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JBSA News
NEWS | Dec. 28, 2020

JBSA accepting Volunteer of the Year award nominations until March 15

By David DeKunder 502nd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

Joint Base San Antonio Military & Family Readiness Centers are now accepting nominations for annual awards that recognize the contributions of outstanding volunteers within the JBSA community.

Nominations of individuals or groups can be submitted for the JBSA Volunteer of the Year Awards, the JBSA Volunteer Excellence Award and the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Information on the awards and award nomination instructions and forms are posted at https://www.jbsa.mil/Resources/Military-Family-Readiness/Volunteer-Resources/.

Anyone, whether they are a JBSA commander, supervisor or member or a civilian, can nominate an individual or group affiliated with JBSA for an award. Nomination forms should be submitted to usaf.jbsa.502-abw.mbx.502-fss-volunteer@mail.mil starting Jan. 1. The deadline to submit an awards nomination is March 15.

The Volunteer of the Year Awards identify and recognize individuals who contributed their time and service to JBSA units and volunteer organizations in 2020, to include all branches of service, and who made a significant positive impact on the lives of others. Individuals who are eligible for these awards are active-duty, military family members, military retirees, Department of Defense civilians, contractors and non-military affiliated volunteers.

There are eight Volunteer of the Year Awards categories in which nominations can be submitted: active-duty, military family member, youth, retiree, civilian, small group (50 members or less), large group (50 plus members) and volunteer family of the year.

The Volunteer Excellence Award honors federal civilians, military family members, military retirees and federal retirees of all service branches who have dedicated a lifetime to community service. Four of these awards will be given out.

President’s Volunteer Service Award recognizes individuals whose service positively impacts communities in every corner of the nation and inspires people around them to volunteer as well. JBSA members can nominate themselves for the President’s Volunteer Service Award.

Each JBSA military unit and tenant organization, down to the battalion/squadron level, and community volunteer organizations are allowed to submit one nomination per category, except for youth, the Volunteer Excellence Award and the President’s Volunteer Service Award in which unlimited nominations are accepted.

Award winners will be honored at the 2021 JBSA Volunteer Awards Ceremony April 21 at the JBSA-Fort Sam Houston Military & Family Readiness Center, 3060 Stanley Road, building 2797. The ceremony, which will be virtual, starts at 3 p.m.

Workshops on writing nominations for the volunteer awards are being offered virtually through Military & Family Readiness Centers at JBSA locations, including JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, JBSA-Lackland and JBSA-Randolph. The workshops cover how to review awards criteria and nomination forms and how to write an effective nomination package.

Workshops will be held by JBSA-Fort Sam Houston M&FRC, Jan. 25, Feb. 15 and March 1, 11 a.m. to noon; JBSA-Lackland M&FRC, Jan. 26 and Feb. 13, 2 to 3 p.m.; and JBSA-Randolph M&FRC, Jan. 22 and Feb. 5, 9 to 10 a.m.

Dina Castro, JBSA-Fort Sam Houston M&FRC Volunteer Program director, said the writing nomination workshops help guide participants through the nomination form process and give them the skills needed to write a well-written nomination package that will be noticed by judges looking over the applications.

“They can fill out an application as they are taking a class,” Castro said. “We can answer questions live as they are doing it so they can submit it right away and get the information and resources immediately as they are doing an application.”

Castro said the virtual classes will have shared screens for instructors and participants and breakout rooms for participants who need help filling out specific nomination forms.

For details about and to reserve a spot for any of the workshops and for information on the JBSA Volunteer Awards, contact M&FRC volunteer offices at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, 210-221-2705; JBSA-Lackland, 210-671-3722; or JBSA-Randolph, 210-652-5321.