Shades of Green hosts annual BOSS Training Forum

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Shades of Green hosts annual BOSS Training Forum

ORLANDO, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES

08.19.2026

Story by Stephen Warns 

U.S. Army Installation Management Command        

Shades of Green hosts annual BOSS Training Forum
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ORLANDO, Fla. – At Shades of Green, beneath Florida palms and the easy distraction of a resort setting, the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers Training Forum gathered approximately 160 attendees from IMCOM directorates around the world.
From the opening moments, leaders made clear this wasn’t a vacation. It was a working forum to sharpen ideas, strengthen programs, and return to installations better prepared to serve single Soldiers.
Sgt. Maj. Jeff Guida, IMCOM DFMWR sergeant major, set the tone with a message rooted in openness and action. He reminded attendees that the strength of BOSS depends on their willingness to learn from one another.
Some had been in their roles for only a week; others had spent years in the program. That range of experience, he said, was a strength if everyone stayed open-minded.
“There’s no such thing as a bad idea,” Guida said. “There are only ideas we haven’t tried yet. Your job at this forum is to listen, take notes, ask questions, and take what you learn back home to make your BOSS programs better. BOSS is about making sure single Soldiers have a voice. And when you talk to leaders about your events, don’t just accept ‘no.’ If you can frame what you’re doing in terms of risk reduction, readiness, and building stronger warfighters, you’re going to find support.”
Support also came in the form of early-morning physical training, where the Soldiers and civilians pushed and relied on each other. College athletic trainers Kaz Kazadi and Maddie Peele introduced functional fitness exercises that stressed mobility and range of motion.
The theme of professionalism and purpose carried into remarks from IMCOM Command Sgt. Maj. Corey Perry, who reminded the audience that even in a relaxed setting such as Shades of Green, standards still mattered. Soldiers were guests, representatives of the Army, and expected to conduct themselves accordingly.
“Just because we’re in a resort environment doesn’t mean the standards go away,” Perry said. “You are still Soldiers, and you are still leaders. Be at the right place, at the right time, in the right uniform, and take care of each other. At the same time, see this as an opportunity. The Army needs people who are willing to be future BOSS presidents and leaders who will advocate for single Soldiers across the formation. BOSS is a privilege, but it’s also a responsibility.”
Then the forum shifted gears. Perry introduced Free Daps, a freestyle rap group that turned the room’s energy in a new direction. What followed was part comedy, part crowd engagement, and part lesson in confidence. Pulling audience members into the act, the performers built rhymes from spontaneous descriptions of freestyle and playful observations about the crowd. Laughter spread quickly.
In a week packed with policy, planning, and program management, the session served as a reminder that connection matters, too. BOSS is not only about solving problems; it is also about building community, creating belonging, and giving Soldiers reasons to engage.
If Guida and Perry framed the “why” of BOSS, Tim Hockenberry, the BOSS Program Manager, delivered the “how.” In a detailed session on life skills, he walked attendees through the history and evolution of one of the program’s most important pillars, which also includes Quality of Life, Community Service, and Recreation and Leisure.
He explained that the life skills program began in 2015 as a pilot with little structure, limited oversight, and broad freedom for installations to experiment. Over time, however, IMCOM built standards, accountability, and a sustainable process. Funding that was once loosely distributed, often without clear follow-up, has gradually matured into a model guided by policy, annual standards, and reimbursement procedures.
“A true life skills event trains, licenses, or certifies Soldiers,” Hockenberry said. “It should fall into areas like career development, financial readiness, wellness, physical fitness, or emotional resilience, but it should never just turn into recreation. Our goal isn’t to spend money just because it’s there. Our goal is to use limited resources wisely and creatively. Some of our best events are no-cost or low-cost, using installation experts and local resources. If you can solve real problems, build competence, and meet Soldiers where they are, that’s where life skills really work.”
He pointed to practical examples, such as barracks maintenance classes that address everyday concerns while teaching useful skills. The best programs are not always the most expensive; they are the ones that make a measurable difference in Soldiers’ lives, he said.
By the time the forum reached its awards ceremony, the week’s lessons had taken on a more personal meaning. The ceremony celebrated standout programs, creative outreach, community service, and individual leadership. There was humor in the superlatives, pride in the program awards, and appreciation for the volunteers and advisors who often work behind the scenes.
The strongest moment came with the closing recognition of Sgt. 1st Class Mai Phan, honored for her service to the BOSS community. In accepting the recognition, she spoke candidly about how deeply the program had shaped her life.
“BOSS became my family,” said Phan, whose tenure as the Department of the Army BOSS Representative is ending. “When I went through breast cancer treatment in Hawaii, it was BOSS Soldiers who brought me meals, checked on me, and carried me when I was used to being the one who carried others. This program isn’t just events on a calendar. It’s people showing up for each other when it matters most.”
Among the honorees at the forum were USAG Humphreys for extra large program of the year; Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson for large program of the year; USAG Ansbach for medium program of the year; USAG Italy for small program of the year; Sgt. Kandice Pritchard-Harmon of Fort Gordon as 2026 President of the Year; Command Sgt. Maj. Joshua McComas of JBER as the senior enlisted advisor of the year; and Katelyn Rockowitz as advisor of the year.

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