We're With Pham: A Sailor Giving Back to Her Community Through the USO While Stationed in Guam

By Trey Smith

When U.S. Navy Petty Officer Second Class Nhi Phamnguyen, better known as Pham, first came across an ad for Navy morticians, she had no idea it would lead to a journey of service both in uniform and through the USO. Already a licensed funeral director and embalmer in California, she enlisted and brought her expertise into the military with a deep sense of purpose — honoring the fallen while continuing to serve the living.

“I stumbled upon an ad regarding Navy morticians, so I got curious,” she said. “I wanted to know what it’s like to be a Navy mortician, doing what I like and while serving the country at the same time, so I enlisted.”

Nearly four years later, that decision continues to define her journey. After enlisting in the Navy, she spent three years stationed in Guam — an assignment that would come to hold special meaning beyond the daily responsibilities of her Navy mortuary service. Though she’s now stationed at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Mid-South in Millington, Tennessee, where she processes Navy death cases from around the world, it was in Guam that Pham first connected with the USO and discovered an additional way to serve.

Finding a Home Away from Home at the USO

When Pham first walked into the USO Tumon Bay Center in Guam, she was simply looking for a place to unwind after a long day’s work.

Pham found that place of respite – but even more importantly, she found a community that felt like home. It began, she said, almost by accident.

“When I arrived in Guam, the USO was where I usually hung around, downtown in Tumon Bay,” she said. “I stumbled upon [the USO] and I walked in. I really liked the environment that the USO provided to military service members.”

With its refreshments, computers and cozy atmosphere, this USO Center is a place where service members like Pham can relax, recharge and connect. And much like the 250+ USO Centers around the globe, this space is dedicated to providing resources, events and programs to the people who serve and their families.

“The USO gives [service members] a place to hang out. Some people don’t have anyone nearby,” she said. “They can come in, grab a snack, watch TV, play games; it’s a space for them to relax.”

When she learned the USO was looking for volunteers, Pham didn’t hesitate.

“I saw that they were recruiting volunteers, so I volunteered myself to be able to give back to the community while doing something meaningful,” she said.Pham was so impressed that she quickly became a regular at the USO, volunteering after work as well as during events and special occasions. Her duties as a volunteer were simple but meaningful: greeting service members, keeping the space clean, restocking snacks and helping with events.

Despite the demands of her job as the sole Navy mortician at the hospital, Pham made time to volunteer with the USO twice a week, showing up after long days to serve her fellow service members in quieter, more personal ways. Balancing full-time Navy responsibilities with volunteer work wasn’t easy. Still, Pham carved out time to serve.

“I went to work from 7:30 a.m. to around 3:00 p.m., and then went to the USO on Mondays and Fridays,” she said. “It was a long day, but very rewarding. I didn’t have much free time, but I tried to volunteer from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and whenever there was a special event, I helped if I could.”

Each USO Center is powered by volunteers who believe in creating moments of comfort for those who serve, and often those volunteers are service members themselves. Pham’s efforts, though small in her eyes, are actually part of what makes the USO’s mission a reality.

Service member volunteers play a unique and vital role within the USO. The organization relies on volunteers all around the globe to help carry out the USO’s mission. When those in uniform choose to give back as USO Volunteers, they bring a perspective no one else can, one rooted in lived experience. They understand the challenges of moving to different duty stations, the homesickness, the stress of service, the distance from loved ones – as well as the small comforts that can make a difference. When welcoming their fellow service members into the Center and interacting with them, these service member volunteers are uniquely positioned to provide a sympathetic ear from someone who understands the sacrifices of service. Their involvement not only strengthens the USO’s mission, but it also reminds others that service is a two-way street — those who serve often gain as much as they give.

Those two hours of volunteering at the end of a long day became a source of peace and fulfillment for Pham, offering a sense of connection after the solitude of her job. One of Pham’s favorite experiences was helping with the monthly birthday celebrations hosted by local USO Centers. These small gestures can mean a lot to service members stationed far from family and friends.

“Almost every month, the USO provided a birthday cake for service members with birthdays that month. Sometimes sailors travel from the States to Guam all by themselves,” Pham said. “It’s really nice for someone to remember their birthday and have a cake for them.”

Something as simple as celebrating birthdays for service members stationed overseas may seem like a small gesture, but when you’re far from home, you also may be far from the places and people you know best, leaving many service members to spend milestones in unfamiliar surroundings. Events like these can be a morale booster and give them a brief sense of normalcy in the middle of unique and challenging circumstances.

Through USO events like these, Pham also found herself connecting with her fellow service members in unexpected ways.

“Volunteering at the USO really helped me connect with other service members who also volunteered there,” she said. “And the service members who visited the USO, sometimes they liked to talk, so we could have an open discussion about our military life.”

That shared experience between service members carried a special meaning. Those casual conversations can turn a simple visit into something more personal, and a reminder that support doesn’t always come from home, but sometimes from those who stand right beside you in service.

Pham also points to the dedication of others like the local Guam community and those who volunteered beside her.

“There were civilian volunteers who were very dedicated to volunteering with the USO,” she said. “ I was very thankful for those people.”

For Pham (pictured right), volunteering at the USO was a way to build community within the military. Serving alongside others who share the same commitment, she found purpose and connection in supporting those who serve. | Photo credit Courtesy Photo

Now stationed in Millington, Tennessee, Pham continues to serve as a Navy mortician. Her current position looks different from her hands-on work in Guam.

“Instead of working at the morgue in the hospital, I work in an office processing paperwork of all the death cases of Navy around the world,” she explained.

In many ways, her current role reflects the same sense of duty that led her to volunteer at the USO — a steady commitment to ensuring that no one’s service, or sacrifice, goes unnoticed. Whether tending to a fallen sailor’s final arrangements or offering a slice of birthday cake to a homesick service member, her work continues to embody care, dignity and respect.

Though her day-to-day has shifted from physical care, the heart of her work remains the same: honoring those who have served.

“It’s busy,” she said. “But I’m still learning my job.”

Even while focusing on her professional growth, volunteering remains close to her heart, even though there is no USO at NSA Mid-South, leaving her unable to take part in the community work that the USO allowed her to experience.

“Unfortunately, there’s no USO near my current command,” she said. “I wanted to volunteer, but I can’t at this time. Hopefully, in my next command, I can.”

Still, Pham remains grateful for what the USO represents — a space of warmth and welcome no matter where service members are. Whether it’s a warm meal, a friendly conversation or a volunteer’s helping hand, those small moments create a network of care that reaches every corner of the globe. Through her volunteering, she saw the difference simple gestures can make, and she has helped carry forward the USO’s mission: to strengthen the well-being of America’s military and their families.