Category Archives: Recognition

Sending Our Thanks

Hundreds of thousands of our troops will spend Thanksgiving and the holidays away from home and loved ones. At this time of year, it’s especially important to show our support for them.

Last year, thousands of people like you stepped forward to show our troops the support they have at home by sending messages of thanks on our Thanks From Everywhere map.

Right away, we started hearing from service men and women around the world. They wanted the USO’s supporters to know how much it meant to receive messages from their home towns and from all across the country.

This year, we’re partnering with the White House’s Joining Forces initiative to send even more words of hope, encouragement and support. We need your help to make it happen. Each message means so much to our troops, so please show them you care!

Add your personal message to our “Thanks From Everywhere” map, so our troops can feel your support no matter where they are.

Your note of encouragement can reach our troops and touch their hearts wherever they are. They’ll be able to walk into any USO center and view messages of thanks from their hometown.

The debt you and I owe our troops is one we can never repay, but their selfless service can’t go unrecognized. And right now, you have the chance to show them your gratitude in a deeply meaningful way.

Post your personal message of thanks and bring a smile to troops everywhere.

Together, we can make sure our Thanks From Everywhere map is covered with heartfelt messages before the holidays begin. We’ll let the troops know that while they’re out on the front lines fighting for us, the entire country is standing with them.

USO Europe Service Salute

The USO hosted their 19th Annual USO Europe Service Salute this month on Ramstein Air Base in Germany. Twelve outstanding junior enlisted military personnel, representing the U.S. and German armed forces, were recognized for their outstanding military and community achievements. Senior American and German military, diplomatic, political and corporate leaders were present at the event to salute to the “best of the best.”

The USO Europe Honorees. Photo by Jamie Goloyugo

The USO Europe Service Salute also celebrates and reinforces the strong partnership between the armed forces of the United States and Germany. Herr Professor Dr. Hans-Jürgen Seimetz represented the event’s German patron, Rheinland Pfalz Minister President Kurt Beck. The event’s U.S. patron, Ambassador to Germany Philip D. Murphy, was represented by Frankfurt Consul General Edward A. Alford. General Mark Welsh, Commander Africa Command and Generalleutnant Rainer Korff, Kommandierender General Multinationales Korps Nord-Ost were also participants in the awards ceremony.

The EUCOM Color Guard. Photo by Jamie Goloyugo

The evening featured a reception followed by dinner and culminated in a formal awards presentation to recognize the twelve distinguished honorees. The U.S. Air Force’s Tops In Blue provided entertainment.

The 19th Annual USO Europe Service Salute was made possible through the generous sponsorship of numerous U.S. and German companies. Platinum Sponsors include: TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern GmbH & Co. KG, United Airlines and the Wounded Warrior Project. Diamond Sponsors include Deutsche Lufthansa AG, P&A GmbH, P & G and Stars & Stripes.

A Night of Honor, A Night of Love

The happy couple!

Last week Garett Brada told his dad, “Today’s the day.”

Brada wasn’t referring to the prestigious honors that would be bestowed to him later that evening by the U.S. and European military. What occupied Brada’s mind was how he would propose to his longtime girlfriend, Erica Saiz, turning a night set aside to honor him into an evening to celebrate his love for her.

Brada and Saiz were guests at the USO’s annual tradition, the All Services Honoree Dinner. Brada, a Machinery Technician Third Class for the U.S. Coast Guard, was among 11 other honorees, one from each branch of the service for the U.S. Military as well as the European Military Forces and U.S. Africa Command. The men and women were being honored for their courage, commitment and dedication to serving our respective nations.

The honoree dinner traditionally takes place the evening before the USO Europe Service Salute- a formal event to recognize and honor outstanding U.S. enlisted service members in conjunction with their host country military counterparts.

USO Europe and their corporate sponsors host the honorees, their commanding officers, and guests at an intimate dinner the night before the Service Salute. The dinner serves as an icebreaker. Guests mingle with one another as well as take in the beautiful German culture during an evening filled with traditional food, drink and entertainment.

During the informal and quaint ceremony each honoree was presented with a medal and plaques celebrating their achievements and symbolizing the relationship and support provided between the U.S. and European armed forces.

Although, all of that pomp and circumstance was probably lost on Banda and Saiz as moments before, Banda dropped to one knee with the 13th century castle nestled into the German countryside serving as a backdrop for his proposal.

“He kept asking me to go over to this spot to take a photo- to get a photo with the views. I thought it was odd,” said Saiz.

The couple met in the Maui, Hawaii airport seven years ago. “I actually saw her in church the night before,” said Banda. “I lost sleep thinking about her and the next day I saw her in the airport. “

“He walked right up to me and interrupted a conversation I was having with a woman,” continued Saiz.

“I could have proposed to her that night in the airport,” said Brada.

The couple is unfortunately living apart with Brada currently forward deployed out of Manama, Bahrain and Saiz residing in Seattle, Washington. They hope to spread roots in California after they get married.

Although those thoughts and plans seem a little removed as the couple basks in their engagement. “We are just so excited,” said Saiz. Now they look forward to calling the states to share the news with family and friends. – Andrea Sok, USO Communications Manager

The U.S. Navy is a Libra

Today, the U.S. Navy turns 236 years old, and for some odd reason the first thought in my head when I walked in to the office was, “America’s Navy is a Libra?”

It’s no surprise to me that the Navy is a Libra. Diplomatic, graceful, peaceful and hospitable are pretty good words to describe America’s Navy: A Global Force for Good.

At this point I was emotionally invested. I had to look up the birthday of every branch of service to see if their astrological sign accurately described them. As a member of the Marine Corp for more than a decade, I wasn’t surprised to find their sign to be Scorpio - how what better way to decribe a Marine than the words loyal,  resourceful, dynamic and passionate?

The Coast Guard was another fire sign – Leo.  Their traits were spot-on: independent, working our borders alone under the Department of Homeland Security; loyal—standing guard, always at the ready; ambitious—always looking for new roles and new ways to improve our national security; and generous—lending your services overseas on numerous occasions when America has needed her best.

The Army, being a Gemini, is described as energetic, clever and adaptable. They are definitely the social butterfly of all the services. They are everywhere—always coming up with a new catch-phrase to show us how imaginative they are: Be All You Can Be, Army of One, and Army Strong.

The Air Force is a Virgo. Highly analytical, observant and precise, Virgo are known to be intelligent to the point of scientific. Perhaps a good sign for the branch that has the rocket scientists, eh?

Happy birthday Navy—you are indeed Libra: diplomat and friend! – Joseph A. Lee, USO Staff Writer

Burgers at Berth 9

On September 23, USO YokosukaHard Rock Cafe Japan joined together for tasty burgers, entertainment and door prizes in appreciation to the many troops that provided humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts after the devastating events of March 11, 2011.

Service members enjoy some tasty food

USO Japan hosted over 2,000 active duty service members at Berth #9 alongside the USS BludeRidge and handed out almost 4,000 freshly grilled, signature Hard Rock Cafe Burgers. Sounds like more than a few people went back for seconds and thirds!

Elvis has been spotted in Japan!

“Elvis” was there to rock out and provide the entertainment during the free lunch. Not only was the event a great success (as measured by smiles and full stomachs!), but Hard Rock Cafe donated everything, making the event the largest in-kind donation USO Japan has ever received! Check out more pictures at USO Japan on Facebook and be sure to become a fan while you’re there! - Vyque Elessar, USO Director of New Media

Joining Forces Community Challenge Helps Americans Come Together, Honor Military Families

When First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden launched Joining Forces in April, the national initiative’s purpose was made perfectly clear. Even though one percent of Americans are fighting the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, 100 percent of Americans must unite to support our troops and their families.

Six months later, with Joining Forces still going strong, it’s time to recognize a special group of valiant Americans who sacrifice so much for our freedom. That’s where you come in.

The Joining Forces Community Challenge is awarding several prestigious prizes to recognize citizens, communities, schools, non-profits, faith-based institutions, philanthropic organizations, and local governments for their efforts in supporting military families. According to the Joining Forces Community Challenge website, these are non-monetary awards.

If you know someone who deserves recognition for their efforts to support our troops and military families, or perhaps feel that you are deserving of a prize, please click here and review the Required and Optional Submission Materials before sending a nomination.

Good luck!