Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer Newsletter

About

There are ample opportunities to volunteer your time and skills while stationed in Iwakuni. Volunteering benefits both you and the community. While you add skills to your resume, or get your “foot in the door” with a new organization, you are also contributing to making MCAS Iwakuni the wonderful community that it is. Volunteers are what “make” our community, and they also make it better. Volunteers are needed in a wide range of programs and events throughout the year. Please donate your time and talents by volunteering.

Passport to Volunteering Workshops

MCAS Iwakuni volunteers are invited to this free seminar that gives participants the necessary tools to have a successful and fulfilling volunteer career. Learn about the impact of your volunteering, effective communication skills as a volunteer, how to manage your volunteer career, tracking and maintaining your personal volunteer records, and tips for using volunteer time to pursue paid professional opportunities.

2023 President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA)

The President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) encourages citizens to live a life of service through national recognition. Presidential recognition sets you apart from your peers, and your example can deliver a powerful message that encourages others to take action.

The Iwakuni Installation Volunteer Coordinator (IVC) is a PVSA certifying organization. Awards are presented each April at the Installation Volunteer Recognition Ceremony.

Learn about PVSA requirements and FAQs

How to qualify for the PVSA

Hours are measured over a 12-month period (JAN 1 - DEC 31).

Awards are based on cumulative hours depending on your age. (Must be 13 years old or older.)

Age Group	Bronze	Silver	Gold
Teens (13-15 years old)	50-74	75-99	100+
Young Adults (16-25 years old)	100-174	175-249	250+
Adults (26 years and older)	100-249	250-499	500+

Eligibility

The Iwakuni IVC certifies volunteer service to bona fide organizations only. If you have questions, please contact the IVC.

Volunteers must be 13 years old or older. Hours are measured over a 12-month period (JAN 1 - DEC 31, 2023) and awards are based on cumulative hours.

Per PVSA rules, eligible service does not include:

Donating funds
Political lobbying (Non-partisan voter registration is an eligible activity)
Religious instruction
Conducting worship service
Proselytizing
Volunteer service performed as part of court-ordered community service
Serving only family members

If you think you will qualify for the 2023 PVSA

Provide Letters of Appreciation (LOAs) to the IVC. There are two ways to do this:

Email LOAs to OMBIwakuni.BaseVolunteerCoodinator@usmc-mccs.org
Bring LOAs to Marine & Family Programs Bldg. 411, Rm. 101 (Installation Volunteer Coordinator)

*Deadline for submission: JAN 15, 2024

IMPORTANT

LOAs must 1) be issued by the organization you volunteered for and 2) include all of the following information:

Name of the organization you volunteered for (e.g., MC Perry High School)
Activity you participated in (e.g., football coaching)
Inclusive dates of your service (e.g., AUG 2023 – NOV 2023)
Number of hours you contributed (e.g., 60 hours)

When emailing or dropping off LOAs, you must also supply the following information:

Your full name
A reliable email address
Phone number

FAQs

I did not receive an LOA for my volunteer service.
Please contact the organization you volunteered for immediately and ask them to issue you one.

The LOA that I was issued does not include all of the required information.
Please contact the organization you volunteered for immediately and ask them to issue you a new LOA with the required information.

My LOA shows 150 volunteer hours that span two years (OCT 2022 – APR 2023). Is this a problem?
Yes. The IVC will not be able to know which hours were volunteered in 2022 and which were volunteered in 2023. Please contact the organization you volunteered for and ask them to:

Issue a new LOA showing how many hours you volunteered in 2022 and how many you volunteered in 2023. (This can be done on one LOA.)
Submit the new LOA to the IVC.

Visit the PVSA website!