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Service members, Marine Volunteer Program staff and participants of the President’s Volunteer Service Award posed for a photo during a volunteer appreciation ceremony on Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar, Calif., April 18. MCAS Miramar and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing leaders teamed up with the Miramar Volunteer Program and recognized Marines and Sailors who accumulated at least 100 volunteer hours during 2017. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Mark A. Lowe II/Released)

Photo by Lance Cpl. Mark Lowe

MCAS Miramar awards volunteers

23 Apr 2018 | Lance Cpl. Mark Lowe Marine Corps Air Station Miramar

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing leaders teamed up with the Miramar Volunteer Program (MVP) and recognized Marines and Sailors who accumulated at least 100 volunteer hours during 2017 at an event on MCAS Miramar, Calif., April 18.

This event, held annually, featured a performance from the 3rd MAW Band, comments from Col. Jason G. Woodworth, commanding officer of MCAS Miramar, Maj. Gen. Mark R. Wise, commanding general of 3rd MAW, and distributed awards and prizes to service members.

“Most volunteers don’t do it for the spotlight or the recognition,” said Angel Deluz, MVP volunteer coordinator, “I think it’s still important to tell them we see you and we know what you’re doing. Regardless of whether you feel the need to be recognized, we want to say thank you to those volunteers because they give so much of themselves.”

Volunteering with the MVP can range from coaching youth sports on base to participating in P.E. Fitness Challenges at nearby San Diego elementary and middle schools. In total, more than 300 service members volunteered with the MVP, recording more than 62,000 volunteer hours in 2017.

Col. Jason G. Woodworth, commanding officer of MCAS Miramar, Maj. Gen. Mark R. Wise, commanding general of 3rd MAW, Lt. Col. Michael Spears, commanding officer of Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, and Sgt. Maj. Michael Walton, sergeant major of MCAS Miramar, attended the event to show support and accept volunteer awards on behalf of their units. One volunteer, Sgt. Marcos Rioslaurenzana, of aviation electronic technician, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 11 and MCAS Miramar Single Marine Program Vice President, volunteered more than 90 hours during the 2017 fiscal year.

“Being a Marine is embracing unselfishness. One of the events that kept me volunteering was a P.E. Fitness challenge where about 40 other Marines and I set up an event at a local elementary school to conduct physical training.” said Sgt. Marcos Rioslaurenzana. “Afterwards I was exhausted ... this little kid approached me -- he was like 7 or 8 years old -- and he says to me ‘When I grow up I want to be just like you. I want to be a Marine.’ That stuck to me.”

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