Tag Archives: video

Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay: A Message from the President

U.S. Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth Preston talks to U.S. Soldiers of 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, at Joint Security Station Loyalty, eastern Baghdad, Iraq, March 22, 2009. Preston discussed issues of interest to the enlisted Soldier, such as changes to the Army noncommissioned officer education system, Army force structure, and the Army's stop-loss policy. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. James Selesnick/Released)

As you know, we’re currently running a multi-part series on Retroactive Stop Loss Pay, with an introductory essay and valuable insights from the Army and Air Force so far.  We’d like to thank the Department of Defense for their cooperation in bringing this essential information to our audience.

President Obama recently released the video below to emphasize the importance of the October 21 deadline.  That’s almost exactly one month away.  Military members whose service was involuntarily extended or whose retirement was suspended between Sept. 11, 2001, and Sept. 30, 2009, are entitled to a retroactive payment of $500 for each month of extension.

As Admiral Mike Mullen explains in an open letter on the site, “The application process is simple and straightforward. No strings attached. But once the deadline passes, we cannot by law extend it. So jump online and check it out at: www.defense.gov/stoploss.  It’s your money.”

Stay tuned for more from the other branches of the military, and help get the word out to anyone you know who might be eligible.

Check This: Naughty by Nature’s USO Tour Video Diary – Part 1

Check out Part 1 of Naughty by Nature‘s video diary of their USO Tour to Djibouti in May of 2010!

You can also click here to see footage of their concert at Camp Lemonier.

At right, Treach of the hip-hop group Naughty by Nature performs for and with U.S. Soldiers at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, Nov. 8, 2009, during the last stop of their USO-sponsored Iraq and Kuwait tour. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Steven King/Released)

Pararescue: USO Basra

A U.S. Sailor with the 2515th Air Ambulance Detachment prepares for pararescue training at Contingency Operating Base Basra, Iraq, June 5, 2010. The training consisted of two Sailors rappelling from the top of an airport control tower with one Sailor in a litter. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Christopher Wellner/Released)

Basra, Iraq – In an attempt to connect in unique ways with our soldiers, USO staff recently accompanied Basra’s Pararescue team on a training mission to film the team in action.

Pararescue teams, known as PJ’s, are an elite part of the Air Force that is trained in an assortment of survival and rescue scenarios. Their motto says it all, “These things I do that others may live.” From High Altitude, Low Oxygen parachuting to combative scuba diving, PJ’s have a long history of going to the extremes to save fellow American soldiers.

In the 1950’s, PJ’s rescued over 8,000 critical casualties and nearly a thousand men from behind enemy lines during the Korean War. Vietnam saw teams inserted into hostile territory, surviving for days in the jungle while searching for downed pilots. While many of their current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan are still classified, they are an ever present force in the war on terror.

During times of peace, the PJ’s special training puts them on the frontlines of humanitarian missions and natural disasters, such as Hurricane Katrina, where they rescued over 1,000 hurricane victims.

After two years of rigorous training with a 13% success rate, PJ’s are a group of only the most dedicated and able. The following is the first in a potential series of films to give our supporters back home a unique look into the daily lives of our American men and women abroad.

“With You All the Way: Dealing with Deployment” is Now Available for Purchase!

We’re thrilled to announce that Trevor Romain’s “With You All the Way: Dealing with Deployment” is now available through Military OneSource!  We know that so many of you have been eagerly anticipating this release as much as we have.

Trevor himself penned a blog post for us awhile back, and had this to say about the DVD: “It deals with all stages of deployment; from pre-deployment, deployment, and re-integration. We teach the same main characters, Jack and Skye, how to help their buddies, Darrell, Brittany, and Pablo, deal with their families’ particular stage of deployment. Along the way, I interact with these animated characters and guide them through the story.”

The DVD is designed for children ages 6 through 10, but is equally valuable – and enjoyable! – for older siblings and parents.  We hope your family enjoy’s “With You All the Way” as much as we do and that it make deployments just a little bit easier.  Watch the trailer below!

Watch the World Premiere of Zac Brown Band’s New Video “Free”!!

It’s here, the world premiere of Zac Brown Band’s new video for their hit single “Free.”  Watch it now!

more about “Zac Brown Band’s New Video “Free”“, posted with vodpod

Kellie Pickler Salutes the Troops in “Makin’ Me Fall in Love Again”

Kellie Pickler shows her support for the Troops in her latest video, "Makin' Me Fall in Love Again."

Kellie Pickler shows her support for the Troops in her latest video, "Makin' Me Fall in Love Again."

Kellie Pickler‘s latest video might look familiar to long-time fans of the USO. The three-time USO tour participant and country music singer “chose a 1940s era USO theme to bring “Makin’ Me Fall in Love Again” to life,” as revealed by the Charlotte Observer earlier this month.  Pickler has visited the Persian Gulf and other locations in support of the military, and her USO tours are always a huge hit.

This video had its world premiere on GAC just days ago.  You can also check out the video diary from her first USO tour on her GAC Artist Page.  But first…check out the “Makin Me Fall in Love Again” music video below – and keep an eye out for the USO banner in the background!