How a Navy Veteran and His Family are Giving Back to Today’s Sailors Through USO Centers on Ships

By Danielle DeSimone

When Chris and Victoria Weiler decided to give back to the U.S. military community, it was more than just their belief in supporting the people who serve – it was personal. After all, Chris himself had served several years in the U.S. Navy, and Victoria’s family had a long, proud history of pursuing and supporting the American Dream.

So, when the opportunity to directly and positively impact the lives of sailors and Marines aboard U.S. Navy ships presented itself through the USO, the Weiler family jumped at the chance to pay it forward to the next generation of service members.

A Legacy of Service and American Pride

Chris’ military journey first began when he attended the U.S. Naval Academy, where he was recruited to play football.

“I loved the well-rounded ‘be all you can be’ type of philosophy the military academies have,” Chris explained. “So, attending the Naval Academy gave me an opportunity to have a strong academic background along with serving the country, and at the same time playing for a legendary coach and a legendary program at the academy.”

Chris would go on to be awarded the MVP and Jeffrey Korn leadership and academic awards for the U.S. Naval Academy football team. Football, in fact, is a family affair. Victoria – a varsity high school athlete herself – also served as a football team manager at the University of Virginia (UVA). The couple’s youngest son played football at the University of North Carolina, their oldest son played Division 1 soccer at the University of Kentucky and the University of Virginia, and their daughter played Division 1 soccer at the University of Pittsburgh.

After graduating, Chris took his oath and officially joined the U.S. Navy in 1985. From there, he attended Surface Warfare Officer School in Newport, Rhode Island, and then later served aboard the USS Thomas C. Hart, as well as a U.S. Navy Senate Liaison Officer on Capitol Hill with the Office of Legislative Affairs in Washington, D.C.

In the midst of a busy Navy career, Chris and Victoria got married in 1986. As they began their lives together and began to build their own family, Chris’ duties to the Navy required them to spend time apart.

“I think in the 36 months or so that I was on the USS Thomas C. Hart, I was underway for 23 or 24 of those months,” Chris explained.

At one point during Chris’ deployments, Victoria moved back in with her parents in Maryland after her assignment with a private contractor at Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia, ended, all while also balancing the care of their two young children. Deployments are not just challenging for service members – they can also take their toll on military families, who must adjust to a new way of life without their loved one for months at a time, just as Victoria did.

After serving more than six years in the U.S. Navy, Chris transitioned out of the military and began his civilian career, eventually founding On-Site Sourcing in 1993 and KLDiscovery in 2005, serving as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He also coached high school football from 2004-2015. Recently, after 33 years of a successful career, Chris retired.

However, even after hanging up his uniform for the last time, Chris’ – as well as Victoria’s – connection to the U.S. Navy and passion for supporting the Armed Forces remains strong. Aside from Chris’ personal connections to the military, Victoria – as a first generation American – is especially passionate about supporting the people serving in the military. Her father immigrated to the United States from Greece in 1957, and growing up in a household so passionate about American values instilled a fierce pride in this nation and its troops.

This passion for supporting U.S. service members inspired the Weiler family to give back directly through philanthropy.

“For us, when you love America, the U.S Navy, the troops – the men and women that go fight for our country and really maintain the guardianship of freedom and democracy – [donating is] kind of an easy thing to do,” Chris said.

Supporting Today’s Sailors on U.S. Navy Ships Through the USO

While the Weilers support several military organizations, they were especially drawn to the USO’s initiative of building USO Centers aboard Navy ships.

“When we had the opportunity and the means to support the USO, we were more than happy to, especially with the program they put together,” Chris said. “We had donated before, but we really, really liked the USO Centers on U.S. Naval warships. I thought that was awesome,” Chris said.

Chris and Victoria’s donations led the charge of the initial building and furnishing of the USO Center aboard the USS Harry S. Truman, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. They have also committed to subsequent donations that will ensure the ongoing support of the Center aboard this ship, and other Navy ships with USO Centers.

The USO has more than 250 USO Centers around the globe. For decades, these Centers have largely been located on military installations and at airports – that is, on land. However, in the past few years, the USO has begun building ship-based USO Centers aboard U.S. Navy aircraft carriers and warships to better support sailors throughout their deployments.

These ship-based Centers have many of the same amenities of brick-and-mortar USO Centers, including internet connectivity, computers, TVs, electronic gaming equipment, snacks and beverages, libraries and more. The USO also mails USO Program in a Box kits to these ships, to be used to host their own USO programs and activities, as the ship-based Centers are unstaffed by USO employees and instead are largely run by service member volunteers. These Centers also provide comfortable seating and a home-like environment that offer service members a break from the military atmosphere of a ship.

After being surrounded by walls of grey metal and the sound of jet engines for 9 months straight, many service members just want to go someplace quiet, someplace relaxing, someplace where they can recharge, take a break from the stressors of their duties and connect with the people and activities they love.

Chris and Victoria know firsthand what it’s like, as a military family, to navigate the challenges of a Navy deployment. They are especially aware of how difficult it can be, separated for months at a time with limited ways to stay in touch with loved ones. During Chris’ deployments in the 1980s, “snail mail” was the main way to communicate, other than the occasional port visit in a foreign country that might have a phone booth.

But now, with today’s technology and the help of the USO, sailors have more options for staying in touch with loved ones, such as through the amenities provided on these ship-based USO Centers. Aside from computers and internet connectivity, these newly-renovated Centers have something else that has been truly revolutionary: phone booths.

“On the Truman, they have these soundproof telephone booths which, you go in there, you can’t hear anybody on the outside and people on the outside can’t hear you either,” Chris explained.

The idea of having both the ability to speak to a loved one and the privacy to do so while on a Navy deployment was an especially exciting notion for Chris, having been through those kinds of deployments himself.

These amenities might sound simple, but they can make an incredible difference in the daily lives of service members aboard these ships, and particularly in their mental wellness and morale. In fact, the U.S. Navy’s suicide rates among sailors have continued to increase and as a result, the branch has taken serious efforts to support mental health among its ranks. This is especially important during recent deployments, some of which have seen [some of the most intense combat by the U.S. Navy since World War II.

USO ship-based Centers support the U.S. Navy’s efforts to combat these troubling trends.

“Having an environment onboard, when they’re out at sea for months at a time, that can give them a break away from their job and actually let them get lost in something fun, something social, something mentally challenging, or bonding with their friends watching football … it’s very important to have an escape out on the seas with some home comforts,” Victoria said.

“Of all the people in the world who deserve some creature comforts, these guys and girls – who are out at sea for five, six, seven months at a time, not touching land – deserve it. We feel like it makes a big difference. And it’s a very simple thing that goes a long way for young people who are serving our nation’s interests.”

Chris has his own memories of visiting brick-and-mortar USO Centers overseas while in the Navy, which he knew he could always turn to for a place to relax and recharge.

“It’s safe haven kind of thing. You go in there and you can get a cup of coffee or a soda or something like that and just chill out and no one’s going to bother you and they’re only going to help you,” he said. “I did that when I was overseas, and it was great.”

Thanks to the generosity of everyday Americans like Chris and Victoria Weiler, thousands of U.S. service members will have crucial support aboard U.S. Navy ships while deployed at sea and undertaking great risks on behalf of this nation. The USO is not a government entity – as a nonprofit organization, our organization and our mission relies entirely on the generosity of the American people.

“I think that if anybody’s got an extra dollar around, why not give it to the USO? I mean, my God, every dollar is going to go to something great and it’s just a great opportunity to give back and put your money where your mouth is,” Chris said. “You want to support the armed services? Then why not support the USO?”

Support of the USO in turn supports the people who serve and their military families. From the moment they enlist, through duty stations and deployments, and as they transition out of the military, the USO is by their side at every step of the military journey with Centers and programs around the world. As members of the U.S. Navy navigate new and heightened threats around the globe, supporting them is crucial to maintaining morale and operational readiness of those serving on behalf of our nation.

“Of all the places where we can make a difference, the fact that all these people, especially the enlisted folks on an aircraft carrier who go out to sea for so many months serving our country, protecting our nation, protecting our allies away from their families, cut off from civilization in many ways, especially at sea …” Victoria said. “These kids need some comfort, some home things that make them feel good and give them a break mentally.”