The USO marked its 75th anniversary on Thursday, with service members at bases around the world using the opportunity to celebrate while also connecting with their families back home via Facebook. Here’s a look at what our centers did.
Stateside
USO of Metropolitan New York
TODAY co-host and USO tour veteran Al Roker greeted a crowd of service members and USO volunteers outside on Rockefeller Plaza to celebrate the USO’s 75th anniversary.
Service members in Manhattan were excited to be a part of the celebration.
USO Metro Washington D.C.
Liberty USO
USO Georgia
The state Georgia marked the USO’s 75th anniversary with a proclamation honoring the USO and its volunteers.
USO Central Florida
In Tampa, the celebration came with a mayoral proclamation.
USO Northwest
USO Fort Drum has a volunteer who shares our big day.
Southwest Asia
USO FOB Fenty, Afghanistan, hosted a community get-together with cake and prizes.
Army Outstanding Civilian Service Award recipient Regina Wages celebrates the anniversary with new shirts for her crew!
USO Kandahar, Afghanistan, held a 7.5K race to celebrate the USO’s 75 years. They raffled off an Apple Watch and other prizes, too.
USO Kandahar celebrated the 75th Anniversary with a 7.5k run!
USO Camp Buehring, Kuwait, celebrated with a game of “Deal of No Deal.”
The Pat Tillman Center at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, celebrated with an assortment of treats ranging from homemade chili to hot waffles, peanut butter sandwiches and even some local favorites like naan.
Europe
USO Rome staff celebrated the USO’s 75th anniversary as only the first canteen overseas can, by asking to its community members to share their USO memories.
The event started with the national anthem, performed by opera singer Emily Heinz. Guest speaker U.S. Ambassador John Phillips delivered remarks about the ways the USO supports and connects service members, and shared his own memories of being welcomed by USO volunteers as a young recruit at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
USO Warrior Center at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, “celebrated with a USO toast, delicious food and topped it off with a USO cake!”
USO staff and volunteers celebrate the 75th anniversary at USO Warrior Center
Pacific
USO Guam got a special message from Rep. Madeleine Z. Bordallo. She’s a regular volunteer for the USO when she is in Washington, stuffing care packages on Capitol Hill.
USO Japan staff and supporters gathered to celebrate the occasion.
You can send a message of support and thanks directly to service members via the USO’s Campaign to Connect. Your messages will appear on screens at USO locations around the world.
Every day, America’s service members selflessly put their lives on the line to keep us safe and free. Please take a moment to let our troops know how much we appreciate their service and sacrifice.
