U.S. Army Soldier from Al Asad Awarded EMEA 2024 Volunteer of Quarter I

USO Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) is excited to announce the 2024 EMEA Volunteer of Quarter I, Akeem “Keemo” Campbell from USO Al Asad.

From December through February, a period when USO staff had to leave Al Asad due to safety concerns, Keemo stepped up as lead volunteer. He ensured his fellow service members had a great holiday season and the center continued to thrive by maintaining regular operations and continuing renovation projects.

As a lead volunteer, Keemo was instrumental in all levels of center operations. Thanks to his regular check-ins with USO staff, Keemo helped maintain volunteer engagement. He uploaded over 60 volunteers’ hours weekly and took ownership of the volunteer onboarding process. He also led shadow shifts and helped facilitate orientation for new applicants.

I love volunteering at the USO,” said Keemo. “Not only do I feel good giving back, but I also feel my best in the USO. It’s the only place in Iraq that feels like home.

Keemo’s greatest impact was his dedication to holiday programming for his fellow service members. Despite a full-time work schedule as a U.S. Army Soldier, he still took the time to ensure USO programs were set up for success.

He ensured no holiday event was canceled and that program supplies were organized and put away each day. Keemo also flexed his volunteer schedule to make sure the center’s hours of operation were not impacted by lack of USO staff.

When Keemo took over as lead volunteer, the center was not just maintained - it continued to improve. He picked up right where staff left off with renovations and took initiative to reach center goals. He repainted the walls in the reading room – now patrons can record stories for their children in a brighter space. Keemo also stained and sealed the outdoor benches to improve the aesthetics on the patio.

USO EMEA is extremely proud of Keemo for his dedication and the impact he has made over the course of seven months and almost 700 volunteer hours.

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