A Marine Stationed in Okinawa Gives Back to His Fellow Service Members by Volunteering with the USO

Nestled in the northern part of the Okinawa Prefecture, in Kin Town, stands Camp Hansen, a United States Marine Corps base — one of thirty-two military facilities on the Japanese island. Home to several units and over six thousand active-duty military personnel, Camp Hansen’s service members serve under the III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF), a forward-deployed force in the Pacific theatre. For many service members, Okinawa is their permanent duty station until new orders arrive, but for others, it serves as their first-ever deployment location.

“Camp Hansen receives a significant number of military members as part of the Unit Deployment Program (UDP),” shared USO Camp Hansen Center Operations Manager Mari Velasquez. “These service members are a forward-deployed force, ready to combat a crisis immediately. While Okinawa is a familiar assignment for many, it’s the first deployment or duty station for some. While stationed here, we know they face many challenges, and we try to help them through this time.”

Mari, who – before working for the USO – was an active-duty United States Marine herself, understands the hardships that accompany deployment. Hardships like missing significant life milestones, holidays and family traditions, all while enduring a rigorous operations tempo. The people serving on Camp Hansen, either in a deployed capacity or as permanent personnel, spend countless hours training and preparing for off-island exercises and executing daily job duties. Deployments and overseas assignments can significantly strain service members — something that the team at USO Camp Hansen and other USO’s across the Indo-Pacific region, seeks to ease.

“At USO Hansen, we understand that for many of our young service members, this is their first time away from home. We aim to create a welcoming space where they can feel at ease, find comfort and build community. It’s more than just a place to relax — it’s a home away from home, where they can recharge and feel supported in this chapter of their journey,” Mari said.

For Lance Cpl. Odessa Sosa, a Marine with the 9th Engineer Support Battalion (9th ESB) and a USO Volunteer, USO Camp Hansen is the ultimate home away from home. Volunteering is an opportunity to give back to his fellow military community.

“Camp Hansen is my first duty station and the first time I have truly been away from my family. It was hard at first, and it is still challenging at times.” Sosa shared. “But I’ve found solace at USO Camp Hansen, and I love being here with the team and helping with their programs and the center.”

Sosa faces the challenges many of his fellow service members face while stationed in Okinawa as well as other areas of the Indo-Pacific region, such as limited transportation options, climate differences (Okinawa is subtropical, with extreme heat and humidity) as well as the financial and logistical obstacles of flying home to visit loved ones. The primary challenge is the language barrier, which makes it hard to communicate with locals when off base. Sosa agrees that it can be difficult to establish relationships and connections outside of the military due to not being able to speak the language of the host nation, which can produce feelings of loneliness.

“It can be isolating here,” Sosa said. “The language barrier and the 14-hour time difference make it difficult to call home regularly, which compounds the feelings of isolation.”

Originally from Newark, New Jersey, Sosa’s military journey began in 2022 when he enlisted in the Marine Corps. Sosa first became enamored with joining the Corps after watching a Marine receive their Eagle, Globe and Anchor after completing The Crucible, a rigorous physical test every Marine recruit must complete to earn the title of United States Marine. Sosa explained that a few former coworkers at an outdoor recreation shop encouraged him to enlist. One of his coworkers was a former Marine, and with their enthusiasm, Sosa began boot camp at Parris Island, South Carolina, on Halloween 2022, his favorite holiday. After 13 long weeks, Sosa graduated boot camp, ready for his next steps.

“Graduation was amazing, and my former coworkers drove from Lakeland, Florida, to surprise me! I’ll never forget that,” Sosa shared.

After completing Marine Combat Training, Sosa soon received his first orders: Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan. Excited and nervous, Sosa boarded the plane with his belongings, bidding a heartfelt “see you later” to his loved ones, and made the long journey from the States to Okinawa, arriving in mid-2023.

“It was really challenging when I first got here. The time difference and the disconnect from everything I knew was intense, besides getting acclimated to a new unit and learning the operational flow,” he shared.

After getting accustomed to overseas life, Sosa joined the USO Hansen volunteer team, signing up to support the USO’s holiday Meals-to-Go program. With Sosa’s assistance, USO Hansen served 115 Marines on holiday duty with warm, home-cooked meals. *He admits being away from his family during this time of the year was difficult, but helping the team distribute meals allowed him to have a positive holiday season and provided a place where he could spend Christmas. *

“I enjoy being part of the holiday programs at USO Hansen. When I couldn’t go home for the holidays, I decided to spend the holiday season with the USO. Participating in the holiday festivities connected me to my family — I got to share some family traditions with the team. That was special,” Sosa smiled as he recalled assisting in decorating the center last year for Christmas.

While Sosa enjoys supporting the variety of programs USO Hansen offers, he has found his niche in the holiday-themed programs, no matter the holiday. He has served Valentine-themed protein shakes on Valentine’s Day, assisted in executing holiday barbeques and even played “game host” for the Center’s monthly service member birthday celebrations. Sosa credits participating in USO programs with the happiness and positivity he feels in Okinawa, helping him combat the feelings of isolation, loneliness and disconnection that many struggle with when stationed overseas.

Coupled with the daily trials of executing overseas orders/deployments, one of the biggest challenges service members face in the region is separation from their loved ones and navigating the challenges of flying home to visit them. Being deployed overseas to locations such as Camp Hansen means service members must wait until the completion of their tour before reuniting with their stateside loved ones. This separation from home and family can put a significant strain on their relationships, as well as the service members’ mental health.

That is why having USO Centers, programs and events are crucial to supporting the people who serve and strengthening their wellbeing. The home away from home environment of USO Centers offers service members a place to decompress after work or relax during lunch. More than that, it allows them to make connections with one another. For Sosa, the benefits are twofold: not only does he get to participate in USO programs, but he also gets to facilitate them as a USO Volunteer. He shared that attending USO programs before volunteering is how he met his best friend, a fellow 9th ESB Marine.

Sosa also explained that being part of the USO Camp Hansen team allows him to give back to his fellow service members. Last Christmas, the Burgos family flew from the United States to surprise their son (an active-duty Marine whom Sosa did not know) but encountered difficulties obtaining base access. After walking two hours from their hotel to discover they needed a sponsor for base access, they called USO Hansen in a desperate attempt to see their son. Sosa answered the call, rushing to the gate to sign them on and help them reunite with their son.

Despite being stationed over 8,000 miles from his family and friends, Sosa endeavors to make his fellow service members feel at home while at the USO Center, or participating in a USO program, by never breaking his big smile. He has supported over 50 programs and accumulated over 540 volunteer service hours.

“Without the USO, I wouldn’t have an outlet or a place to unwind. I’m able to spend my free time positively. That’s what USO Hansen has given me — an opportunity to positively de-stress after a long day at work and make connections with fellow Marines,” he said. “I hope I make a difference, no matter how small the action is.”