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Lieutenant recognized as one of Andersen’s top volunteers

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Joshua Smoot
  • 36th Wing Public Affairs
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam --  One of the Air Force's three core values is excellence in all we do. Whether that means working late to reach an important deadline or volunteering at a local soup kitchen, excellence in all you do is a major component of being an Airman.

By volunteering more than 1,500 hours in one year to the base and local community, 2nd Lt. Victoria Cachro, 36th Wing Plans, Programs and Readiness strategic planner, demonstrated what it means to perform excellence in all you do.

"I like going out and helping people," Cachro said. "I have always liked doing that and always have a good time doing it."

While serving in the Air Force, she has volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, Operation Christmas Drop humanitarian mission, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Special Olympics and the base Sexual Assault Prevention Response Program.

Earlier this month, Andersen Air Force Base hosted a volunteer recognition ceremony, rewarding Airmen who volunteered more than 100 hours the past year.

Cachro, former volunteer officer for the Andersen Company Grade Officers' Council, was one of more than 60 people recognized during the ceremony, but she distinguished herself by logging in more volunteer hours than any other Airman at Andersen.

"I was surprised when I found out," Cachro said. "I had no idea I volunteered that much."

Cachro made volunteering a way of life by volunteering since she was a child in elementary school.

"I feel like I have been volunteering my whole life," Cachro said. "I remember volunteering with my church as an altar server. I did that for 10 years."

Out of all the events and places Cachro has volunteered, she says her most memorable moments were at the Special Olympics Guam the past two years.

"I did the Special Olympics last year and doing it again this year was really cool," Cachro said. "Even though you haven't seen all the people you worked with after a whole year, they still remember you and they say 'I am so glad you're back here to help us out.'

"I think the most rewarding part of it is when people remember you and appreciate what you do for them," she added.

Cachro recommends everyone to get out and volunteer, but for the right reasons.

"You should volunteer because you want to and you want to help people, not just for a bullet," she said. "You should do it because you genuinely want to make a difference in people's lives."

"Cachro is one of the most helpful, humble people that I know and she lives to serve others," said Capt. Diana Wong, 36th Wing sexual assault response coordinator. "As the volunteer alternate SARC, she is on-call as a 24/7 responder to help victims of sexual assault. She takes on this duty full time when I'm gone so that the services offered to our victims are truly continuous.

"In multiple situations she was able to handle cases at a moment's notice and use sound trauma-informed decision-making that is rare among officers at her grade. Admittedly, being the alternate SARC is no easy task, but she does it because she knows there are people out there who need help and she wants to be on the front lines making sure that happens," Wong continued.

Cachro, an Air Force Academy graduate, has been in the Air Force for two years and will soon be leaving Guam and plans to continue volunteering at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey.

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