Volunteers donate more than 80,000 hours to the Camp Humphreys community

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea – U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys Army Community Service (ACS) program hosted its annual Volunteer of the Year award ceremony to recognize volunteers from around the community at the Morning Calm Conference Center, April 8, 2025.

“This event is put on every year by the garrison to honor and recognize those who give so much time back to us,” said Debbie Herald, supervisory ACS specialist and event coordinator. “The volunteers really make our community run by filling in the gaps in services that we have, so this is just our way of saying thank you for all that you do.”

The event recognized a total of 99 active duty service members, civilians, family members, local nationals, military retirees and youth volunteers who logged a total of 84,274 volunteer hours estimated at about $2,822,336.

“Among those being recognized today, we are recognizing 54 volunteers who gave anywhere between 250-500 hours, 13 volunteers who gave 500-750 hours, five volunteers who gave 750-1,000 hours, and an incredible four who gave over 1,000 hours of volunteer time over the last year,” said U.S. Army Col. Paul Staeheli, Eighth U.S. Army chief of staff.

The 99 volunteers who were nominated to appear at the ceremony represented the hundreds of other volunteers from across the installation who did not get the chance to appear, but work just as tirelessly to provide the community with much-needed aid through volunteer work. Of the 99, six winners were chosen in separate categories, and one was chosen as the overall winner of Volunteer of the Year.

Active Duty Volunteer of the Year (and Overall Volunteer of the Year):

- Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jerid Hitchens

Civilian Employee Volunteer of the Year:

- Linda Shin

Family Member Volunteer of the Year:

- Beverly Engstrom

Korean National Volunteer of the Year:

- Hae, Bum-shin

Military Retiree Volunteer of the Year:

- Richard “Dick” Cathers

Youth Volunteer of the Year:

- Joel Yebin Kwak

U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jerid Hitchens, an airspace management technician with 3rd Battlefield Coordination Detachment, was selected by a panel of judges as the overall winner of the Volunteer of the Year award for his work with the United Service Organizations (USO). There, Hitchens helped Soldiers who were far from home feel a little more comfortable, and provided a safe space in the same manner as he received when he was in their shoes, he said.

Hitchens said the USO works hard to deliver services to its visitors, without any expectation for outside assistance.

“We’re here for you and that’s what makes it special to me,” he said. “We don’t do it for any other reason than to make people feel good.”

Hitchens, as well as the ACS personnel, encouraged community members to volunteer. Assistance is needed across the garrison, and ACS can help pair volunteers with organizations based on their interests.

“One of my favorite things to do is to welcome new Soldiers at the passenger terminal when they arrive in Korea, and even though they’re tired, you see a little bit of life come back in their eyes when they see that someone cares enough to be there to welcome them,” said Hitchens.

“That feeling is so hard to get from anywhere else, so if you genuinely feel good from helping people, then volunteering is the ultimate way to do it.”