Deployed Service Members in Kenya Now Have a Place to Call Their Own at the USO

By Brittany Laursen

For American service members deployed in Kenya, conditions can be challenging. The hot, desert environment is intense and austere, and their safety brief even includes how to interact with local monkeys. After long days conducting operations in these remote conditions, something as simple as a USO event can lift spirits and provide a sense of normalcy in a completely new and isolating environment. Now, service members forward-deployed to Kenya have crucial support to help ease that isolation: their first staffed USO Center.

“The ability to come chill in a space catered to me really helped me decompress after a long 12-hour shift,” said one service member. “I love being able to come in, see a friendly face, grab a cup of coffee and play spades with others.”

From the moment the USO team arrived in Kenya, they got to work – meeting with military leadership, assessing the site and planning fun events to meet the needs of the military community on base. Within weeks, the team launched their first volunteer orientation and welcomed more than 20 service members to the USO Volunteer ranks. These troops will volunteer at the Center in their downtime after carrying out their military duties, and are excited to help bring the USO mission to life on base.

Designed with comfort and community in mind, the new USO Center offers the people who serve in Kenya a place to step away from daily pressures of a deployment. That could mean enjoying a fresh cup of coffee from the coffee bar, grabbing a snack, playing cards with friends or simply relaxing under the covered patio and taking a break from the sun. With books, games and regularly scheduled fun programs, the USO Center in Kenya gives service members the chance to unwind and connect.

For many, the difference has been immediate. “Off days had a different meaning when the USO came to town,” shared Sgt. Traylon Wainright.

As military operations increased during the holiday season, service members navigated additional restrictions, sometimes confined to their rooms with little time to interact with each other. The USO adapted quickly to these new conditions, finding ways to bring holiday cheer and maintain a sense of connection, even in isolation.

Behind the scenes, building the USO presence on this base came with its own challenges. With mail running slower than usual and supplies taking months to arrive, USO volunteers played a critical role in helping transport, organize and set up more than a dozen pallets of materials. Once they had the supplies they needed, USO staff and volunteers transformed a small facility into a fully functioning USO Center.

“With supplies on hand, we started to carve out a space that truly felt like the USO,” said Heather, a USO staff member on site. “Volunteers raised their hands to be part of building something meaningful for the entire community.”

That sense of ownership and pride can be seen in every part of the Center. Service members took the lead on setting up the coffee bar and an area for the USO Reading Program, where troops can record themselves reading a children’s book that they can send back home. They also work closely with USO staff to help establish a regular calendar of events that service members can look forward to each week.

USO staff living and working on site have partnered with military leadership on base to deliver programs specifically catered to these service members to boost morale and foster connection. Some of the service members’ favorite activities include shared meals, movie nights and simple moments of conversation. In locations where resources and recreational opportunities are limited, the presence of the USO creates meaningful moments of normalcy.

“As someone who has both served and now supports service members in austere locations, I’ve seen how quickly a community can shift when the USO arrives,” said Heather. “What was once routine and monotonous becomes something people look forward to. It’s amazing what a warm smile and something as simple as coffee or a homemade treat can do.”

Even small moments can make a big impact. Two service member volunteers first heard about the USO’s arrival when they learned USO staff member Heather was making pumpkin spice lattes.

Two service member volunteers first learned the USO had arrived in Kenya when they heard USO staff member Heather was making pumpkin spice lattes on base. | Photo credit USO Photo

“We couldn’t believe our ears. It was mid-November, and we had just confided in each other about how much we missed our fall traditions – pumpkin spice lattes being number one. So, when we heard the USO was here and they had PSLs, we knew it was going to be alright.”

Those early moments of coming together at the USO Center quickly grew into something bigger. With the help of dedicated volunteers, the USO has expanded offerings on base, helping establish a regularly stocked coffee bar that brings people in to socialize, as well as expanding the Center’s programming to further USO support. Whether picking up a book or tie-dyeing a shirt to work out in, service members in Kenya now have consistent opportunities to relax, recharge and take a moment to just be themselves at the USO.