When I was serving in the military, mental health was not something we talked about. Thankfully, that’s changed a lot in recent years.

There’s simply no way around it: Military service challenges you physically, mentally and emotionally in ways you can’t truly predict, and it takes a toll that’s impossible to prepare for. That goes for the people who serve and those who love them.

At the USO, we pride ourselves on supporting people in the Armed Forces and their families through every step of their military journey. We’re there from the first day of basic training, through every cross-country and international move, through the heartbreak of separation from loved ones and through life-changing injuries and the long road to recovery. We know that supporting the mental health of all our service members and their families is crucial to their perseverance, their well-being and their success in every endeavor.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), having a safe, supportive environment plays a large role in suicide prevention and reducing anxiety and depression. Studies have also shown that strong social connections support mental health, even in the toughest circumstances. That’s why our staff and volunteers work to create a home away from home at 262 USO Centers around the world where service members can strengthen connections, both with family members back home and their fellow service members, and find a sense of stability and security in the face of immense stress and uncertainty.

Some days, supporting our military families can be as simple as asking, “How are you?” and pausing long enough for a service member, their spouse or their child to give a genuine answer. Even small gestures can help alleviate the daily stresses and burdens for our service members — like powering up the PlayStation for a game or having a small comfort, like their favorite snack, delivered in a USO Care Package.

Some days, it’s bringing certified therapy dogs like Maverick into USO Centers around the world. Known for his exceptional intuition, Maverick provides extra support and unconditional love to service members when they need it most.

But on some of the darkest days, it can be much more than that. When the Navy lost six members to suicide in what felt like the blink of an eye, we knew we had to do more. We worked closely with the Navy as they worked to overcome the challenges sailors face while spending months on end at sea.

That’s how we went on to open the first USO Center aboard a Navy ship just about one year ago. We’ve since added six more, and we’ll continue working with people across all our military branches to see how we can expand the support we provide so that it reaches every service member who needs it.

The strong connections and the sense of community that the USO provides are not just important — they can be lifesaving. But we need your help to keep these programs going. As I’m sure you can imagine, maintaining these crucial programs takes a lot of resources. As a nonprofit organization, the USO is dependent on caring supporters like you to keep this meaningful, and lifesaving, work going.

So today, in honor of World Mental Health Day, I’m personally asking: Will you please give $29 or more to help the USO continue supporting our service members and their families through every challenge they face?

Thank you,

Christopher Plamp
Chief Operating Officer, USO