Many people know the USO for our celebrity entertainment tours and USO Centers in airports around the world. But did you know that we have a variety of programs that can be enjoyed by service members far beyond the reaches of a center or tour.
And we continue to grow! Our newest program – Operation Enduring Care – is a “comprehensive long-term initiative to support America’s Wounded Warriors and their families.” And many local USO Centers also offer programs and services that are unique to the populations they serve. Your USO is changing…but the fact that we support our Troops and their families will always remain.
Take our quick poll to let us know which program is your favorite, or which one your family enjoys the most. We’re always looking for feedback and love to hear your personal stories. PLUS, two lucky blog comments will be chosen at random to win a special USO Prize Pack! (Sorry, but USO employees and their families are not eligible)
Vote for your favorite above, add your original idea below, and be sure to check out this short video that shows USO2GO in action!
The United Through Reading program has been a wonderful way to keep my two boys (ages 4 & 6) connected to my husband while he’s deployed in Iraq. They LOVE getting the packages in the mail and watch the DVDs over and over again. I have to admit, I enjoy seeing/hearing my husband, too, so it’s definitely a good thing for the whole family!
United Through Reading is the best program I’ve found at the USO. I go in every few weeks and pick out a book for each of my 3 kids and always include a message at the end to tell them how much I miss and love them. The best reward is when I see pictures of them holding the books in front of the TV with me on the screen behind them. When I get to talk to them on the phone and they tell me “Daddy, I read the book with you and I can read it to you now” no words can describe how happy and proud that makes me. THANK YOU USO!!
I love Gary Sinise and Lieutenant Dan Band!! He and the band do so much for the armed forces that it is hard not to love them!!!!!
The United Through Reading program let our son(who was 1 at the time) experience his daddy reading a book to him. It was a crucial bonding experience that they both needed.
Daddy was deployed at the time and we sent a book out to him and he was able to read it to our son Jacob and send the book and a CD back to us.
It really helped my son to … See Moreremember his daddy and get that bonding experience. Our son has Autism( didnt find out till he was 3).. but we know that experience was a great learning experience for our son.
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How Can you choose just one? They are all great programs. You all have inspired me to send care packages of my own to the military. They deserve all the love and support they can get and everything the USO does adds to the much love they get everyday.
There may already be a program like this, but I’d like to see a program where soldiers can read books to their children and have it recorded on DVDs. Then the DVDs and the books could be sent home to the children. Even older children who are reading chapter books could be included as their parent reads a chapter at a time. As a teacher I know how important reading with your children is to their reading development. It is also important to their emotional development. Giving parents and children an opportunity to do something together, even though they may be miles apart is always a very good thing.
Before my son gets home from his latest deployment his little girl will be just shy of 1 year old. This program will help them keep a connection with each other. He is so afraid she will forget him.
We’re on recruiting duty in the Chicago area and we enjoy all the free ticket offers to all the areas concerts and events.
I can’t praise the United through Reading program enough!!! I am a single servicemember and feel that often many of the programs that are offered through the USO are targeted towards families. I first heard of this program in September 2009 when I was in the Baltimore Airport waiting for my flight to my deployment. I was approached by a worker from the USO and she explained the program to me, and I informed her that I only had a nephew and niece. She told me that I could do it for them, I was so excited it made me cry! My niece was so little when I left, I was scared that she would forget me. I read them both a book that day, and almost every week after that through my deployment. My brother and sister-in-law told me that they absolutely LOVED it! The readings helped me to pass the time, and something that they will enjoy forever… such a wonderful program!!!