Guided by Kindness: How Volunteer Adel Elevates the USO Mission at Fort Hood

When XZ Gao first walked into the USO Fort Hood Center, he carried more than just a small notebook filled with English phrases — he carried a quiet determination. His goals were as admirable as they were ambitious: to strengthen his English, pass the U.S. citizenship test, give back to the USO through volunteer service, and one day serve in uniform beside his wife who’s in the Army and stationed at Fort Hood.

XZ Gao was offered a warm welcome to the center by our volunteer Adel. She greeted him not simply as a visitor, but as someone already belonging to the USO community. This kindness is a perfect reflection of one of our core values: treating every person with dignity, respect, and genuine care. What began as a single meeting soon became a regular routine. Week after week, Adel has met with XZ Gao to practice conversations, review vocabulary, and build his confidence. Her patience and thoughtfulness demonstrate the very heart of the USO’s mission: strengthening the community that surrounds and supports our service members and their families.

Adel embodies that mission in every interaction. A USO volunteer since September of 2024, she consistently serves three shifts a week. This time is dedicated wholly to creating a place where people feel seen, supported, and at home. She knows firsthand the importance of community; her son serves in the Army and is currently posted at Fort Hood, which is what brought her to the area.

Today, XZ Gao says his English studies are going well. Though demanding and sometimes exhausting, he keeps moving forward, bolstered by the encouragement he finds at the USO and by volunteers like Adel who walk alongside him.

Stories like this reflect exactly what the USO stands for: people lifting one another up, offering support, and making meaningful connections that can change the course of one’s life. Here at USO Fort Hood, that spirit is alive every day — one volunteer, one conversation, one act of kindness at a time.