Video by Sandi Moynihan
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Situated among Bagram Airfield’s sprawling sea of gray and brown container buildings, the cabin-like Pat Tillman Memorial USO center stands conspicuously apart from the crowd.
Named in honor of the former Arizona Cardinals safety Pat Tillman, who gave up his NFL career to serve as an Army Ranger and died in the line of duty, the center is a home away from home for the thousands of deployed men and women serving on base.
The center, which was built thanks to a generous $250,000 donation by the NFL, first opened its doors in the spring of 2005 and has been offering signature USO services ever since.
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In addition to providing free Wi-Fi, computers, phones, snacks and games, the Pat Tillman Memorial USO hosts a slew of programs and nightly events to give service members a much-needed moment to relax and unwind from the stresses of deployment.
- USO Senior Multimedia Journalist Joseph A. Lee contributed to this story.
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