Volunteers take time to reflect on efforts as Memorial Day approaches
The USO Center at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport serves thousands each month. Photo courtesy of USO
An 18-year-old on his way to basic training, nervous about being away from home for the first time; a veteran soldier on her way home from a lengthy, dangerous deployment; a young military wife trying to rejoin her husband in Japan after being evacuated back to the U.S. following the tsunami.
Though all three have a myriad of different thoughts to preoccupy them as they work to get through their mission, one thing remains the same for each: the guiding hand they get at the local USO branch.
Located on the second floor of Charlotte-Douglas International Airport and established in 2006, the USO Center is available to all military card holders, be they active duty, reserve, national guard, retired military personal or military dependants. Operating within airport hours, the center is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily, 365 days a year, for the more than 8,500 people that come by each month. They do it all on corporate and individual donations, with a full-time staff of three, getting no government funding or funding through the national USO.
That’s where the more than 200 volunteers come in, working an average of one, three-hour shift per week. They help their customers with creature comforts like food and drink, internet access and television, but also have a family area with games and toys for those travelling with children and a phone center where free calls can be made to anywhere in the United States.
The volunteers and staff forge intense human connections with those they serve. The time they spend together may be short but is quite meaningful.
“There is no typical day,” center director and south Charlotte resident Megan Grady said. Fellow south Charlotte resident and center assistant director Barbara Hutchens agrees. After working a full day, Grady and Hutchens will often talk at night to go over plans and goals for the next day.
But even the best plans hit roadblocks. “Megan and I will have a list of things we plan to do and then when we get in the next day, things have changed,” Hutchens said. “You have to be adaptable.”
The ladies have a “whatever it takes” attitude when it comes to serving USO visitors. Yet, they modestly deflect any praise or credit and emphasize it’s really “all about our incredible volunteers.”
And the work for those volunteers can range from the easy to the extreme. It’s not just the body that is fed at the center, but the soul. Whether it is a grieving family member or travel-weary soldier, those who work at the center are adept at knowing when and how to approach a visitor.
One of the most important services provided by the USO is the Honor Support Team. The volunteer group provides planeside military honors to fallen service members passing through Charlotte, ensuring no deceased service member is ever left unattended along their final journey home while providing assistance to family members.
“It can be mentally and emotionally exhausting for our volunteers,” Hutchens said before adding that everyone there is motivated by the shared purpose of “giving back.”
One volunteer, Waxhaw resident Betty Knebel, has been a part of the Charlotte USO since it first opened. She loves being there and greeting service members when they come in. She will generally give them a hug, take their bags and ask if there is anything she can do for them. If they’re hungry, she’ll get them a plate of food.
Knebel’s giving spirit doesn’t end when she leaves the center. She often writes to members of the military who would otherwise be without someone to keep in contact with. She feels what she does is “so small compared to what they do,” and treats them “the way she would want someone to treat her son.”
Hutchens, a mother of six adult children, including two sons active in the military, brings a maternal warmth and affection to her work. She has first hand experience of what it’s like to have a loved one on deployment and all the challenges that come along with the situation.
Although the work can be extremely stressful, Grady, a mom of two toddlers, focuses on the positive impact the center makes and truly feels “it’s an honor to do what we do.”
Judging by some of the remarks in the message book at the USO, troops and their families are incredibly thankful for the hospitality they received. Recent comments include: “This is the nicest USO we’ve been to and are very impressed with your facilities and staff. You are making a difference and it is appreciated!” and “This USO is great and made a long trip home from Afghanistan MUCH better. Thank you for the support, your time and efforts!”
For more information about the Charlotte USO, call 704-359-5581 or visit the center online at www.uso-nc.org or www.facebook.com/USOofNC.
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