitude and mission first.”
The 2022 U.S. Army Hawaii Civilian Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Andrea Eleam, who volunteered with the 500th Military Intelligence Brigade’s Soldier & Family Readiness Group. Eleam was nominated for providing 65 hours of volunteer service in 2022 while still attending the University Of Hawaii Manoa and while working as a pharmacy technician at Walgreen’s.
Eleam, whose sister is a Soldier, fully embraced her role in the Pacific Titan family making sure others felt welcomed and appreciated. Eleam’s commitment to the Army team, morale, and wellbeing of Soldiers is commendable.
The 2022 U.S. Army Hawaii Spouse Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Amanda Anderson of the Hui ‘O Na Wahine. Anderson was nominated for her volunteer service with the Hui ‘O Na Wahine and provided 389 hours of volunteer service in 2022 while serving as both first vice president and president of the hui as a member of two different executive boards.
Anderson’s role as president is extremely important when operating the financial management of the thrift shop on Schofield Barracks for which the executive board is responsible for, ensuring proceeds from the thrift shop go towards grants to local organizations and scholarships to eligible dependents. In 2022, the Hui ‘O Na Wahine awarded $76k dollars in scholarships and grants.
The 2022 Organization Volunteer of the Year was awarded to Spc. Hyun O. Shin, from the 500th Military Intelligence Brigade. Shin volunteers as a worship leader with the Aiea Korean United Methodist Church, and provided 1,035 hours of volunteer service in 2022. Shin also volunteers with his unit.
The 2022 U.S. Army Hawaii Retiree Volunteer of the Year was awarded to retired Lt. Col. Jason Jones of the Boy Scouts. Jones volunteers with Boy Scout Trip 24 of Schofield Barracks and provided 355 hours of volunteer service in 2022.
Jones spends much of his time with the troop leading by example, giving scoutmaster conferences to scouts to help them earn their next rank and encouraging the scouts to develop their own leadership skills.
Also recognized were community members earning the Na Koa Award for Service, which were created by the Hawaii Installation Volunteer Advisory Council as an elite award for volunteers who went above and beyond in their volunteer service.
Community members awarded with a Na Koa Gold Award, for 600+ hours were:
- Cheyenne Allan
- Spc. Dencil Alvarez
- Spc. Djamila Balima
- Cheryl Braswell
- Sgt. Keiron Cobb
- Bree Colwell
- Staff Sgt. Anna Katrina Dato
- Sgt. Christacia Dawkins
- Sgt. Roxana Garcia Velasquez
- Sgt. 1st Class Myesha Graham
- Kelly Higgins
- Staff Sgt. Kevin Jean Paul
- Jason Jones
- Sgt. Nikhil Khanal
- Sgt. Luis Mejias Perez
- Staff Sgt. Rosita Kimberly Robinson
Community members awarded with a Na Koa Silver Award, for 450+ hours were:
- Spc. Darryelle Cole
- Denise Hogue
- Donna Minchew
- Sgt. Bao Qiu
- Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Lambert Twumasi
Community members awarded with a Na Koa Bronze Award, for 300+ hours were:
- Amanda Anderson
- Staff Sgt. Frank Aponte
- Sgt. Marcus Forbes
- Sgt. Eddy Gonzalez
- Stephanie Headrick
- Pfc. GraiShawn Landry
- 1st Lt. Nicholas Mason
- Sgt. Keisha McCaig
- Staff Sgt. Ernet Nixon
- Crystal Rohler
- Cassidy Slater
- Teresa Valencia
- Staff Sgt. O'Shane Williams
Community members awarded with a Na Koa Lapel Pin, for 150+ hours were:
- Spc. Nathaniel Abcede
- Sgt. Mark Bennett
- Kathy Brown
- Tania Galvan-Jimenez
- Maj. Efrain Jimenez
- Rose Liddick
- Catrina Miller
- Sgt. Jermaine Moore
- Sgt. Jessica Nowlin
- Genevieve Null
- Sgt. Luis Ojeda
- Krystal Reynolds
- Spc. Joalys Rodriguez
- Stephanie Sprigler
- Julia Temple
In 2022, community members provided 38,246 volunteer hours, or the equivalent of $1.15 million.
View more photos on Flickr at https://flickr.com/photos/usaghawaii/albums/72177720307673893.
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