How the USO of Illinois Helped One Traveling Airman

Stories in this Series

• Oct 21, 2019

  Healing After the 1983 Beirut Bombings at USO North Carolina-Jacksonville Center’s ‘Beirut Room’

  The 1983 Beirut Bombing—when a suicide bomber attacked a Marine barracks in Lebanon, killing U.S. and French service members, as well as civilians—had a deep impact on the Jacksonville, North Carolina community. So, the USO created a special room to honor the victims, survivors and family members affected by the bombing.

• Mar 10, 2017

  The USO and the Boston Celtics Team Up to Honor Troops and Military Families

  With an assist from the USO, the Boston Celtics give our men and women in uniform an unforgettable VIP experience on Seats for Soldiers night.

• Dec 16, 2016

  ‘We Did Meet at the USO’: Volunteers Tie the Knot at the Fort Campbell USO

  When Army Sgt. Gary Yim first met his wife, Chris, while volunteering at the Fort Campbell USO, he knew she was special.

• Dec 14, 2016

  Here’s How the USO and RP/6 Created a ‘Movement’ in San Antonio

  When USO-RP/6 scout Cedric Brown retired from the Navy, his transition to civilian life was a challenge. He shares his personal story with every one of his clients so they know they’re not alone – and that there’s a community waiting to help them along the way.

• Nov 15, 2016

  ‘Leave it at the Door’: Night Out at the USO Brings Military Families Together Without Electronics

  USO Fort Riley's Family Game Night: Unplugged invites military families over for an evening of food, fun and games without any electronic interruptions.

• Nov 1, 2016

  ‘It's Unbelievable’: USO of Illinois, Blackhawks and Boeing Team Up to Salute Service Members and Veterans During National Anthem

  Robert Canchola, Vietnam veteran, was recently honored on-ice at the United Center during the National Anthem as part of the Service Salute Partnership between the USO of Illinois, the Chicago Blackhawks and Boeing.

• Oct 25, 2016

  The Smiles Say It All: Sunday Mornings at USO Great Lakes Offer a Taste of Home for Young Service Members

  Naval Station Great Lakes is the home of the Navy's only boot camp, which means it’s also home to many sailors separated from family and friends for the first time.

• Oct 17, 2016

  USO of North Carolina Delivers Birthday Cake Surprises to Single Service Members at Camp Lejeune

  If you’re single and in the military, it’s easy to feel forgotten. That’s where the USO of North Carolina’s Single Warrior Birthday Cake program comes in.

• Oct 10, 2016

  They’ve Gone Down That Path’: Retired Soldier Explains How the USO and RP/6 Put Him on the Road to a Successful Transition

  Tim Beninato wore an Army uniform for 25 years. Now he wears a suit and tie to work at USAA. Here’s how the USO and RP/6 helped him make the leap from soldier to civilian.

• Sep 12, 2016

  'It’s Our Place to Escape': How the USO of North Carolina-Jacksonville Became One Special Needs Family's Oasis

  The Geronimes were familiar with the USO. But it wasn’t until their youngest son, Austin, was born that they truly became a part of the USO of North Carolina family.

• Aug 15, 2016

  Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families Looks at Transition

  Military families stationed here in Minot, North Dakota -- 50 miles south of the Canadian border -- don’t get many VIP visitors. So when the Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families kicked off its 2016 tour at the base, it was a big deal.

• Aug 15, 2016

  ‘This Woman is Nothing Short of Incredible’: USO Volunteer Pushes on in the Face of MS

  On most weekdays – before USO Fort Riley opens and until after it closes in the evening – Faythe DeMaroney-Scaletta is at the center making sure the building and its visitors are taken care of.

• Jul 29, 2016

  Military Bride-to-Be Says Yes to the Dress Thanks to the USO at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

  As soon as Melissa Wrisley put on the satin white gown, she knew it was “the dress.” Just a few months earlier, when she was first engaged to her now-husband, Marine Pfc. Brandon Wrisley, Melissa was wondering if she would even be able to find a dress – let alone a designer dress – that would fit their tight wedding budget.

• Jul 28, 2016

  How an Ordinary Box Truck Became a USO Center on Wheels

  It’s not often that a used dry cleaning truck catches one’s eye, but for USO Wisconsin's Elizabeth Hazlett, the modest, pea-green vehicle was exactly what she was seeking.

• Jul 20, 2016

  Storytime Brings Families Together at Fort Drum USO

  At the home of the 10th Mountain Division in upstate New York, winters can be long and lonesome. That's why volunteers there began to organize Storytime at the local USO, where military kids can socialize and do arts and crafts with their family.

• Jul 14, 2016

  It’s Never Too Early for Chili Cheese Dogs at the USO

  German troops headed to nearby Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, for training had heard about the American delicacy all the way back in Germany. They stopped at the USO center in St. Louis – which is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year – at 7 a.m. to find out what the buzz was about.

• Jul 5, 2016

  USO Northwest Florida Wakes Up Early to Support Sailors

  The Navy probably doesn't emphasize 4 a.m. workouts during the recruiting process. Still, USO Northwest Florida staff and volunteers were waiting with drinks when nearly 700 sailors came off the athletic field at Corry Station.

• Jul 5, 2016

  Beach Bash: USO Houston Hosts a Day out for the Coast Guard

  Thanks to a generous donor, USO Houston will host a Beach Bash for each service branch this summer. Our USO Route 75 crew was on the scene to capture the Coast Guard's day at the beach. Take a look.

• Jun 27, 2016

  Four Legs, Countless Smiles at the USO in Dallas

  Four legs, countless smiles. We met USO volunteer Diane Ratley and her dog, Dayna, at the USO at DFW Airport last week.

• Jun 27, 2016

  The USO Route 75 Travelogue

  Your daily update on all things USO Route 75, our road trip around the United States to tell the stories of the USO and the military men and women it serves.

• Jun 14, 2016

  Quilts Donated to USO El Paso Have Service Members Gasping

  The patriotic work of art that hangs inside USO El Paso’s West Fort Bliss location was the cornerstone of a recent center makeover and is a conversation piece for volunteers and visitors.

• Jun 9, 2016

  Service Members Get Their Game On at USO Center on Wright-Patterson AFB

  Some of our best ideas come from the service members we support. Here's what happened when two airmen at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base who love video games came to the USO of Central and Southern Ohio with a big idea.

• May 11, 2016

  Service Members Displaced by Fire Find Everything They Need at USO Fort Riley

  Within minutes of learning of a devastating apartment fire off base, USO staff and volunteers rushed into action to support military members affected by the blaze.

• May 6, 2016

  ‘Made All the Difference’: USO Helps Coast Guard Family During 12-Hour Flight Delay

  Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Trevor Hughes and his young family were headed to Disney World when they were suddenly faced with a 12-hour flight delay. Unable to go home without his children’s car seats, Hughes headed to the USO, where his family spent the whole day napping, watching movies and eating snacks.

• May 4, 2016

  The ‘Walking History Book’ of the USO of Illinois

  Delores Jean Cazy went to work for the USO in 1972. She likes it so much she’s never left.

• Apr 27, 2016

  Behind the Scenes with the USO of Georgia’s Dynamic Duo

  From helping with families of the fallen grief sessions to serving active-duty service members lunch, the Horvaths have done just about everything they can for service members and military families.

• Apr 22, 2016

  USO, RP/6 Help an Army Veteran Land a Job Right Next Door

  Michael Leebarze, who had ambitions to launch a career in the criminal justice/homeland security field, spoke with RP/6 staff members about his resume and transition plan. Several hours of career counseling later, Leebarze, now an Army veteran, left the center with a job interview for a position at the company right next door to the USO center.

• Apr 8, 2016

  Air Force Dad Became a USO Volunteer After Son's Call

  How did you find out about the USO? For Tom Flagg, it was a phone call from his Air Force captain son during a layover in Denver. Years later, Flagg - a Broadway actor - and his wife both volunteer at the USO of Metropolitan New York.

• Mar 23, 2016

  USO San Diego Center Namesake Talks 75 Years of History

  C. Neil Ash knew there wasn’t a USO center at San Diego International Airport. And that bothered him. Here's how he changed it.

• Mar 17, 2016

  No Family, But Lots of USO Support for Single Soldiers at Fort Bragg

  The USO teams with the Fort Bragg Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers to build a sense of community among service members who are far from their families.

• Mar 15, 2016

  ‘The USO is My Family’: USO/RP/6 Connects Service Member to Community During Holiday Visit

  Tonya Wacker didn’t expect to end up in tears during a USO holiday hospital visit last December. Then she walked into the injured soldier’s room.

• Mar 10, 2016

  Photos: Marines Flood USO of North Carolina on the Way to Camp Lejeune

  "Marine Wednesday" means high traffic at the USO center inside Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Dozens of young Marines pour into the center as they wait for buses to Camp Lejeune.

• Mar 9, 2016

  'Something I'm Very Grateful For': USO and Ride 2 Recovery

  We spoke to Ride 2 Recovery participants about what that program - and USO support over the years - means to them.

• Mar 9, 2016

  A Family That Serves

  USO South Carolina volunteer Mary Crooks' husband and three children are all in the military. She serves, too, by helping out young recruits heading to basic training.

• Mar 7, 2016

  USO at San Antonio MEPS is a Stress Reliever for Recruits and Families

  The MEPS process is tense for the young men and women who’ve signed up to serve our country. They often spend many hours waiting for exams, tests and lots of paperwork, but USO is working to relieve some stress with locations inside processing stations around the U.S.

• Mar 4, 2016

  A Tasty Competition: USO Fort Campbell's Cupcake Wars Bring Military Families Together

  Nothing brings people together like food and healthy competition. That’s the idea behind Fort Campbell USO’s Cupcake Wars, a fierce (and tasty) cupcake competition that takes place every at the center every summer.

• Mar 4, 2016

  A Look Inside the USO at MEPS Nashville

  We stopped by Nashville M.E.P.S to see how USO Nashville helps recruits and families manage the stresses of military in-processing.

• Feb 29, 2016

  USO and Fisher House Team Up to Deliver on a Shared Mission

  USO Route 75 stopped in San Antonio recently and visited Fisher House at Lackland Air Force Base to find out how the organizations work together.

• Feb 28, 2016

  From Biker Bars to Coffee Shops, USO El Paso Volunteer Opens Doors of Support for Service Members

  Mallo is a USO center director’s dream come true. She’s marched into multiple businesses to ask if they’d like to support America’s service members and walked out with gift cards, mountains of candy and pallets of batteries.

• Feb 27, 2016

  Hattiesburg USO was a Sanctuary During World War II

  The words of World War II-era USO volunteer Vermell Jackson echo the sentiments of the photos and encased USO artifacts at the African American Military History Museum. The building that now houses the museum was once home to a unique USO wartime center.

• Feb 22, 2016

  USO Arizona Volunteers Keep the Lights On for Stranded Service Members in Phoenix

  A handful of USO Arizona volunteers work overnight shifts on request to provide a place for stranded service members to stay at the organization’s Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport center.

• Feb 17, 2016

  Burrito Ambush! USO El Paso Program Surprises Soldiers on Fort Bliss with Free Meals

  USO El Paso employees and volunteers fan out around the base on select mornings to pass out hundreds of burritos to unsuspecting service members.

• Feb 9, 2016

  Bob Hope USO Brings the Super Bowl to Isolated Marines Training in the Desert

  Most of the Marines didn’t seem to care who won the Super Bowl. After training all day in a place where they can barely get cell phone reception, they were just excited the game was actually on.

• Feb 8, 2016

  ‘You All Are the Moms We Miss’: USO Ontario Volunteers Keep the Light On for Seabees During Late-Night Layover

  USO Ontario volunteers stay up late to roll out the red carpet (and fire up the grill) when military charters make overnight stops.

• Feb 7, 2016

  Patches, Coins Draw in Visitors at USO Bay Area's San Francisco Airport Center

  The challenge coin cases and military patches are an instant draw when you enter USO Bay Area's San Francisco International Airport center.

• Feb 6, 2016

  NFL, USAA and the USO Honor Service Members at Super Bowl Weekend Breakfast

  The NFL, USAA and the USO presented an NFL Salute to Service Military Appreciation Breakfast for service members and their families the day before the Super Bowl.

• Feb 3, 2016

  Introducing USO Route 75

  To mark our 75th anniversary, we’re heading out on a road trip we’re calling USO Route 75 where we'll learn more about the organization and explore issues like the military-civilian drift and military transition.