• WASHINGTON 

The Army’s Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) program recently handed out awards for its “best of the best” for 2026. 

Awards were handed out during the annual training forum, held from Aug. 7-15 at Shades of Green, Orlando, Fla. 

The BOSS program enhances the morale and welfare of single service members by providing recreational activities, community service opportunities, and a platform for leadership development.   

At the forum, top garrison programs and individuals were recognized for improving single service members’ quality of life. 

BOSS AWARDS 

Among those accolades included U.S. Army Sgt. Kandice Pritchard-Harmon, a dental specialist assigned to the Fort Gordon, Ga., Dental Activity, who was named the 2026 U.S. Army BOSS President of the Year. 

The recognition capped 18 months of focused effort to strengthen Fort Gordon’s BOSS program, expand participation, develop partnerships and ensure single service members have a voice in matters affecting their quality of life.  

Fort Gordon also earned two additional honors: the installation’s BOSS program won first place for Best BOSS Showcase for its “BOSS in a Box” project, while Lorrie Chadd, Fort Gordon’s BOSS Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) advisor, was recognized as the forum’s Best Volunteer on the Support Team. 

USAG Ansbach, Germany, earned the BOSS “Program of the Year” award for medium-sized garrisons, beating out 18 other garrisons for the honor.  

Over the past year, the USAG Ansbach BOSS expanded volunteerism, improved quality of life, developed Soldier life skills and strengthened connections across the military and host-nation communities. 

OTHER WINNERS 

In addition to those winners, here are others who were cited for their BOSS achievements during the forum: 

Program of the Year: Extra Large Program: USAG Humphreys, South Korea; Large Program: JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska;  

Small Program: USAG Italy.  

Individual Leadership Awards: Senior Enlisted Advisor of the Year: Command Sgt. Maj. Joshua McComas, JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Advisor of the Year: Katelyn Rockowitz, recreation specialist, JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; and Sgt. 1st Class Mai Phan, BOSS representative. 

Source: army.mil; USAG Ansbach, Germany, Public Affairs via DVIDS 

Edited by Larry Lapka