The Faces Behind The Forces: SrA Joseph Borromeo

Senior Airman Joseph Borromeo has volunteered at USO Andersen since his arrival at Andersen Air Force Base back in August. He joined the USO force because not only was he missing home but because he also wanted to give back to his fellow service members. He made it his mission to help the USO especially on the days when we were short on volunteers and staff members. Through his service here on Guam, Joe made a huge impact on many other volunteers and gained more than 1250 volunteering hours within his 6-month deployment here.

Joe grew up in Doha in Qatar, where his parents were contractors. As Joe got older his family chose to immigrate to California, where his parents believed he would have a better education. Joe joined the military after deciding his previous job was not a career and was in need of a change that would push him to his limits and allow him to travel. Since joining the Air Force he has met incredibly loving people from all walks of life including new friends in his current duty station in Kadena Air Base, Okinawa.

When Joe arrived at USO Andersen, he was in need of internet to contact his family and desperate for somewhere other than his room to relax. Joe made the USO his home away from home and shortly after saw how others were impacting other military member and asked our Center Manager, Jadine Lujan, how to apply to become a volunteer. “I wanted to be a part of the USO family to help my brothers and sisters in armed forces, just as the USO helped me enrich my quality of life while being deployed here,” Joe stated.

Joe’s incredible dedication to the USO started by assisting the volunteers while he was on his lunchtime break. This commitment soon flourished to spending most weekend evenings at the center to cover additional shifts and help with the 36th Wing’s Airman Against Drunk Driving program. Joe’s favorite things at the USO included access to the fastest WiFi on the island courtesy of GTA, a gold sponsor of USO Guam, and the amazing selection of food also made possible by Infusion Coffee & Tea, another USO Guam gold sponsor.

“My most memorable USO moments were our Thanksgiving and Christmas because there was a sense of camaraderie and I truly felt like I was a part of this amazing USO family. It was important because being deployed can be lonely at times but I was able to turn it around and take pride in helping our armed forces who were also deployed/stationed here.”

Joe participated in all of USO Andersen’s programs but his favorite was Master Chef Cooking Class. It was through this program that he learned how to create dishes he had never tasted before. He also felt that the classes were very engaging and provided him with something that would stay with him for life.

Whenever Joe wasn’t volunteering at the USO, he could be found at work at the Andersen Air Force Base Post Office or on the beach paddle boarding with fellow volunteers. Less than two weeks ago, Joe completed his deployment mission and returned to his home duty station. Joe did not waste any time when he returned and immediately visited the USO Kadena center to continue his volunteer service. Joe is greatly missed by his USO Andersen family and we are all thankful to have been a part of his deployment.