USO News

Center of Attention: USO of Georgia Lights Up Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Thursday, August 18, 2011

By Tom Sileo 

ATLANTA, Ga. – My head was spinning within five minutes of arriving at the USO center inside the bustling Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.  U.S. troops were all over the airport -- lining up before flights, eating hot dogs, calling family and surfing the Web inside the center --  as USO volunteers rolled up their sleeves to make the troops’ long journeys to and from deployments a little easier.

While I thought Aug. 12 was an extremely busy day, USO of Georgia CEO Mary Lou Austin, who has spent an incredible 42 years with the USO, gave me a much-needed reality check.

“This isn’t even a busy day!” Mary Lou said with a smile.  “You should see it when it really is busy.”

A red, white and blue cardboard sign at the entrance of the Jean R. Amos USO center sets the perfect tone for the efforts Mary Lou has led on countless weekdays, weekends and holidays: “Thank you for your sacrifice.”  Nothing inside the center is designed to benefit anyone but America’s troops and military families, which is something that Mary Lou takes very seriously.

“(The troops) are coming here for a reason and we have to be very organized for them,” she explained.  “Their instructions say ‘You go to the USO,’ so when you have 200 or 300 going to the USO … we don’t want to say that we have rules and regulations, but we do.  We have to have policies to help them.”

One unwritten rule for USO staff and volunteers at the center is having a smile on your face, which volunteers told me isn’t difficult while constantly surrounded by heroes.  When the going gets tough is usually early in the morning or late at night, when an exhausted warrior has missed his or her flight or when someone passes through the USO center in the midst of a tragedy, like losing a family member or fellow service member in Afghanistan or Iraq.

During the daily hustle of a busy airport, Mary Lou, her staff and her volunteers show incredible delicacy and poise while guiding families of the fallen through the southeast’s biggest hub for connecting flights.  While escorting the widow of a U.S. soldier killed in Afghanistan earlier this month to Dover, Del., a Casualty Assistance Officer articulated the importance of the USO’s efforts to assist these grieving families.

“She let the widow go on to the plane first,” Mary Lou recalled.  “Then she turned around, took my hand, and said ‘I love the USO.’ ”

Given such a wide variety of moods and circumstances amongst troops and families dealing with the realities of war, there is no such thing as “business as usual” at this USO center.

“It’s not just an everyday routine here,” said Mary Lou while putting t-shirts, Girl Scout cookies and USO care packages together for troops lined up outside the center.  “We like to make it special for them.”

As Mary Lou told me over and over again, none of the three USO of Georgia centers could function without its dedicated, selfless volunteers.  Around the clock, military supporters from across the southeast are filling Mary Lou’s voicemail and e-mail inboxes with requests to volunteer for the USO. The volume is such that she has no openings until 2012. 

Lt. Col. Max Torrence (Ret.) has helped organize the Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association’s efforts to volunteer at the airport since 2004 and feels lucky to be volunteering with fellow Vietnam vets.

“Everywhere you turn, somebody wants to do something to help,” Max said after leading a group of about 75 soldiers through an applauding terminal.  “So it’s really refreshing – especially for a Vietnam veteran – to see the support our troops are getting from everyone, from all walks of life.”

While Mary Lou credits her volunteers for the USO of Georgia’s success, Max said credit also belongs at the top.

“It’s a well-run operation and that’s because of Mary Lou,” Max said.  “I had a young man this morning – I was sitting out front – he came up to me and said ‘This is a great USO.’ ”

Of all the things I saw on that eventful Friday, what struck me the most is when Mary Lou showed me a handful of donations.  Every check in her hand, including one from Max, was donated to the USO by the same men and women who volunteer their valuable time, with some driving all the way from Tennessee and Alabama to lift the spirits of our troops and their families.

“We do family outreach, last Sunday we had the Marines out at Dobbins (Air Force Base), we’re in Savannah – those folks at Hunter (Army Airfield) are amazing!” she said.  “Mary Nelson Adams, our lead volunteer, she’s 80 years old!  USO volunteers are fantastic.”

As we were finishing up our conversation, a soldier walked by the USO center, looking a bit lost while walking through the huge terminal.

“Do you have your boarding pass?” Mary Lou asked with concern.  The soldier nodded his head, smiled, and said, “Thanks.” 

As I left the airport, my head was still spinning after seeing how much USO of Georgia does for our troops.  USO volunteers are indeed fantastic, and so is Mary Lou Austin.