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USO recognizes JB MDL Soldier, Sailor as 'Service Member of the Year'

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Bryan Swink
  • Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  The Liberty United Service Organization recognized two Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst servicemembers as "Service Member of the Year" for their respective branches during the 70th Anniversary Liberty USO Gala Oct. 21 in Philadelphia.

More than 250 people attended the black-tie affair set to honor five servicemembers from Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey who went above and beyond the call of duty in service to the military and work within the community.

Army Sgt. 1st Class Richard Aston, Dix Military Entry Processing Station NCO in charge, was honored as "Service Member of the Year" for the Army.

"I feel completely humbled by this award," said Aston. "I feel I don't do any more than any of the other Soldiers out there doing their job."

Aston, originally from St. Louis, Mo., was unanimously named Senior NCO for MEPS and Battalion of 3rd Quarter and Employee of the Month in March 2011.

His superiors say he's an ambassador to the community and an expert on America's valuable contributions to peace in the world with four deployments under his belt.
Aston said he is determined to finish his bachelor's degree by January taking six semester credit hours at a time and maintaining a 3.25 grade point average. Aston is an active member of the JB MDL military housing community and mentor to junior enlisted and officers alike.

Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Rodriguez, Naval Support Activity-Lakehurst aviation support equipment technician assigned to the 305th Operations Support Squadron, was honored as "Service Member of the Year" for the Navy.

"It's truly an honor and humbling to be recognized for this tremendous award," said Rodriguez. "It's nice to see such a great organization recognizing the hard work and dedication of servicemembers which too often goes unnoticed. I am honored my division chief thought highly enough of me to nominate me for this."

Rodriguez, originally from Dover, Del., joined the Navy in 2002. He served as a technician at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan, and then earned both aviation warfare and surface warfare specialist designations on the USS Tarawa. He volunteered for a 10-month deployment in Kuwait in 2010 where he worked for the Port of Debarkation, supervising eight Sailors of various ratings and specialties.

He volunteered more than 110 hours for the USO while in Kuwait and currently is the base liaison for the Ocean County Hunger Relief. He also volunteers with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Ocean County, N.J. Rodriguez graduated from the University of Phoenix this year.

The USO is a nonprofit, congressionally chartered, private organization relying on the generosity of individuals, organizations and corporations to support its activities. The USO is not part of the U.S. government, but is recognized by the Department of Defense, Congress and the President of the United States.