In the Frontlines in Eastern Europe
Today on 3/17/22, the Foundation sent a check for just over $12,000, which had been collected for the USO’s Eastern Europe initiative. Currently, there are 100,000 U.S. troops all over Eastern Europe. 7,000 were just deployed from Fort Stewart, Georgia. The USO is providing the following to our troops in Eastern Europe:
“Pop-Up” Call Centers for troops deployed in Eastern Europe with no access to cell phones and laptops
USO Care packages, including Hygiene Kits and Snack Packs
USO2GO and portable boxed programs to help military units on the move
Thousands of blankets, hats and hand warmers since it is winter in Eastern Europe
The USO is a trusted partner to the military and is deeply integrated into operations across Europe and the home front. According to the USO, weeks before the crisis in Ukraine began, “the USO was brought into high-level briefings with military leadership about an escalating need for support in Eastern Europe....And as more service members deploy overseas, more National Guard units are mobilized to back-fill critical functions on the home front. The USO stays on top of these movements to ensure we are always on their side”.
The USO’s global reach enables “unparalleled support from the home front to the frontlines”. The recently-opened USO center in Powidz, Poland serves as both a hub for service members to decompress and the launchpad for an expeditionary vehicle delivering resources to the troops stationed near the Ukrainian border.
A retired Air Force officer and now Regional VP, USO Europe, Middle East and Africa, said that the “desperation to call home from deployments during his career” was more important than eating and he knows that is true today as well.
The USO also helps the families of deployed service members, including programs and events, including themed dinners, activity nights and helping to develop bonds between military spouses as a way to alleviate stress and to boost resilience and morale.
Follow this link to learn more about how the USO is “The Force Behind the Forces”.
