From Soldier to Servant: How One Woman's Journey with the USO Came Full Circle

By Trey Smith

Kimberly DeVries’ journey with the military started with a uniform and a calling to serve – and even now as a civilian, it has never really ended. Over the course of a two-decade career in the U.S. Army, she built a life of leadership, teamwork and showing up for others. For her, service has never been a job, but a way of life.

Today, she has that same dedication to her role as USO area operations manager for Central and South Florida. She channels her energy into the USO’s mission of supporting the people who serve by organizing events, building community and creating the kind of moments that remind service members they’re not alone. From soldier to USO employee, it has become a full-circle mission, and one she takes on with pride.

Experiencing the USO as a Young Soldier

It was 2005 when Kimberly had her first experience with the USO. She was serving in the Army at Fort Cavazos (then known as Fort Hood) when actor Jim Caviezel stepped onto their base as part of a morale-boosting entertainment tour organized by the USO.

That memory still stays with Kimberly, who at the time was away from her three children Kayla, Eden and Jordan who were young at the time.

“I just really admired Jim Caviezel and the work that he had done.” Kimberly shared. “He’s an actor. I remember that was a highlight, because here I am, I have children at home that are five, four and 14. And just that little piece of connection, just somebody that I enjoyed and that my kids enjoyed, it really refreshed me.”

Before joining the USO, Kimberly spent 24 years having a successful career in the U.S. Army. | Photo credit Courtesy Photo

That moment stayed with Kimberly throughout her 24-year Army career. Now, she’s on the other side of those visits – serving as a USO area operations manager, working to bring the same sense of connection and care to today’s service members. What was once a lifeline for her has become her mission: showing up for troops in meaningful ways, just as someone did for her.

“The USO was there for me when I deployed, they were there for me overseas and they were there for me in the Army as I went back and forth,” she said.

Those moments with the USO stayed with her, but there was one moment during her military career in particular that defined her 24 years of service. One day, Kimberly found herself in a life-or-death situation that defined her bravery and leadership.

“One of my biggest memorable moments was rescuing three Marines and an interpreter after they sunk their Humvee in the middle of a big ravine river. We had to fly in, and I had to go down on the jungle penetrator and save them off the top of the Humvee, before it went fully underwater.”

That moment became a standard of dedication that she carried with her for the rest of her military career and beyond – and now it is one she brings into her work with the USO today.

From Young Soldier to USO Leader

After retiring from the Army, Kimberly could have chosen a completely different – and civilian-focused – career path. Instead, she leaned in and channeled the same sense of purpose that guided her in uniform into a new mission with the USO. As an area operations manager, she now leads efforts to support service members across multiple locations throughout Florida, ensuring that no matter where they are, they feel the same sense of connection as she did when she was in uniform.

After retiring from the Army, Kimberly joined the USO and now serves as an area operations manager, overseeing operations at USO Central and South Florida. | Photo credit Courtesy Photo

“I spent 24 years in the Army. A lot of people helped take care of me.” Kimberly said. “It’s an opportunity to give back, use my talents, my time and my expertise to foster and mentor and build relationships with service members that are just starting, or midway through their career, or leaving their career … and really helping give them a roadmap that I didn’t probably get when I was in.”

In fact, being on the other side of this service is extra meaningful for Kimberly as her daughter Kayla is now a Major who is a UH-60 pilot and commander of her former Medevac unit.

In this new chapter of service with the USO, no two days look the same. Her role demands flexibility and precision – skills honed over decades in uniform, now just as valuable in her role with the USO.

“I don’t think there is a typical day.” Kimberly said. “My role is to truly make sure that my team at the Centers are able to do their job, have all the supplies that they need and really help bring in-kind donation and fundraising for our entire state.”

Amid all the moving pieces, one of Kimberly’s favorite parts of the job is planning and pulling off events that boost the morale of all service members who need it. Whether it’s organizing a themed celebration, marking a holiday far from home or creating a pop-up moment of fun in the middle of a busy week, she sees these events as a powerful way to lift spirits and build relationships within her community.

In fact, one of Kimberly’s favorite things to participate in is Salute to the Troops, an event where service members are provided with a four-day VIP experience at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.

“One of my favorite events to be part of with the USO is Salute to the Troops. I think it’s a really incredible opportunity as a leader to go and serve those families and meet them where they’re at, at a really magical place.” Kimberly shared. “To hear their stories and how the USO has impacted them, way beyond just going to Salute to the Troops, humbles you in a lot of ways. So that’s one of the things I really enjoy being part of.”

Kimberly also plays a role in assisting the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tampa Bay Lightning, organizations that go above and beyond by offering tickets and access to a suite reserved just for service members at sporting events.

Coordinating and witnessing these opportunities allows Kimberly to extend morale-boosting opportunities beyond the walls of USO Centers, giving troops and their families unforgettable experiences in the heart of the community. For her, it is another way to show appreciation, not just with words, but with moments that make service members feel valued.

“What happens in that suite is that a community is built. They meet other service members from other branches, and they develop friendships. They have now started to develop a new [community] to be around,” Kimberly said.

But for all the large-scale events and partnerships, Kimberly knows that it’s often the smaller, everyday gestures that matter most. Serving in Florida means supporting service members through intense heat, sudden storms and other unique demands of the region’s climate. That is why her team often focuses on outreach at smaller levels. Handing out cold drinks on scorching training days, grilling and offering hotdogs on-site and setting up a quick game to break up the monotony that may come with everyday service.

Kimberly knows that without her dedicated team of staff and volunteers, she wouldn’t be able to carry the USO’s mission forward. | Photo credit Courtesy Photo

Kimberly knows, of course, that none of it would be possible without those working alongside her. Every event, outreach effort and moment of connection relies on the dedication of a passionate team of USO volunteers and staff members who give their time, energy and heart to the mission. Whether they’re setting up tables before dawn, greeting service members with a smile or staying late to clean up after an event, their behind-the-scenes work is what keeps everything running.

For Kimberly, these people are more than teammates; they’re the reason the USO can consistently show up with excellence, compassion and care.

“We don’t run without our volunteers. While we try to give them the credit and honor them, there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes,” she shared. “Every day I have volunteers that are sorting donations, that are aligning things so that we don’t run out, so that it becomes like a well-oiled machine.”

Alongside her dedicated team of USO volunteers and staff, Kimberly also knows that the USO’s mission wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our supporters. She believes anyone thinking of donating to the USO should “do it with an open heart. Don’t limit yourself to what you want to give.”

Kimberly knows that behind every strong mission is a stronger community. With the help of her staff, volunteers and supporters, she turns her decades of service into moments that uplift, support and remind service members and their families that their sacrifice doesn’t go unnoticed. And it’s why the military community in Florida will continue to know that that they have a shoulder to lean on thanks to people like Kimberly and the USO.