Your Passion - Q&A’s with USO Employees

Q What made you decide to become a part of the USO team?

A As a military spouse I wanted to support my community – I wanted to be a part of something meaningful. That's why I chose the USO – to always be by their side lifting the spirits of America's troops and their families since 1941.

Q What motivates you to come to work every day?

A Waking up each morning in the greatest country in the world, I realize that the "American Dream" is provided by the brave men and women who choose to wear a uniform. I am humbled in their presence as they are unaware of their greatness and how they are writing our history books. They give so much and ask so little – they put their hopes and dreams on hold so that I may have mine, they endure long separations from their family and loved ones so I may spend holidays and special moments with my family in a safe country. Someone once said, "When you do what you love, you never work a day in your life." I do what I love and am honored to have the privilege to serve our troops and their families.

Q Have there been any defining moments for you while working at the USO?

A Watching the 4th Infantry Division showcase their colors to deploy to Iraq was a defining moment for me. I was so moved to see those young soldiers standing on the field at attention not knowing what to expect and knowing they would leave their families behind. They stood tall and proud to answer the call of a nation, and as emotional as it was, I knew my life was meant to serve our troops and their families.

Q What do you enjoy most about working for the USO?

A There is not one thing that sums up my reasons for enjoying my job. The mission, being able to see the country, interaction with service members and their families from all of the branches, the unique opportunities that land on my desk to serve the military and perform USO outreach due to the fact that we are Mobile, being an Ambassador for the USO and the way that the job and the gratitude of those we serve keeps me grounded.

Q What motivates you to come to work every day?

A The mission of the USO, the desire to serve others and the opportunity to be an ambassador of "goodness" for an organization that is so well respected and well known for the amazing things that it has done for military and their families in good times and in bad and at home and abroad since before we entered WWII… whenever I am having a tough day or I've been on the road for an extended period of time, I am immediately snapped back to reality and humbled when I hear a story from a family whose dad may be on their 5th deployment or a story from a wounded warrior who has seen things that I can never imagine and sacrificed in ways that I will never be asked to do. We are lucky to do what we do each day for a very deserving and ever appreciative group of heroes.

Q What does a typical day at the USO look like for you?

A With the Mobile USO Program, you never know what kind of request is going to land on my desk. From traveling with Sports Illustrated's Peter King to NFL Training camps and creating interactive outings for troops at each location, to serving lunch to wounded heroes participating in Ride 2 Recovery Challenges, to interacting with military families and their children at family events and Yellow Ribbon events, to serving the National Guard assisting in the cleanup of historically devastating natural disasters like Hurricane Sandy, to bringing USO Presence to huge sporting events like the Kentucky Derby and NASCAR races, to parades where we are cheered on by WWII, Korean and Vietnam vets… each day brings adventure and opportunity to breathe life into the mission of the USO of bringing goodness to America's troops and their families.

Q What made you decide to become a part of the USO team?

A I have always been directly involved with the USO, whether as a Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) representative for my unit back at William Beaumont Army Medical Center, Fort Bliss (Texas), or while serving at Camp Casey, Korea, or volunteering and participating in USO-sponsored events at Conn Barracks (Germany). The USO has always been there for me as a soldier, so it was inevitable that I would become a full-fledged member of this great organization and continue the link of support that we provide to all our servicemen and women in uniform.

Q Can you tell us a little about your colleagues at the USO?

A I am extremely lucky to work with some of the most hard-working, dedicated people in the world who embody the USO mission every day as they strive to do their very best to uplift the morale of our servicemen and women.

Q What motivates you to come to work every day?

A The intimate knowledge and personal experience that what I do makes a great difference in the lives of our servicemen and women.

Q Have there been any defining moments for you at the USO?

A On January 2001, I flew from Incheon International Airport (South Korea) to Frankfurt International Airport (Germany) en route to my new duty station. I was supposed to be picked up at the Airport by my new unit rep, but upon landing in Frankfurt I found no one, so I wandered around the Airport understanding very little German and finding nobody to help me until I saw a USO sign blinking in the middle of all the other neons. I proceeded to the USO desk where I was welcomed with open arms, offered a warm cup of coffee, a comfort seat to relax, some snacks to savor while the angel behind the counter contacted my unit to let them know of my arrival.

Q What made you decide to become a part of the USO team?

A I came to the USO as a temporary employee for only two weeks, and the impact of the mission was enough for me to realize this is where I should be. I became permanent three months later and have been here for thirteen and a half years.

Q What motivates you to come to work every day?

A Knowing that we are helping our service members and their families with our many programs and services is the motivating factor for me to come to work every day.

Q Have there been any defining moments for you at the USO?

A It happened after 9/11. I assisted the public with hundreds of questions as to how they could help our service members. We coordinated with the DoD on how the public could correspond with our troops. We initiated the Operation USO Care Package Program, USO Phone Home Program and opened centers to accommodate our service members and their families. We also provided assistance with Operation Iraqi Freedom and Hurricane Katrina.

Q Can you describe your USO experience in three words?

A Exhilarating, humbling and rewarding.

Q What made you decide to become a part of the USO team?

A I was in college at Purdue, slogging through semester after semester, and I found the opportunity online to join the USO. Having served in the Marines, I was no stranger to their mission or what they stand for. I felt that I could bring a lot to the table with my interpersonal skills and my close understanding of military customs & courtesies. I also went on a couple deployments as a Marine, so I knew what to expect. I knew I would be away from home, but am glad to say that I found a family within our organization. There are a lot of great people who work for the USO, and I'm very thankful that they gave me the opportunity to join the team. It has been a really great experience.

Q What motivates you to come to work every day?

A We get to have fun! I can't think of a job out there where its employees have so much fun! There's always something different going on each day and we get to be creative. My boss makes working here really easy too because she gives me all the tools I need to be successful. We also have a lot of great volunteers who I rely on daily. The people here are just awesome.

Q What do you enjoy most about working for the USO?

A The USO is just a great organization from the top down. In my center, my boss keeps things organized and gives me the room to be as creative as I want to be. She also supports me when I need something. In the region, we have people who are constantly working on ways to highlight our mission so that people back home can see for themselves that we're doing our best for their loved ones. On a national scale, the USO is a household name. They constantly build relationships with other service-oriented organizations that share the same mission. They do so much for our servicemen and women. I'm just honored to say that I work for the USO. I try to be the best ambassador I can be. I have yet to work with someone I can't get along with, too. There are a lot of wonderful folks out here with me.