SUWON AIR BASE, South Korea - When Spc. Kevin Gonzalez first became the president of the Suwon Air Base Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers Program, he made a promise to himself and the Soldiers of the 6th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery Regiment that the unit's new BOSS program will be run by the Soldiers and for the Soldiers.
Two years later, he is still keeping that promise.
"Every event that I and my team have planned was based on what the Soldiers wanted," said Gonzalez. "The Suwon BOSS team is an active listener."
For example, the month of January witnessed one of the most popular BOSS events in demand by the 6-52nd ADA Soldiers - Casino Night. For one night every year, Soldiers got the chance to try their luck on games from roulette to Texas hold 'em, all the while enjoying the finest buffet line available at Osan Air Base.
Winners of the event took home head-turning prizes, such as a three-day stay at the Dragon Hill Lodge, the latest Apple IPad and a 40-inch HD flat screen TV.
But more importantly, true to the BOSS creed, the entire event was run by Soldier volunteers, to include dealers and waitresses.
"I think above the games and prizes, Soldiers loved this event [Casino Night] because of the opportunity to dress up, immerse in the atmosphere and 'live large' for one night," said Gonzalez.
To discover and make available opportunities for his fellow Soldiers was what motivated Gonzalez and his team to start their crusade for welfare enhancement back in 2009.
"Many Soldiers in the unit were young and being away from home for the first time," Gonzalez recalled. "And many of them tend to lock themselves in the barracks on the weekend, or even worse, some of them resorted to drinking and started to get in trouble."
Not helping the situation is the fact that Suwon Air Base is a Republic of Korea Air Force Air Base and lacked many large support facilities available to Soldiers stationed at larger American garrisons, such as Humphreys Garrison.
Gonzalez and other Soldiers immediately identified the need to boost the unit's BOSS program.
"We [the BOSS Council] sat around and unanimously agreed that only a strong BOSS program featuring weekly entertainment for the Soldiers can significantly enhance their welfare and morale during their tour here in Korea," said Gonzalez.
From that day on, the Iron Horse Battalion BOSS program became the "USO" at Suwon Air Base.
The Suwon BOSS calendar has enough events and entertainment scheduled to resemble a popular downtown venue. From an Insadong day trip to Adopt-a-Landmark Clean Up, Suwon BOSS kept the 6-52nd ADA Soldiers busy all year.
In fact, their hard work and dedication impressed even the toughest evaluators from IMCOM last year. The Suwon BOSS program now holds the title of IMCOM's best BOSS program (small installation category,) edging strong competitors such as Camp Walker and Camp Red Cloud.
The award is proudly showcased near the entrance of Suwon Community Activity Center, reminding everyone of the Suwon BOSS team's commitment to excellence and reminding the naysayers that yes, a handful of dedicated folks can make a real difference.
Perhaps more importantly, the award reminds the Gonzalez and his team of their promise to the Soldiers and that they must continue to keep that promise.
Growing up in Atlanta, Gonzalez has always enjoyed taking initiatives and leading peers. When the civilian world ran out of options for him, the charismatic 24-year-old enlisted in the Army to seek better opportunities.
"I found the opportunity to make a lasting impact, and I did not hesitate to take it," Gonzalez said of his decision to become the BOSS President, knowing that it would be one of the most challenging and demanding jobs for a junior enlistee.
"Fortunately, the Suwon BOSS program is blessed with an outstanding vice president, treasurer and secretary, who assisted me tremendously," said Gonzalez.
"I enjoyed working with Spc. Gonzalez," said Pfc. Brandy Parman, vice president of Suwon BOSS program. "He genuinely cares for the Soldiers and together we ensured that the Suwon BOSS team is the best on the peninsula."
But success has not always been easy for the Suwon BOSS Program. Here in Korea, the BOSS Program must face many unique challenges.
To begin with, the targeted audience is different. Gonzalez said, "Unlike the States, BOSS program here in Korea must cater to the needs of not only the single Soldiers but also all the married Soldiers serving unaccompanied tour, hence the majority of the formation," he said. "All of our events must be planned on a grand scale."
Secondly, the operation tempo is much higher in Korea than in the United States.
"Sometimes it is very difficult to fit an event on the calendar because of all the different training exercises going on," said Gonzalez. "But luckily, the battalion leadership has always been very supportive of the BOSS program."
The key to overcome these challenges is through effective communication. Constant dialogue must take place between Soldiers and their BOSS representative and between the BOSS representatives and the BOSS leadership.
"We never lost the sight of our focus to serve the Soldiers and build the program around them," Gonzales said.
"Every week, I meet up with the unit BOSS representatives keeping them up to date on all the upcoming events and brainstorm for more," said Gonzales. "At the end of the day, I always remind them that they play a critical role in bridging the BOSS council with the Soldiers' interest. They are the pulse of the unit."
As the volunteers began to take down the tables and store the games for next year's Casino Night, the Suwon BOSS team cannot help but smile as they concluded yet another successful BOSS event.
"This might come as a surprise to many but my proudest moment serving as the BOSS president is not winning the best BOSS program title last year," Gonzalez said. "It is seeing the happiness on the faces of the Soldiers during the events we hosted and hearing words of appreciation from them afterward."
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