Small Garrison, Big Impact: Camp Darby BOSS secures victory for the third time
Operating at Camp Darby comes with a unique mix of challenges and opportunities. As a small garrison with a population of a few hundred, the installation is technically an Army post, but most assigned personnel are from the U.S. Air Force, and some from the Space Force. Ensuring the program fully welcomed Airmen, Soldiers, and Guardians alike was essential to its success.
Air Force Staff Sgt. Christopher Rossi took over as president in March 2025 and revamped the council, filling all five executive positions with a dynamic team of new, highly motivated members to tackle the garrison's unique operational environment. Building on previous successes, the team launched grassroots outreach efforts to increase participation.
"This renewed energy has translated into higher meeting attendance, robust community networking, and a broader calendar of morale-boosting trips and vital life-skills development events," said Rossi.
"The success of our Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers program is a direct reflection of the dedication and resilience of our service members. When we invest in the quality of life and morale of our single Soldiers, Airmen, and Guardians, we directly build a stronger, more cohesive team ready for any mission," said US Army Garrison Italy Command Sgt. Major Jeffery Paluso.
Because life for single service members at Camp Darby involves limited on-base amenities, the program focused heavily on off-post involvement to immerse members in the local Italian community.
"This outbound approach has not only significantly improved our members' language skills but has also forged incredibly strong, positive relations with our host nation," said Rossi. "What could be seen as an installation limitation has been transformed into our program’s greatest cultural asset."
The team also worked closely with the BOSS program in Vicenza, the headquarters of U.S. Army Garrison Italy, to align budgets, calendars, and event collaboration.
"Winning Program of the Year three years running brings great pride and essential reinvestment funds. The USAG Italy BOSS Program leverages community resources to set up Soldiers for daily success, readiness, and camaraderie. Serving as the BOSS Advisor has been an honor, empowering service members and building well-rounded leaders through Quality of Life, Community Service, Life Skills, and Recreation,” said Cathy Towers, MWR Special Events & B.O.S.S. Advisor, USAG Italy, Vicenza & Darby Military Community.
At Camp Darby's small size, the sense of community is exceptionally strong, with service members stepping up to support garrison activities both on and off post. Recently, they collaborated with the Italian Air Brigade for a joint beach clean-up, which strengthened bilateral military relations.
"At the end of the day, our BOSS Council is a tight-knit team of close friends who genuinely love to travel and explore," said Senior Airman Taylor Tolley. "Having the opportunity to organize trips, plan events, and engage our military community felt completely natural to us."
To actively elevate members' quality of life, the BOSS program partnered with USAG Italy’s Directorate of Public Works and utilized the Army Maintenance Application to address barracks maintenance, resulting in 142 completed work orders over the past year.
"This initiative directly improved the daily living conditions and morale of our barracks residents," said Rossi.
Life skills were another major focus. Addressing a common challenge for service members serving overseas where many vehicles don’t have automatic transmissions, the program featured courses on car maintenance and learning to drive cars with a clutch.
Recreation and leisure remain core strengths of the program. Leveraging its coastal Italian location, the garrison maximized opportunities for cultural immersion, organizing a ski weekend in Livigno and trips along the Amalfi Coast. Members also participated in wine sommelier lessons, snowboard clinics, open-water SCUBA certifications, and events partnered with American study abroad students from Florence.
"My favorite highlight from this past year was our four-day Amalfi Coast trip," said Senior Airman Cole Urbanowski. "We took 15 service members on a six-hour journey south to explore the coast and partnered with a local tour agency, giving us the opportunity to connect and make lasting connections with American university students studying in Florence."
The year's highlight was Camp Darby’s first-ever intramural sports program, featuring nightly games of soccer, flag football, softball, and volleyball. This culture of daily physical fitness supports military readiness initiatives by keeping service members fit, resilient, and ready.
"This initiative has been a massive success, consistently drawing 20 to 30 participants nightly," said Rossi. "Beyond boosting morale and joint-service camaraderie, these daily events provide our single service members with healthy, constructive habits that keep them actively engaged."
Adding to the athletic achievements, five Camp Darby BOSS members joined Vicenza Soldiers for the annual Vatican Cup, a soccer match played against the Swiss Guard the Vatican. The win was secured by Rossi, who scored a hat trick to clinch the victory. The trip also included a behind-the-scenes tour of the Swiss Guard’s dormitories and historic armory, as well as a Mass.
Reflecting on the program's consistent success, leadership emphasized the collaborative effort.
"I believe our BOSS program’s success year after year comes down to the strong sense of community we share here at Camp Darby," said Rossi. "Everyone, from senior leadership to our newest service members, is fully invested in supporting the single service member initiative to boost morale and create a true sense of family while stationed overseas." Rossi also emphasized, "Winning the 'Best BOSS Small Garrison Program of the Year' award back-to-back reflects far more than just our council's hard work.” “It is a testament to the entire Camp Darby community making single service member quality of life a top priority."
"The most effective way to build an award-winning culture is to surround yourself with team members who genuinely care about making a positive impact on others," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Autumn Leroy. "When your team leads with passion, that enthusiasm and commitment become contagious across the entire garrison."
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