JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas –
Rear Adm. Cynthia Kuehner, Commander of Naval Medical Forces Support Command, or NMFSC, provided congratulatory remarks prior to the Joint Base San Antonio Annual Volunteer Awards Ceremony held at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston April 19, 2023. She then assisted other senior leaders in handing out the awards and congratulating the winners.
The contributions of individuals who have given their time to the betterment of the JBSA community were recognized at the ceremony. Kuehner provided the congratulatory remarks to all nominees prior to the awards ceremony, which included several Sailors and Navy civilian Employees.
“Not only are our volunteers making an impact in the JBSA community but through partnerships with outside organizations,” Kuehner said. “Our volunteers are simultaneously impacting the city of San Antonio and the surrounding area.”
All together, the 42 Volunteer of the Year nominees donated 57,604 hours of their time to JBSA and our local community in 2022. The five lifetime achievement recipients for the Volunteer in Excellence Award provided over 177,400 hours to date. Additionally, 88 volunteers were awarded the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Together they have donated more than 29,000 hours of volunteer service to our community in 2022.
“Amazingly, even post-COVID-19, many JBSA volunteers stepped up to the plate and asked, ‘Who needs a volunteer?’ and ‘What can I do to help?’” Kuehner said. “Many responded to urgent calls for support from organizations such as the San Antonio Food Bank garden and warehouse. Others remained steadfast in their service as volunteers at organizations like the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society, continuing to care for our JBSA families and service members.”
Navy nominees included Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Moran, Navy Medicine Training Support Center, in the Active Service Member Category; Lanitha Warnken, NMCRS, in the Outstanding Family Member Category; Retired Petty Officer 1st Class Peter Gong, in the Retiree Category; and NMCRS in the Small Group Volunteer (of less than 50) Category.
The NMCRS saw Warnken awarded the Outstanding Family Member Category. Warnken was recognized for her outstanding contributions in volunteering not only with military families and service members but having an impact within the local communities of JBSA and Corpus Christi.