HAMPTON, Va. –
More than 165 Soldiers from Fort Eustis joined local families to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner and company as part of the USO of Hampton Roads and Central Virginia's annual "Adopt-A-Service Person" program.
The program gave Advanced Individual Training Soldiers who were unable to make it home for the holiday the opportunity to get out of the barracks and join local families who opened their homes for a Thanksgiving meal.
"[The Adopt-A-Service Person program] gives Soldiers an opportunity to meet [community members] and also [allows community members] to get to know [Soldiers]," said U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael Browder, C Company, 2nd Battalion, 210th Aviation Regiment AIT instructor.
Soldiers were assigned battle buddies and met their "adoptive" families at the Hampton Coliseum early on Thanksgiving morning. After spending the holiday with local families, the Soldiers returned to the coliseum and were bused back to Fort Eustis.
Many families who participated were returning volunteers from previous years of the program, which has run for more than 25 years. The number of families needed depends on the amount of Service members signed up for the program.
"The families welcome Service members with open arms," said Danis Lensch from the USOHRCV family outreach provider. "It also builds relationships in the community."
Some Soldiers, like Pvt. Jarrett Ehrharet, A Company, 1-222nd Avn. Rgt., have been in AIT for more than three months. For many, this Thanksgiving was the first holiday away from home. Ehrharet said events like this help keep his battle buddies motivated throughout training.
"Once we found out we were able to participate in the program, I felt my company's morale grow," said Ehrharet.
April Griffin, a local community member, and her family have been "adopting" Service members for more than 20 years. Her parents began participating in the program while Griffin was in high school.
"We see this opportunity as a blessing," said Griffin. "It is the least we can do to give back."
The USOHRCV welcomes new families and Service members annually because there will always be Service members unable to make it home for the holidays, said Lensch.
"[The program] is very heart-warming," said Lensch. "Many times, we have Service members who are skeptical about going into a stranger's home, however, we have had nothing but positive feedback [when they] return."
For more information on the program and other ways to participate, contact the USOHRCV at 764-5232.