volunteering

Miyuki Gray | MCFTB Trainer & Nik Dangerfield | Ombudsman Coordinator

Why get involved?

You often hear that an air station acts as it’s own city, and MCAS Iwakuni is certainly no exception. Volunteering allows the air station to function at its utmost best. So what would happen without our volunteers?

For one, we would lose a major monetary cut in labor. In 2016, over 1,800 volunteers across the station donated over 50,600 hours of their time, equaling a monetary value of over $367,000. In 2017, 1,090 SMP volunteer instances totaled 7,445 hours, a monetary value of $53,708. A cut in these saved funds would mean a cut in the many events and services we all enjoy.

Secondly, a number of events that bolster moral, improve well-being, and make this air station feel like home would simply be impossible to organize without volunteers.

Here is just a sample of the many events made possible by dedicated volunteers:

Friendship Day
MCAS Iwakuni Annual Marathon & Triathlon
Summer Music & Fireworks Festival
Day for Kids
Iwakuni Info Expo
Color Me Aware Run
Mini Marine Corps & Navy Ball
Marine Corps Ball
Youth Sports Summer Camps
Holiday Tree Lighting
Jingle Bell Jog
Concerts

Grow Personally & Professionally

While volunteering is a gift to the your community, it’s immensely beneficial to you as well: Grow your social circle, network with organizations, gain professional skills in areas such as leadership and communication, and earn Letters of Appreciation. “I have a secretarial background and found an opportunity to volunteer in that aspect. I volunteered throughout the summer until I obtained a job in September,” said Joella Stern, a former Marine Corps Family Team Building (MCFTB) volunteer. “Volunteering allowed me to not just network, but also build friendships.”

Find A Sense of Purpose

More than anything, volunteering can provide a sense of purpose and pride in yourself and your contributions. Many of the programs and organizations that serve our community simply could not fulfill their missions without the help of volunteers. Tammie Pech, Regional Program Manager for the Red Cross, says volunteers not only help organizations but also fill gaps in the community. “We couldn’t provide the high level of service we do without the many volunteers in Iwakuni.”

Being an active-duty Marine,

it is hard to set aside time to volunteer. However, the more you become involved you will realize how many amazing opportunities you open up for yourself,”

- LCPL BRIEANNA-LYN MCKEAGE

No matter what your talents are,
or where your interests lie, we have an opportunity for you to share that with the community.

Feel Good About What You Do

The Presidential Volunteer Service Award is also available to those who volunteer over 100 hours in a year, an equivalent of eight hours per month. Volunteers who earn this award are honored by station leadership every year during an annual Volunteer Appreciation Day event. Why not make the Presidential Volunteer Service Award a part of your New Year’s resolution?

SMP Volunteer Hours Over the Years

2013: 100 volunteer instances, 778 hours
2014: 102 volunteer instances, 945 hours
2015: 451 volunteer instances, 4,462 hours
2016: 932 volunteer instances, 6,828 hours
2017: 1,090 volunteer instances, 7,445 hours

Good at sports? Youth Sports is always looking for coaches for their teams and Semper Fit offers fitness events throughout the year.

Does humanitarian work sound more like your cup of tea? Organizations like the American Red Cross rely heavily on volunteers to assist with briefings, social media management, and youth leadership.

Perhaps you want to get off the installation and help out in the local community. The Single Marine Program (SMP) hosts monthly volunteer opportunities including beach and river clean-ups, children’s home visits, school visits, and more.

Interested in big ticket events? MCCS Special Events relies heavily on volunteers to help put on annual traditional events, high-profile concerts, and Friendship Day.

Ready to get started?

To keep up to date with all of the volunteer opportunities around the installation, register in the volunteer database by going to mccsiwakuni.com/volunteer. The process takes five minutes and you can select the kinds of programs you are interested in. Marine Corps Family Team Building also offers Passport to Volunteering, a workshop centered around volunteering on the installation. This workshop gives an overview of opportunities available, how to track volunteer hours, and how to get the most out of your volunteer experience. So make 2018 the year you get out and give back by volunteering!

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