Operation Just Cause... ...for as long as it takes
Sent in by Veterans News and Information Services
By Scott Gruber
Special to American Forces Press Service
NEW YORK -- Five enlisted men received Service Member of the Year awards from the United Service Organizations Dec. 10 at the 1999 USO Holiday Gala aboard the Intrepid Sea- Air-Space Museum in New York City.
Defense Secretary William S. Cohen and Mrs. Janet Langhart Cohen, along with the armed forces service chiefs and a host of entertainers attended the fund-raising gala. The USO is a congressionally-chartered, nonprofit organization providing morale support to the men and women of the Armed Forces. The USO receives no direct government funding.
For nearly 60 years, the USO has provided entertainment programs to service men and women abroad. The USO's mission is to remind the troops that those at home care about them. The organization also reminds Americans that there are still thousands of service members in harm's way, in remote locations around the world.
Cohen stood by, as master of ceremonies Johnny Grant, the Honorary Mayor of Hollywood, presented the awards. Grant had recently returned from "Operation Starlift," which brought actress Salma Hayek, Danica McKellar of "The Wonder Years, and Garrett Morris of "The Jamie Foxx Show" to visit troops in Kosovo and Macedonia for Thanksgiving.
Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class Mathew Bailey, assigned to Coast Guard Station, Atlantic City, N.J., received the "USO Coast Guardsman of the Year" award. While on patrol off the coast of Atlantic City, Bailey received a radio call indicating that a young boy and woman were in danger of drowning in the surf.
Although his boat was not rated for surf conditions, Bailey maneuvered the boat into the breaking waves and was able to maintain the boat's position long enough to pull the victims aboard. Both victims were taken by on-scene paramedics to the hospital, though the woman unfortunately never regained consciousness. However, Bailey's courage and dedication to duty saved the life of the child.
Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Daniel M. Briehl, stationed at Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar, Calif., received the "USO Marine of the Year" award. Briehl was a security guard at the American Embassy in Kenya, Aug. 7, 1998, when the building was ripped apart by terrorist bombs. Already cut and bruised by flying debris and glass, Briehl immediately entered the building to look for survivors.
Even after sustaining additional injuries from a two-story fall down an elevator shaft, Briehl continued to dig through the rubble, freeing trapped survivors. Briehl has received numerous awards for his bravery, including the Purple Heart and the Navy and Marine Corps Medal.
Navy Petty Officer Nathan L. Moore stationed at Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Six, Naval Air Station, North Island, Calif., received the "USO Sailor of the Year" award. Moore was recognized for his ongoing service on the potentially deadly flight deck of an aircraft carrier. His keen eye, hard work, and dedication to the Navy's core values, as well as that of the sailors he trains, have averted numerous accidents, and saved the lives of countless pilots and crew members.
Air Force TSgt. James L. Morrison II assigned to the 16th Airlift Squadron (Special Operations) in Charleston, S.C., received the award for "USO Airman of the Year" award. Morrison was performing scanner duties on a C-141B cargo plane fully loaded with personnel and vehicles when a phosphorus signal flare was inadvertently launched inside the cargo compartment, landing under the engine of one of the vehicles.
Without hesitation, Morrison immediately swept the burning flare out from under the vehicle and initiated smoke and fume elimination procedures. His quick thinking prevented a potential disaster and possibly saved the lives of 92 service members.
Army Sgt. Christopher Voldarski, D Company, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment., 82nd Airborne Div., Fort Bragg, N.C., received the "USO Soldier of the Year" award. While serving as a member of the security and peacekeeping force for Task Force Falcon, Voldarski noticed a pair of suspicious men looting a house where a recently returned refugee and her small daughter lived. Voldarski detained the men, forced them to return the stolen items, and ensured the safety of the woman and her daughter, who were hiding in a closet.
This year's gala also featured the presentation of the prestigious "Spirit of Hope" Award, the USO's highest and most prestigious award, to John Glenn, in recognition of his years of advocacy for the men and women of the Armed Forces, and his contributions to aviation and space exploration.
For more information on contributing to the USO, please call 1-800-876-7469 or visit the USO Website
(Editor's note: Gruber works with the USO)
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