- What opportunities are available for USO volunteers?
Each location offers a variety of volunteer opportunities from welcoming guests at USO airport centers to delivering USO programs such a United Through Reading® or helping with special events. Please reference the center directory to learn more about what the location nearest you offers and how you can get involved.
- How do I volunteer with the USO in the United States?
Individuals interested in volunteering with the USO in the United States should visit USOVolunteer.org to submit a volunteer interest form, or contact their nearest center to learn how to get involved.
- Does the USO send volunteers abroad?
The USO does not send volunteers abroad. However, the USO welcomes volunteer interest from individuals already
living overseas in Europe or the Pacific including active duty military, their
families, expatriates, host country nationals and others. If you fit this
profile, please visit USOVolunteer.org to submit a volunteer interest form, or refer to our center directory to find the overseas location nearest you.
- If I currently live in Europe or the Pacific, is it possible to volunteer with the USO?
The USO welcomes volunteer interest from individuals already living overseas in Europe or the Pacific including active duty military, their families, expatriates, host country nationals and others. If you fit this profile, please visit USOVolunteer.org to submit a volunteer interest form, or refer to our center directory to find the overseas location nearest you.
- Is it possible to volunteer in Afghanistan or Iraq?
USO centers in Afghanistan and Iraq welcome volunteer
interest from active duty military personnel and other individuals posted on
military installations where our centers are located. If you are serving in
Afghanistan or Iraq, please visit the USO on your installation for more
information on how to volunteer. For security reasons, the USO does not
currently send volunteers to Afghanistan or Iraq.
- Is there a placement process to become a volunteer?
Yes. Each volunteer goes
through a placement process which may be as easy as submitting your name and
contact information for a one-time event or it may be as comprehensive as
completing a volunteer interest form, interviewing for an assignment, signing a
volunteer agreement, and completing orientation and training.
- What kind of time commitment is required of USO volunteers?
Time commitments vary according to each volunteer assignment
and the needs of the individual USO center. Many assignments require an
ongoing, weekly commitment to help maintain consistency of service to our
troops and their families. Other assignments may require a one time or
short-term commitment.
- Once I submit a volunteer interest form, do I automatically become a volunteer?
Submitting a volunteer
interest form does not guarantee placement as a volunteer. In most cases,
interested individuals must participate in a placement process before becoming
active. This is to ensure a successful match between the center’s needs and the
volunteer’s skills and interests.
- There are no USO centers close to me. How can I get involved?
There are several ways to support the efforts of our troops beyond volunteering at a center. Team USO offers a myriad of ways you can get your friends and family involved in supporting the troops. You can send a care package or a message to a wounded warrior. Every little bit helps to lift the spirits of America’s troops and their families.
- I can't find my USO center of interest on USOVolunteer.org. What should I do?
Not all USO centers are registered
on our web-based volunteer system. If you cannot find your location of interest, please refer to our USO directory to contact the center
directly.
- I am not able to make a regular commitment to volunteering but still want to help. What can I do?
Team USO offers a myriad of ways you can get your friends
and family involved in supporting the troops. You can also send a care package or a message to a wounded warrior.
- I applied to be a volunteer at my nearest center, but I was placed on a “wait list.” Doesn’t the USO need volunteers?
Yes, the USO needs volunteers. Some of our centers have had the very good fortune to experience overwhelming support from their communities in delivering services to the troops, while other centers still have many volunteer opportunities. If you have been placed on a “wait list” for your local USO center, please consider other ways to support our troops in the meantime, such as through Team USO, making a donation, or by contacting a veterans’ group in your area.
- Who is eligible to volunteer with the USO?
Volunteer positions are open to all individuals who meet the
qualifications established for each position regardless of race, color,
religion, sexual orientation, gender, national origin, age, veteran status, or
condition of disability.
- Is there an age requirement?
Some USO centers have a minimum age requirement of 18 years old
depending on the nature and level of the volunteer assignment.
- Are USO volunteers required to adhere to certain Standards of Conduct?
Yes. The Standards of Conduct outline the principles we ask
all USO volunteers and employees to uphold. They were developed to maintain the
high standards of conduct expected and deserved by America’s troops and their
families.
- Will I be asked to submit to a background check?
Many USO centers and
volunteer assignments will require interested volunteers to submit to a
background check prior to acceptance into the program.
- How can I make a donation to the USO?
To make a contribution to the USO, visit the Donate Now page. Remember, even the most modest amount can help to lift the spirits of one of our troops or connect him or her to family back home. No gift is too small.