Category Archives: US

USO Liberty Bells 2012 Troupe Refresh

Posted on February 15, 2012 by | Leave a comment

The USO Liberty Bells, a traveling song and dance troupe based out of Times Square in New York City, looks for new talent at the start of each year.

At their annual auditions, Bells from the previous year return to show off their talent, and new performers try out for a panel of judges.  This year, the Bells plan to add about six new singers to the troupe.

“There is so much talent out there,” said Ray Kennedy, USO Liberty Bells Director and Choreographer. “The new singers that auditioned this year and the returning Bells sang from their books and man, did they raise the bar!”

These amazing singers and dancers perform at hundreds of shows each year, entertaining tens of thousands, and carrying on the morale-boosting entertainment tradition of the USO.

“I’m a huge fan of the Liberty Bells,” said John Pray, USO Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff. “Not simply because they are incredibly talented performers, but because they do so much to help us lift the spirits of troops and their families.”

Judges will reveal the final list of 2012 USO Liberty Bells this spring.   But in the meantime, watch the video below to learn what being a USO Liberty Bell means to one performer who just completed her first year. — Joseph Andrew Lee, USO Staff Writer

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Posted in Celebrity Entertainment, Support, Troops, US

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A New Home

Posted on January 26, 2012 by | 1 Comment

Once I started working for the USO my friends in the service began sending me text messages whenever they stopped by   a USO Center.  Usually they are just passing through an airport and only have  time to grab a cup of coffee, but the texts usually read something like “volunteers were so friendly!” or “everyone was so helpful, tell them thank you!”.  Having visited many centers through my work with the USO, this never comes as a surprise.  Our volunteers and staff are known for providing outstanding service to our nation’s men and women in uniform and their families.  Yet, on a recent trip alongside a military family, I had the opportunity to witness first-hand how our centers go above and beyond to make America’s heroes feel at home wherever they are.

The Harris family gets a look around after being greeted by Ty Pennington as the Extreme Makeover Home Edition provides a house for the Shilo Harris family outside of Floresville, Texas on January 21, 2012. Photo: Express-News, TOM REEL / © 2012

The Texas family of four was traveling to Germany as part of a special Extreme Makeover: Home Edition that will air later this year.  The mother works as an Army advocate for wounded service members and the father is an Iraq war veteran with burns covering 60% of his body.  As a result of his injuries, the father tires easily and has problems regulating body temperature which makes traveling across multiple time zones and varying climates challenging, especially with a two year old son and nine year old daughter in tow.

As part of the television production we were treated to many amazing sights, smells and tastes that Germany has to offer.  Yet, where I saw the family the happiest and most comfortable, was the final day spent at the USO Warrior Center located adjacent to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center (LRMC).  With a fire “burning” in the fireplace (it’s a faux fireplace), a movie playing, spaghetti cooking on the stove, garlic bread in the oven and homemade carrot cake being cut on the counter, it felt like home.  The staff and volunteers immediately embraced the family, enlisting the daughter’s help to serve spaghetti and swapping Army wife stories with mom.

The family knew several people at the center as the father had been treated at LRMC following the IED explosion that wounded him in Iraq.  Yet, being in the room, you would have thought you had walked in on a family reunion.   That is what the USO does.  Whether you are in a USO Center in Europe, the Pacific, Afghanistan or the states, the USO creates an atmosphere of home, inclusion and support for our nation’s heroes and their families.  Thank you, USO team – especially USO Georgia and USO San Antonio, for making this family’s journey truly a special one. - Andrea Sok, USO Communications Manager

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Posted in Centers, Europe, Support, Troops, US, USO Warrior & Family Care

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USO Fort Campbell Opens

Posted on November 30, 2011 by | 1 Comment

Photo by @FortCampbell

A center opening is always a happy occasion for the USO. Today we opened the 142nd USO center worldwide in Ft. Campbell, KY, home to to the 101st Airborne “Screaming Eagles.”

There were brand new shiny USO signs, the ever-popular cups of coffee, troops, families, community leaders, donors and a Huey.  Yep, a Huey –  right smack dab in the middle of USO Fort Campbell.

This helicopter was recovered from a scrap yard at ft Campbell in 2010.  Thanks to the 159th combat brigade, Bravo Company  563D Aviation Support Battalion it’s now the newest, coolest gaming station you’ll ever see — and loaded with Xboxes and games thanks to Microsoft.

The 159th not only transported this helicopter, they also helped restore this UH1 Huey. Thanks to these soldiers, their labor of love will help lift the spirits of their fellow soldiers for years to come. – Gena Fitzgerald, USO VP of Communications

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Last Chance for the Marine Corps Marathon

Posted on August 12, 2011 by | 1 Comment

A TEAM USO Athlete at the Marine Corps Marathon 2010

The 2011 Marine Corps Marathon sold out in record time this year – just a little more than 24 hours! Luckily for all of you, you can still jointhe USO’s team through TEAM USO, a chance to not only run, but meet great people and help a worthy cause!

But there’s not much time left! Athletes have until Monday to join the team for the MCM – don’t hesitate to start building irreplaceable memories!

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Posted in Support, US

Five Female Wounded Warriors Find Relaxation in Fly Fishing

Posted on August 8, 2011 by | 1 Comment

The entire group poses for a picture

Camping in a tent for four days in a remote location in Wyoming without cell service, Internet access, or even a shower, may not sound like an ideal getaway.  For five female wounded warriors it was the perfect way to relax, bond and escape the stresses of everyday military life.

I had the honor and privilege of tagging along with this dynamic group of women as they participated in the first all-female Rivers of Recovery excursion sponsored by the USO wounded warriors program.  Rivers of Recovery is a nonprofit organization that combines idyllic settings with therapeutic benefits of a cohesive group of individuals that have faced similar experiences and challenges.  The Rivers team, an eclectic mix of veterans, wounded warriors, former Rivers participants and a PhD student, works to provide veterans with a temporary sanctuary, free of stress and uncertainty.

We spent our nights around the campfire, and our days on the water, fly fishing for trout in the beautiful rivers outside of Caribou-Targhee National Forest in Idaho Falls, Idaho.  The women, who were from warrior transition battalions at Fort Hood in Texas and Walter Reed Army Medical in D.C., had never fly fished before.  Our Rivers guides taught the group how to tie flies and cast them.  The trip centered on fishing, but focused on healing.

The women, who are all at different stages in their recovery, taught me that not all wounds are visible and that our nation’s female warriors are strong.

One of the women shared with us that she has had a very tough year.  Her son was killed, she continues to suffer from back pain and her job as a cadre officer in the warrior transition battalion is extremely stressful.   The time away from the pressures of the “real world” was priceless.

“No government cell phone.  No soldiers calling.  Just time to unwind and relax.  I needed this, ” she said.

All of the women were so gracious and thankful for the experience.  It was often difficult for them to step out of their solider mentality and allow others to care for them during the excursion.  On the first night the group was shocked to learn that our campground guide Ken, a Vietnam Veteran and USO volunteer, would be doing all the cooking during the trip.  And when the women learned that our river guides would be paddling the boats they about fell out of their chairs!

“Do you know how hard it is for a solider to sit and watch someone else work?” asked one of the warriors.

The trip left a lasting impression on the women including myself.  Emails have already been exchanged and I imagine we, as a group, will all stay in touch for many years to come.  I am so thankful to these women, and all those serving our country, for their service and dedication.  Many Americans will never know the sacrifices you have made and the wounds that you will carry with you for the rest of your life. – Andrea Sok, USO Communications Manager 

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Posted in Troops, US, USO Warrior & Family Care

UFC Superstar Tito Ortiz Packs a Punch with the Troops

Posted on August 2, 2011 by | 3 Comments

When I asked Ultimate Fighting Championship superstar Tito Ortiz what prompted him to spend the last week training wounded warriors at his Huntington Beach, Calif., gym, he didn’t hesitate.

“It really came down to the first time I went to Iraq when I saw all the young people serving over there,” Ortiz told the USO, which he’s joined for four USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tours since 2007. “Then I saw some of them coming home at Bethesda and Walter Reed.”

While Ortiz made a name for himself as a tough guy, getting a first-hand glimpse at the harsh realities of war, both overseas and on the home front, packed an emotional punch.

“Many had been hit with IEDs, but they still wanted to get back out there, man,” Ortiz said. “It’s amazing to see the sense of family and brotherhood.”

From July 25-29, which was nicknamed “hell week,” ten wounded troops and veterans spent the day with the mixed martial arts idol inside the “Punishment Training Center,” which by all accounts, is aptly named.

 

Tito Ortiz poses with some service members (photo courtesy of Pros vs GI Joes)

“I really want to get them in great, great shape, even though they are already in good shape,” Ortiz said by phone from his gym. “I’m trying to push them and they’re taking it all in stride.”

In partnership with the USO and sponsored by Armed Forces Insurance, “Rehabbing with the Troops” is a program of Pro vs. GI Joe, a non-profit organization that connects American troops all over the world with their favorite pro athletes and celebrities through video game competitions and webcams.

Physical training is just one aspect of this unique program to aid in the recovery of wounded warriors. In this 4th annual All Star” season of “Rehabbing with the Troops,” greater emphasis has been placed on challenging wounded warriors to become active members of a growing community of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

After “hell week,” wounded warriors are required to complete five weeks of at-home assignments, which in addition to continued workouts, are centered on creating online videos, writing blog posts, and recruiting fellow veterans to participate. The response from all ten wounded warriors has been enthusiastic, and to Ortiz, overwhelming.

“I feel like I got mixed into a great family,” he said.

While following @TitoOrtiz on Twitter to keep up with “hell week,” I learned that to support this innovative program, Facebook users can play a game called Auction Plums to gain a virtual window into the progress wounded warriors make during the course of the six-week program. There’s even an in-game virtual Tito Ortiz to whip you into shape.

Reflecting on the success of “Rehabbing with the Troops,” the real Tito Ortiz expressed complete admiration for men and women who have volunteered to serve our country, who the former UFC titleholder believes are America’s true champions.

“Hands down, the biggest heroes in the world are our troops, and I stand by them one hundred percent,” he said. “Having the opportunity to train with them is my honor, and really, my glory.” – Tom Sileo, USO Director of Story Development

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Posted in Celebrity Entertainment, US