How a Deployed Soldier Found Joy Amidst Uncertainty While Deployed to the Middle East

By Trey Smith

Every Sunday during deployment, 1st Lt. Amanda M. had one job: pick a song.

What started as a reluctant karaoke performance with a fellow soldier soon became a weekly tradition, a source of levity, friendship and something to look forward to during a time defined by uncertainty. For Amanda, karaoke nights at the USO Center on her base are a reminder that connection can be found in the simplest moments — sharing a laugh, singing a song and building community when home feels far away.

Those connections became especially meaningful during her year-long deployment to the Middle East, where she spent countless days away from family and friends. It was a far cry from the life she had imagined just a few years earlier when she first joined the Army National Guard.

Eight Years of Growth and Service

Enlisting in the Ohio Army National Guard came as a surprise to Amanda’s family when she made the decision in 2018. She didn’t grow up in a military household, and though she had a grandfather who was a National Guard member and an uncle who served in the Navy, neither talked much about their experiences. So, when Amanda raised her right hand and took the Oath of Enlistment, she had little idea of what military life would bring.

At the time, Amanda viewed the military primarily as an opportunity to continue her education. She did not yet know how much the decision would challenge her, push her outside her comfort zone and shape the person and soldier she would become. What began as a practical choice quickly became a defining chapter of her life.

“I was super shy growing up, so when I joined, everyone was very shocked,” Amanda said. “But I was like, ‘Hey, I need to pay for school, and they’re offering to pay for my school.’”

That same, quiet young woman has since grown into a leader. Eight years into her military career, Amanda is a first lieutenant and commissioned officer. She plans to continue serving for another 12 years before retiring from the military.

Along the way, military service has opened doors to many new experiences she never expected. Training and assignments have taken her across the country, giving her the opportunity to visit various states. She was especially excited about being able to see iconic American monuments and sites, and exploring the country beyond her hometown.

“I got to go to Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Missouri and South Dakota,“ she said. "On the South Dakota training, I got to see Mount Rushmore, so that was pretty cool. I think it’s been cool to travel all across the country.”

From seeing new places to working alongside people from different backgrounds, military service expanded her world in ways she never anticipated. But with those opportunities also came the realities of being away from the people and places she loved, especially her recent deployment that brought difficult sacrifices.

When Amanda deployed to the Middle East – her first overseas deployment – the region and mission had a sense of stability. Then, almost overnight, regional tensions escalated with Iran, changing the pace and intensity of operations. As she adapted to this new tempo and the challenges that came with it, Amanda also had to navigate the strain of being separated from loved ones and missing family occasions back home.

For many service members, deployment is measured by these moments they miss back home. While they are serving on the front lines, birthdays, holidays, milestones and everyday moments continue without them.

“It’s kind of hard to stay connected and hear about all the fun things they’re doing,” Amanda said. “You want to be excited for them, but you’re also thinking, 'I was supposed to be there.’ I missed my cousin’s wedding, and I was supposed to be a bridesmaid. It’s bittersweet because you want to connect with them, but you’re also dealing with the fact that you should be there with them, not just talking to them on the phone.”

The distance from home is compounded by the realities of deployment and being in a different time zone. Amanda’s husband is a civilian pilot whose unpredictable schedule, combined with the significant time difference between their two locations, makes it difficult to find time to talk. Earlier in her deployment, Amanda had more reliable phone service, which made it easier to stay connected. However, after tensions increased and she moved to a new location within the region, connectivity became less reliable, and those conversations became less frequent.

And even when Amanda was able to connect with loved ones, sometimes the challenges of deployment lead to her feeling distant from them and her life back home. As their lives continue on without her, Amanda has had to tackle the daily grind and routine of the mission.

“I think being connected, while I’m lucky to have my phone, has been difficult for every reason. Not wanting to talk because I’m like, 'Oh, it’s the same thing every day.’“

For Amanda, those moments reflect the reality of military service: balancing the opportunities to grow as a leader and experience new places alongside the sacrifices that come from being far from the people she loves.

That balance became a little easier after a chance visit to a USO Center.

Finding Connection Far From Home

It was one random evening when Amanda’s commander invited her to stop by the nearby USO Center. Her commander had volunteered with the USO in the past and understood the positive impact it could have on deployed service members. During that first visit, Amanda joined a game night. She enjoyed it so much that she quickly became a regular, returning for craft nights, special events and other activities whenever her military responsibilities allowed.

"I would go to basically every craft night unless I had work,” she said. “We’d go to every craft night, we’d go to the game nights, they’d have parties and we went to the Super Bowl [party] that they hosted.”

Deployments can be lonely, but having a dedicated space like the USO at these downrange locations can make a meaningful and positive difference for the men and women serving in tense environments.

After a long, grueling day fulfilling their military responsibilities, many service members need a place where they can relax — a place that is not the barracks or the mess hall, and doesn’t constantly remind them of the everyday realities and stressors of deployment. With more than 260 locations around the globe, the USO provides just that.

USO Centers provide a home-like environment – even the paint colors and choices of furniture are intentional, built to create a space that looks nothing like a military one. These Centers are equipped with comfortable seating, gaming consoles, TVs, libraries, snacks and beverages; but crucially, they are where the USO hosts programs and activities to provide service members both with a sense of levity and community during challenging times.

In fact, studies have shown that peer support is a crucial factor in mental well-being, and having a place where community and connection are part of the environment can help service members feel understood and supported by others facing similar challenges.

"It’s nice to have somewhere else to be able to get out and meet new people, try new things and just have that place. And to know that [someone is] always there for you,” Amanda said. “They had cards that we could write [letters home] there. It was nice that there was something for us to do and that people took the time to think of us and to send us care packages. It’s nice to know that we’re on people’s minds – even strangers that we don’t know.”

Just when she thought she had seen all the USO had to offer, one night a soldier asked Amanda to join him in a karaoke night.

“I’m not much of a karaoke person normally, so I didn’t want to do it, and one of my soldiers was like, 'Man, please, I need a partner.’ So I was like, 'All right, I guess.’”

After that initial performance, karaoke soon became a weekly tradition. Before long, other service members began asking if the pair would be singing that weekend.

“There was one weekend where we weren’t going to do it, and people were like, 'Oh, are you guys singing tonight? We can’t wait to hear you,’” Amanda recalled. “We’re like, 'Oh my gosh, we’re famous now, so we have to sing karaoke, obviously,’” she added as a joke.

In the middle of an unpredictable deployment, that weekly ritual became something Amanda and other deployed service members could count on — a steady bright spot in their week that gave her and her fellow soldiers a reason to gather, laugh and look ahead to the next Sunday.

“It was nice to have a schedule and have something always to look forward to,” she said. “It’s like, 'All right, what song are we going to sing this week? We need to practice.’ In a time of such uncertainty, having something that was so concrete and ready for us every week was really, really nice.”

After a year of deployment, Amanda remains grateful that she and others have something to look forward to and fight against the uncertainty and stressors that come with serving in the Middle East. For service members who haven’t yet stepped into a USO Center, Amanda recommends it, explaining that the USO is a place where members of the military community from all backgrounds can come together, just when they need it most.

“I would describe the USO as a safe space for service members and spouses, wherever they are. Whether deployed or at home, it’s a place they can turn to when they need support. Somewhere to relax, take a break, put their feet up and spend time with people who are looking out for them, even if they started as strangers.”

Despite the challenges of her deployment to the Middle East, through the USO, Amanda was able to connect with others and find joy in difficult times, finding and building a community that cared for her and her fellow service members.