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Those involved with the U.S. Army Garrison Kaiserslautern Better
Opportunities for Single Servicemembers now have proof that they are
the best in Europe.
The program garnered the Best Installation and Best Event in the large
category May 5 at the 2006 Installation Management Activity-Europe BOSS
Conference in Schwetzingen, Germany.
“No bones about it, we truly have the best BOSS program in Europe,” said Sgt. Joel Abelson, Kaiserslautern’s BOSS president.
The Best Installation award was for Kaisers-lautern BOSS’ combined
events throughout the year. However, Sergeant Abelson said it was
Kaiserslautern volunteers who stood out in the competition.
He cited the recent garrison Special Olympics Spring Games where more
than 660 hours of volunteer work were donated by Kaiserslautern BOSS
members.
“The recognition received at the conference was well deserved by all
the volunteers who helped make Kaiserslautern’s BOSS program so
successful,” said Spc. Amber Starr, Kaiserslautern BOSS secretary.
It was the Super Bowl Shin-dig held Feb. 5 that garnered the Best Event
prize for Kaiserslautern. Sergeant Abelson said the BOSS volunteers
worked together to offer a safe but fun place for Soldiers to watch the
Super Bowl.
The award ceremony concluded a five-day conference where
representatives from garrisons throughout Europe learned how to best
support single Soldiers through the BOSS program.
The Army founded BOSS in 1989, and over the years, it has grown to a
three-pillared organization helping single and unaccompanied Soldiers
with recreation and leisure, community service and well-being issues.
The name was changed locally in1997 from “Better Opportunities for
Single Soldiers” because the garrison wanted to open its doors to other
military services, particularly the Air Force, because of the unique
KMC demographics. The program here can not address well-being issues
for its Airmen members, but it can still offer them opportunities for
recreation and leisure, and community service, said Command Sgt. Maj.
Pamela Carmouche, the senior enlisted advisor of the Kaiserslautern
program.
Next on the list for Kaiserslautern is the Department of the Army BOSS Conference to be held early next year in Washington, D.C.
