Cooperative Living July 2021 - 22

BuildingCommunity | Story courtesy of StatePoint Media
How the USO Serves Our
Military and Their Families
Organization is 80 years old and still going strong
ince its founding in 1941, the
USO has provided generations
of service members and their
families with crucial support. During
that 80-year history, the world, the
military and the needs of service
members changed. The USO also
adapted, adjusting and expanding its
operations to help boost their morale
and keep them connected to home.
" The sacrifice of service members
and their families requires that we
rise to the challenge as we have done
for the past 80 years and will continue
to do for years to come, " says
J.D. Crouch II, CEO and president
of the USO.
USO CENTERS
USO centers have provided service
members with a home away from
home since World War II. Initially
housed in churches, stores and other
community centers across the U.S.,
the organization's network of locations
The Pat Tillman USO Center in Afghanistan,
named for the late NFL player and Army
Ranger, is a home away from home
for deployed men and women
on base.
S
soon extended overseas, with centers
popping up in Southeast Asia, the
Middle East and Europe as military
engagements shifted. USO airport
lounges were added in the 1990s to
give troops a place to relax during long
travels, while mobile USOs have
brought support services since 2016
to disaster sites and U.S. communities
without a brick-and-mortar center.
ENTERTAINMENT
During World War II, the USO
created and established its legacy of
entertainment through USO Camp
Shows. Since then, the USO has
teamed up with hundreds of movie and
TV stars, comedians and professional
athletes to produce concerts, meetand-greets
and other interactive events
for service members. Many of these
events are now offered online through
the recently launched USO Military
Virtual Programming to accommodate
new health and safety measures.
STAYING CONNECTED TO HOME
Evolving modes of communication
have also changed the way the USO helps
service members connect with loved ones.
Today's USO centers are outfitted with
phone rooms, computers and free Wi-Fi.
Many also have dedicated video gaming
spaces where service members can play
with their spouses and children. New
USO programs continue to focus on
keeping families connected. The Bob
Hope Legacy Reading Program, for
example, allows service members to
record themselves reading a bedtime story
to their child and have that recording, as
well as the book, shipped back home.
SUPPORT FOR MILITARY FAMILIES
During the past 20 years, the USO
has added more entertainment and
support programs for military spouses
and children. USO Coffee Connections,
for example, helps military spouses build
personal and professional networks. The
USO Special Delivery program provides
both military spouses and service
members with free baby showers. In
the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,
the USO hosted more virtual and socially
distant programs for the military
community, ranging from drive-thru
high school graduation ceremonies to
virtual baking classes.
TRANSITIONS TO CIVILIAN LIFE
The USO has also launched support
for service members and military spouses
as they assimilate into their civilian
communities after their military career.
The USO Pathfinder Transition Program
creates a customized action plan for
each participant, assisting in everything
from education to financial readiness
to career advice. 
Visit uso.org to learn more about
the organization's evolution and
how it supports today's military.
20 | Cooperative Living | July 2021
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Cooperative Living July 2021

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