Glam and Gratitude: USO Camp Foster in Okinawa Showers Spouses with Appreciation

May is Military Appreciation Month, a time to reinforce the support for our service members through acts of kindness, messages and an outpouring of love. It provides an opportunity to reflect on the sacrifices of our military community, from living in unfamiliar places and being away from loved ones to defending our country from adversaries. The hardships are felt by a service member’s entire family. Last month, we honored the resilient military kids and now it is important that we take time to celebrate another key part of the community, the military spouses.

Annually the Friday before Mother’s Day, Military Spouse Appreciation Day highlights the importance of empowering the spouses who are behind those who are serving. Sometimes they may be a service member’s anchor to home while at training and/or the person who is caring for the rest of the family while a service member is deployed, all reasons their commitment and sacrifice warrant gratitude. Spouses can face many of the same challenges faced by our military personnel who are stationed overseas. Though the stress may come from a different source, they are also dealing with foreign customs, being away from home and struggling to make connections with others. Therefore, the USO is taking time on this Military Spouses Appreciation Day to show our support and remind spouses that we are here for them as well.

Breakfast at Fosters

Okinawa is a subtropical island located in the Pacific Ocean, about 450 miles Northeast of Taiwan. The US military has had a presence on the Japanese island since World War II and is currently home to multiple US military installations. Traveling on and off the island can be easy if you traveling to mainland Japan or other countries within Asia. However, a trip home to the United States can be harder to manage due to the cost and travel time. The distance, coupled with being in a foreign country, can leave many with a feeling of loneliness and stress.

With more than 18,000 Marines, Sailors and their families stationed at one of the Marine Corps installations throughout Okinawa, it is important the USO creates a comfortable and friendly setting through events, programs and services that can be enjoyed by the entire family and help combat feelings of isolation. Today it was all about our military spouses! What better way to let them relax, recharge and build relationships than with a little brunch bash to start the weekend?

On May 9, USO Camp Foster hosted their Breakfast at Fosters event, a fun luncheon that played off the theme of Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Attendees ranged in genders, from new to experienced spouses, families new to the island and others who have been here for several years as well as some with kids in tow. The center’s back room was transformed with themed decorations in the famous Tiffany blue, pearl and sliver color scheme highlighted by a balloon arch and photo booth. While enjoying delicious hors d'oeuvres and mocktails, spouses enjoyed a game of ice breaker bingo to help start conversations. The children enjoyed USO Camp Foster’s Kids’ Corner full of games and toys, while their parents could socialize and snap photos with the event’s backdrop.

“Today is about recognizing everything the spouses do,” said USO Foster Center Operations Specialist Linda Beaulieu. “Military spouses don’t always get the spotlight they deserve, but we wanted to make sure they felt seen and appreciated today.”

For Shelby Pepinov, the event marked her first time to USO Camp Foster. She and her husband just celebrated their one year wedding anniversary and only recently arrived in Okinawa at the beginning of 2025. As someone new to the military lifestyle, Shelby knows the importance of finding a support system this far from home.

“I saw this event and I was really excited because I am new to the island, and I want to meet people. I felt like this was a really good opportunity to do so,” expressed Shelby. “Things like this show that we [military spouses] are supported too. A quote that is always said to me is, “you signed up for this,” but it’s still hard leaving your family and leaving everything you know, so it felt nice to know that we have access to this community to show that I am not alone, especially in a place like Okinawa where I am completely isolated from anyone and everyone.”

Another spouse in attendance, Jeibi Torres has become a regular at USO Camp Foster over the last year. Jeibi, a proud mother of three, homeschools her oldest two and appreciates the center’s youth programming that allows her children to meet other kids while enjoying activities. This has become important for Jeibi as the center provides an avenue for her to connect with other spouses where her children are also welcome.

“I love the spouse events because I can talk to other moms and build friendships with people in the same boat. We are here without family, so it’s building up that family away from home,” stated Jeibi. “It just makes me feel appreciated and I love that I can bring my kids because having childcare here is tricky.”

Other Spouse Support

Whether it is making new friends or taking a moment to recharge, events like Breakfast at Fosters provided an opportunity for spouses to become familiar with the center amenities, learn about volunteer opportunities, hear about additional programming and more.

Centers throughout the organization host monthly Coffee Connections, a program to bring spouses together over crafts, local outings, wellness and more. The program helps cultivate relationships over a same interest between people in similar situations, building the desired community. Additionally, expanding families are invited to attend a Special Delivery program. These baby shower themed events celebrate the exciting new chapter for many military families as they embark on parenthood or expand their family even further. For some, this tends to be the only shower they get due to distance. Furthermore, a spouse looking for education opportunities or professional development can utilize the USO Transitions program. Not just for service members, this program connects our military community to a specialist to help individuals with mentorship, financial readiness and more.