A Life in Service: From Soldier to USO Leader

By Jody Brissette

The average American will have 12 jobs in their lifetime; more than 50% of adults are contemplating a career change as you read this. Many people place job satisfaction as one of the most sought-after qualities in a job, while others decide early in life what they want to “be” and dive headlong into a career that they work hard at obtaining. What we all have in common though is we often find ourselves asking is: Why am I here?

I am part of the latter group. Early on, I knew I wanted to be a soldier, and as a child, I often daydreamed about all the movies showing soldiers in uniform with all their medals. So it wasn’t surprising that soon after graduating high school, I found myself reporting for basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama. I quickly found myself asking “why am I here?”

Most people who join the military don’t always make it their entire career. After their enlistments, many go to college or directly into the civilian work force in a field that was like their military occupation, where they may or may not discover their answer as to “Why am I here?” After I retired, I started a new career that was a mirror of my military occupation, as I became a police officer. I found myself one day sitting in the department’s locker room after a particularly stressful shift asking, “why am I here?” Shortly after asking myself that question, my wife and I relocated to Hawaii.

For the first few months in Hawaii, my rationale to “Why am I here?” was easy. It was to enjoy my retirement, mow my lawn and live quietly. I soon became restless and started to ask myself that dreaded question once again. So, I did what most veterans do and joined the local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). It was during our meetings that I heard of the USO needing help to unload furniture at their new Center at Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA). I had spent many months at PTA while stationed in Hawaii and so I jumped at the chance to visit the base one more time. Fate stepped in and soon after, I found myself as the center operations manager of USO Pohakuloa Training Area.

For many people, including U.S. soldiers, when they hear “Hawaii,” their minds go to the beaches of Oahu or Maui: blue skies, blue water and coconut trees swaying in the gentle breeze. But at PTA, the climate and landscape are different, and include lots of lava rock and rugged terrain. It’s located in an area classified as a remote subalpine and is a tropical dryland forest located at 6,400 feet above sea level and 35 miles from the nearest town. PTA is dusty, windy and at times, one would think that the island is trying to make one’s life at PTA as hard as possible.

Eight Years of Service With the USO

This year, I have celebrated my eigth year with the USO and I would be telling a lie if said I have never asked myself “why am I here?” during this time. However, I have now become part of an exclusive club, whose price of admission is to have finally found the answer to that ever-present question. My answer came slowly over the years and finally emerged after years of working for the USO..

The first sign, as I will call it, was when I was finally on the “other end" of a training rotation, welcoming soldiers back from their mission. They were dirty, smelly; their uniforms ripped and soiled, and some were sunburned or windburned. But most of all, they were tired. Another clue came when I saw those tired service members smile whenever being given a soda, a bag of chips or when they finally were able to sit on something other than the ground. Seeing the face of a tired service member light up when they realize the USO has free Wi-Fi and hearing the joy in the voices of their loved ones when they called home made a real impact on me.

A bit later, I was able to deliver a birthday cake to a young service member who was spending her first birthday away from her mother. She thought I was taking pictures of her blowing out the candles, but I was really holding the phone so her mother could watch. As her unit sang “Happy Birthday,” she sadly commented “if only my mama could see.” The tears of joy that flowed down her face when she realized that her mother was able to watch through a video call is an event I will never forget.

There was more to come over the years, but one night some Marines unexpectedly arrived at PTA. As this is a training area, there are no dining facilities and if you don’t have a rental car, then a 70-mile hike is the only way you will find a meal. My phone rang the next morning and when I answered, a Marine wearily asked when I was going to open the Center. I explained the opening hours to him, but instead of the usual “Great, see you then,” I heard a sigh. Instead of hanging up and finishing my coffee, I told the Marine that I would be there in 30 minutes.

When I arrived, a lone Marine greeted me at my truck. He apologized for “inconveniencing me” and we laughed as our resident herd of sheep almost ran us over as we approached the Center’s entrance. As I turned on the lights, more Marines entered and asked for coffee. As I made coffee, we spoke and I learned that these Marines flew into the PTA airfield from the offshore fleet participating in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC), an international maritime warfare exercise.

As coffee was served, my attention turned to making some sort of breakfast. As the conversation continued, the Marines realized I was preparing breakfast for them. One of the Marines asked if he could possibly cook. As the Marine was 6 inches taller and twice as wide as me, I wisely gave up the spatula. Every Marine nodded in agreement when someone said that this would be their first real meal in many months. I sat back listening and watching how they interacted with each other and took in the scene playing out.

As everyone sat down to eat and drink coffee, every Marine was smiling, laughing and enjoying the moment of relaxation. As they got up to leave, they all thanked me for opening early and making sure that they were able to enjoy the coffee and food.

In that moment, the scattered pieces of my journey fell into place. The answer isn’t a grand revelation, but a mosaic built from countless small interactions. “Why am I here?” I asked myself, the answer echoing in the laughter and camaraderie filling the room.

I am here for them. I am here to witness the joy, the smiles and the moments I share with them. I am here for the people who serve.