How this Dad and His Son Connect at USO Storytime in Wiesbaden, Germany

By Sandi Gohn

On any given Thursday, Army Sgt. 1st Class Uriah Britt is busy doing what he does best — serving as a soldier in the U.S. military.

But last September, thanks to his then-upcoming PCS, Britt got a chance to head to the USO Wiesbaden Cottage to spend a rare weekday morning focused on his other full-time job—-being a dad.

Britt, along with his young son and a room full of other military families, attended USO Storytime, a monthly, volunteer-run program that is fueled by generous donors like you.

“To be able to spend time with the kids, to get us out of our everyday routine and to be one-on-one with our kids and read with them, it builds character in them,” Britt said.

“I think it helps growth and they like that.”

During the program, military children of all ages and their parents read a story, make a craft, enjoy a snack and spend the morning connecting with their local community.

“It just builds that camaraderie and that good community vibe that we are so often so used to back in the states,” Britt said. “And definitely having it here overseas, it just makes it feel more like home.”

Robert Gilpatrick, the center manager at USO Wiesbaden, notes that programs like USO Storytime, which is part of the Bob Hope Legacy Reading Program, are designed to help young military families connect and ease into life abroad in Germany.

“It can be a little intimidating for a younger family … or if it’s your first time here,” Gilpatrick said. “We want to give them a place to go where they don’t have to worry about overcoming the language barrier or overcoming the cultural barrier.

“We like to give everybody a taste of home to keep them connected to home.”

- Former Director of Content Strategy Chad Stewart contributed to this report.