Tag Archives: ON Patrol

Fact or Fiction? On Patrol’s New Issue Tackles Things You May Not Know About the Military

Posted on March 15, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Where did dog tags come from? What do all those statues with generals on horses signify? And how hard is boot camp, really?

ImageThere are thousands of things the average person – and even some members of our armed forces – don’t know about the military. On Patrol, the magazine of the USO, set out to change that in their Spring 2013 issue.

“After working with the military in some form or fashion for more than a decade, it hit me as long as I’d worked around the military there were still things about it that baffled or fascinated me,” said Samantha Quigley, the magazine’s editor in chief. “It seemed reasonable to think that other civilians might not understand what a soldier is saying if they’re not versed in milspeak, how much preparation goes into the military’s participation in a presidential inauguration or how prominent dogs’ roles in the military are.

“Despite some serious, and even heart-wrenching stories, this issue was fun from the perspective that even the staff learned something.”

The Spring issue – which arrived in USO centers and subscribers’ homes around the United States earlier this month – debunks military myths, shares some captivating stories and is filled with trivia that could win you a bet or two at the officer’s club.

The “Fact or Fiction” feature challenges basic perceptions people have about the military like the assumed cruelty of drill sergeants, the aforementioned question about boot camp and how hard it is for women to actually climb the ranks. There’s a look at how military operations actually get named, how to understand military speak, and a piece on celebrities who worked for Uncle Sam before they got their big breaks.

You can check out the full issue online here, get a free subscription to On Patrol here, follow them on Facebook here and on Twitter at @USOOnPatrol.

—Story by Eric Brandner, USO Director of Story Development

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USO’s Magazine: ON★PATROL

Posted on March 2, 2012 by | 3 Comments

Here at the USO, we strive to lift the spirits of our troops and their families in as many ways as possible. One of those ways is through the official magazine of the USO. ON★PATROL recognizes the service and sacrifice of our service men and women, their families, and the extraordinary efforts of the people and organizations that support them.

First published in the Spring of 2009, ON★PATROL is about those who serve, and those who serve them. With a wide range of articles reflecting the global reach of military support, ON★PATROL is published quarterly and provides not only inspirational stories, but also information and resources to troops to find programs available to them.

ON★PATROL shares the stories that all Americans should hear, taking readers on a journey with our military and the organizations that support them — from Afghanistan to Fort Bragg to San Diego to Landstuhl, Germany.

Samantha Quigley, managing editor of ON★PATROL, explains the importance behind the magazine:

Based on reader feedback in 2011, ON★PATROL has informed, inspired and educated our readers on military family issues, the invisible wounds of war and the way war fighting has changed for the United States since September 11. We offer stories on issues pertinent to today’s military in a way that’s relevant to the majority of our readers base while trying to ensure we salute the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who served in our nation’s earlier conflicts.

Just in time for Women’s History Month, the Spring 2012 issue of ON★PATROL looks at the way women’s role in the military has evolved since the Revolutionary War. Stay tuned to see what’s coming through the rest of 2012.

The Spring 2012 issue of ON★PATROL is available today! It features a look at “An Evolution of Service: Women in the Military” with articles like “Women on the Home Front in World War II,” “The Fight for the Vietnam Women’s Memorial,” and “Women at War.” The digital edition of ON★PATROL can be found here. Enjoy! – Joseph P. Scannell, New Media Intern

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Poet’s Corner: Brothers and Sisters

Posted on July 14, 2010 by | 4 Comments

The Summer Edition of ON PATROL Magazine is now available online and one of our favorite articles is the Poet’s Corner, which begins on page 60 of the digital and print editions.

We’d like to share with you one of the poems – “Brothers and Sisters” – penned by Sergeant Jack Eubanks, USMC.  We hope you’ll take the time to read the rest of the magazine, and if you’re interested in home delivery of an annual subscription, please call 1-888-966-7287.

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Wounded Warriors Escape to the Vineyard for a Night

Posted on June 24, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Griff Jenkins of Fox News and Sloan Gibson, president and CEO of the USO, enjoy conversation with the wounded warriors at the vineyard vines-USO Tied to a Cause reception in Georgetown, Washington, DC, June 22, 2010. (USO photo by Katherine Ruddy)

By Samantha Quigley, Senior Editor, ON PATROL

For a few hours on Tuesday night two wounded warriors and their wives escaped to the Vineyard.

The USO and vineyard vines hosted a reception at the retailer’s Georgetown location in Washington, D.C., to celebrate being “Tied to a Cause.”

Tied to a Cause, a campaign through vineyard vines recognizes the efforts of community and grassroots organizations. This month, Tied to a Cause is supporting the USO’s Operation Enduring Care, an initiative to create a national network of care and support for America’s wounded warriors and their families. Proceeds from the sale of the custom USO-vineyard vines ties and totes will be donated to the USO.

The wounded warriors and their wives enjoyed a vineyard vines makeover at the start of the evening and mingled with more than 100 friends of the military, vineyard vines, and the USO, including USO President Sloan Gibson, Fox News’s Griff Jenkins, and the late Tim Russert’s son, Luke.

Perhaps the highlight of the evening, however, was the warriors and Gibson each signing two ties. One will join the many others hanging as decoration in the Georgetown store. The other will be displayed in the USO Arlington office.

The promotion will last through the Fourth of July weekend, with receptions also happening in Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts.

To see more photos, please visit our flickr gallery and enjoy the video below!

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GI Film Fest: Honor in the Valley of Tears

Posted on May 18, 2010 by | 2 Comments

Originally posted by Jeremy Borden for the ON PATROL blog:

The annual GI Film Fest celebrates the “successes and sacrifices of the American military through the medium of film.” One of those films was Honor in the Valley of Tears, which tells the story of the Army’s A-Company during the Vietnam War.

Summary by Writer-Director Eric S. Dow:

The story of A-Company 1/8 4th Infantry Division, US Army during the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1967. In the men’s own words, through the stories they narrate, the film gives us insight into the time these men spent together and the bond they formed that remains unbroken to this day. The 4th Infantry Division is one of the only divisions that trained and retained its troops during the Vietnam War. The men of A-Company trained together for eleven months and served together for one year. Their story begins with basic training at Ft. Lewis Washington in 1965 and continues 40 years later at their last reunion in September 2007. Filming began September 27, 2007 in Houston, Texas during a reunion to honor First Sergeant David H. McNerney, who is the only living member of the 4th Infantry Division to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. He was celebrated by the men he trained and served with and who’s lives he saved on March 22, 1967. Conceived by executive producer John A. Ponsoll, whose father served with A-Company and had documented his tour of duty with a Kodak slide camera, the film honors the memory of A-Company 1/8 and documents their incredible courage and dedication to one another.

We caught up with the filmmakers and the hero of the film, former First Sergeant David H. McNerney.


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ON PATROL Magazine Wins Three Mercury Awards

Posted on March 23, 2010 by | 2 Comments

Mercury Excellence AwardsON PATROL, the magazine of the USO, is entering its second year of publication.  The quarterly magazine, which is distributed to more than 300,000 readers, features stories of inspiration and sacrifice.

We were recently notified that ON PATROL received three prestigious communication’s honors from MERCURY Excellence Awards. This year’s competition featured around 700 entries in 20 categories from 21 countries across the world.

ON PATROL earned a gold medal in the magazine category for military support organizations; a silver medal in the magazine writing category; and a bronze medal for design.

From the beginning, ON PATROL has garnered admiration from its readers.

The magazine continues to feature outstanding writers, who contribute on a range of subjects from the special facial reconstruction efforts performed by a plastic surgeon in California to a description of golf analyst David Feherty’s “Inspiring Explosive Days,” giving wounded warriors a chance to golf with professionals, participate in long bicycle rides or hunt together.

On Patrol Summer 2009The magazine also inspired. The Summer 2009 cover featured a note from LT “J” a Navy SEAL who had been seriously wounded in battle. Unable to talk, he had penned a letter from his hospital bed, and his wife displayed the message prominently on his room door.

“If you are coming into this room with sorrow or to feel sorry for my wounds, GO ELSEWHERE,” the note reads in part. “The wounds I received, I got in a job I love, doing it for people I love, supporting the freedom of a country I deeply love.”

And readers responded.

“I would like permission to send a copy of that letter to my friends in order to heighten their awareness of who is keeping them free and the attitudes of those who have sacrificed for them,” Claudia Thomas wrote.

ON PATROL also received feedback from the field. Chaplains in Balad are using the magazine in devotionals, while troops in Afghanistan are sending us updates from the front lines.

We’re extremely proud of the progress made by ON PATROL in its inaugural year, and we look forward to bringing more outstanding stories to you in the future.

Please click here to get your own subscription to ON PATROL

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