We’re With Manny: A Soldier Who Became Crucial to USO Mission Delivery in the Middle East

By Kristen Loflin

At the USO, we say “we go where they go” because we mean it. With over 260 USO Centers around the globe – many on military bases, airports and some even onboard ships – these Centers provide a welcome reprieve from the intense environments our service members are stationed in or deployed to. USO staff and volunteers are often boots-on-the-ground with them, providing crucial support through every step of their deployment journey.

But there are some locations that are too austere or dangerous for USO staff to remain permanently – and in these locations, our USO Centers rely heavily on active-duty service members who choose to pay it forward and volunteer, keeping the doors open and offering support to their fellow service members.

It is because of these volunteers’ unique perspectives as service members themselves, their positions in these locations and their unwavering commitment to helping others that the USO can continue to be there for the people who serve during some of the most intense times and in the most restricted regions.

That has certainly been the case for USO volunteer U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Manuel Matias Chavez, affectionately known as “Manny,” who helped deliver USO support in the Middle East this year.

Becoming Part of the Mission

Manny has served in the U.S. Army for 12 years, volunteering at several USO Centers throughout his career, but he is most proud of being a husband and a father to his three children. His selfless caring for others – including his family – is evident in the volunteering he has done alongside the USO.

Only three years into his Army career, beginning in 2017, Manny has volunteered with five USO teams across the United States and overseas, including Fort Drum, New York; Camp Humphreys, Korea; Erbil, Iraq; Fort Sill, Oklahoma; and, most recently, Qatar.

Since 2017, Manny has volunteered with five USO teams across the globe. His dedication and commitment to service, Manny has made a meaningful impact on military communities both at home and abroad. | Photo credit Courtesy Photo

Manny first visited USO Centers at various airports on his way to Basic Training, but once he arrived, he became even more acquainted with the USO while at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. It was there that Manny first found his home away from home.

“On the first Sunday we were allowed out, I walked into the USO facility near the chapel and immediately connected with two elderly [USO] volunteers at the counter. They noticed I was emotional as I signed in and approached me with genuine care. I told them I wasn’t expecting such a homey, warm environment based on the building’s exterior, and that I was glad I stepped inside,” Manny said. “This Center felt different — it felt like a home. Ever since, every USO I’ve visited inside a military post has carried that same feeling.”

After learning that the USO relies heavily on volunteers, Manny knew that he wanted to give back when he could – and did just that when stationed at Fort Drum in New York a few years later. His wife and three children delayed their arrival to Fort Drum until their kids could finish the school year at their previous duty station, leaving Manny to navigate the first six months there alone. As a committed family man, he struggled with coming home to an empty house every day. So instead, he turned to the USO.

“The USO became a stabilizing presence. The USO doesn’t replace family, but it makes a meaningful difference when you’re away from them. When given the opportunity, the Center truly becomes a home away from home — and that truth intensifies even more when downrange,” Manny said. “Because of that, the USO became a constant anchor for me — the first place I sought out at every new duty station, every forward outpost, and every deployment. I knew I could never fully repay what the USO had given me, but, in 2017, I began volunteering as a way to contribute to the contributors. It didn’t feel right to enjoy a snack, a drink or any of the comforts the USO provides without reciprocating in some sort of manner, so I joined the volunteer team.”

Delivering the mission even in the most intense times

Manny would go on to volunteer at Camp Humphreys in South Korea and again later at Erbil Air Base in Iraq during his first combat deployment. Manny deployed to Qatar with his unit in 2025 until July 2026. While there, Manny quickly integrated himself into the local USO team, playing a vital role at the Center and through outreach operations.

“Manny became a mainstay at USO Qatar. When he walks into the room, the energy instantly shifts. He personally greets everyone with a smile, a handshake or a hug. Somehow, he is literally everyone’s favorite,” said Center Operations Manager Corey Wright at the USO Center in Qatar. “I truly admire his selflessness and view him as the embodiment of servant leadership. I could not think of anyone as humble or more deserving [of acknowledgment]. He is our ‘secret weapon’ and one of the best men that I know.”

Manny’s military duties required him to frequently travel all over his area of operation, which in turn allowed him to assist the USO along the way, wherever his mission took him. As the conflict in the Middle East continued to intensify this past year, Manny was instrumental in delivering sustained support to various sites and military personnel. This was crucial, especially after USO staff had to evacuate parts of the region once tensions reached a heightened level.

Some of the areas that Manny traveled to already had extremely limited access to basic resources, but the escalating tensions and missions in the region only amplified the pressures and challenges these service members were facing. Previously, USO teams would have traveled to these areas intermittently to deliver support, but after evacuating USO staff due to safety, Manny carried the torch on behalf of the USO, and ensured these troops had the resources they needed.

“None of it would have been possible without the support of my Chaplain, Major Jerry McCarley, and the USO Qatar Center staff — Corey, Lindsey and Harley. Their initiative and willingness to act made everything possible,” Manny explained.

“Seeing soldiers appreciate the supplies the USO provided during those moments is something I won’t forget. The [USO staff] never knew exactly where we were operating from, but a drop-off point was established so they could deliver the supplies. Access to base was heavily constrained, yet they made it happen.”

Through Manny, the USO was able to distribute support multiple times throughout his deployment, delivering roughly 300 pounds of supplies to service members in Bahrain and providing a morale boost to service members who found themselves confined on base. But beyond lifted spirits, this support also reminded soldiers that the USO is always with them, even at the most intense times.

“When operations escalated in February 2026, the USO became a lifeline. Airspace closures, missile alerts and bunker lockdowns strained every aspect of daily life,” Manny said. “The [USO] went above and beyond during moments when reaching out mattered the most. “Overall, the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility’s hazardous environment became an opportunity for the USO to reach service members at an even greater level than they already do — and they fulfilled every aspect of their commitment.”

Manny’s contribution to the USO mission led to his recognition as Volunteer of the Quarter in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Region.

Because of Manny’s dedication to the USO mission and his vital assistance to the team, the local staff went above and beyond to show him their appreciation for his service to the USO and recognize his efforts.

“Unbeknownst to Manny, we connected with his leadership and planned to hold a small ceremony to highlight his accomplishments. It was actually supposed to be at the end of July, before his scheduled departure. Imagine our surprise when he messaged our team one week early to say goodbye,” Corey said. “Collectively, we decided to give Manny his flowers in real time. Within 20 minutes, we were joined by his commander and held a small ‘program’ to highlight Manny’s accomplishments and his overall journey with the USO. While we could not honor Manny with a large audience, the ceremony proved to be just as impactful and heartfelt.”

Manny has not only displayed selflessness as a soldier, but also continues to inspire USO teammates for his contributions as a volunteer.

“Honoring Manny was one of the more special moments that I’ve had in nearly three years with the USO. Doing ‘the work’ becomes easy when service members like Manny easily display and embody the USO’s core values,” Corey said.

Manny and the team in Qatar are just one example of the full circle of service – from USO teammates supporting service members to those service members choosing to give back to the USO. The impact, inspiration and pride felt by all is truly an example of a unified team working toward the same mission: strengthening the well-being of the people who serve.”

For Manny, the USO’s impact – as a service member and as a volunteer – cannot be measured.

“There are names and details that live only in memory, and countless acts of service that happened quietly, between shifts, in places where no camera or logbook could follow — remote sites where soldiers are difficult to reach, moments of stress in bunkers, DFAC lines, conversations during morale events, moments of relief and moments of silence that no single paper can capture. What I share here is only a fraction of what the USO has meant to me,” said Manny. “I think every USO facility should display this phrase: ‘Come in, This is Your True Home Away from Home.’”