USO

YOUR USO AT WORK

Issue 110 / Jan. 2023

Happy New Year‌! We hope your 2023 is off to a great start. After closing out 2022 by bringing care packages, holiday celebrations and entertainment to troops around the world, we’re busy preparing for 2023 and making plans to reach more service members than ever this year. Keep reading to see what we’ve been up to in the last month — and as always, thank you for making all our troop support efforts possible! And if you haven’t already, click here to activate your 2023 USO Membership.

USO FRONT LINES

USO dog volunteers bring joy and comfort to wounded warriors

Research shows that interacting with animals can make an incredible difference in one's physical and mental health. After experiencing firsthand the positive impact dogs can have in boosting morale among deployed troops, Army veteran Kevin decided to spread happiness in his own community through his therapy dog, Ellie.

Meet the USO’s dog volunteers and learn how they’re spreading joy in the military community. »

Delivering holiday cheer to service members in West Africa

Being separated from loved ones, having limited access to basic amenities, working in dangerous conditions — these are just a few of the challenges service members deployed in West Africa are facing, all of which can have a detrimental effect on mental health and morale. That’s why the USO’s programs and services are so important, especially during the holidays.

Learn more about how supporters like you helped the USO bring joy and camaraderie to deployed troops this holiday season. »

Image of service member watching television.

Boosting troops’ morale at the “top of the world”

Thule Air Base in Greenland is considered one of the U.S. military’s most challenging and remote bases — and one of the most crucial locations for our national defense. During the winter, troops face months of darkness and temperatures as low as -30 degrees Fahrenheit, so it’s our job to deliver as much warmth as we can.

Read more about the conditions service members face in Greenland and how the USO works to support them. »

GET INSPIRED

Thank you for helping us bring a bit of home to deployed troops!

What does “home” mean to you? During the holiday season we posed this very question to service members deployed in Eastern Europe, and now, we’re sharing their heartwarming responses with this patriotic community.

Click here to see what “home” means to the brave troops defending our country. »

GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT

USO Tour Alert: Army veteran and country music star Craig Morgan entertains troops in Germany

“It’s always an honor and a privilege to visit with our troops and their families,” says Morgan, a 17-year Army veteran. “I know how much it means to receive those care packages [during the holidays] and to hear those messages of gratitude from Americans who value the incredible sacrifices they make year-round.”

EVENTS

Vote for USO! USO partner Lowe’s is running an exciting social media poll during the Super Bowl

People can vote for their favorite nonprofit to win a grant from Lowe’s for a community improvement project in the winning Super Bowl city.

Lowe’s has selected two nonprofits to participate, and for the second year in a row, USO will be included in this #HomeTeamsforHometowns community project contest.

Help us win by visiting Facebook.com/theUSO to vote for the USO between February 6 – 12. »

Image of USO service member on NASDAQ final closing bell.

USO CEO & President J.D. Crouch II rings Nasdaq’s final closing bell of 2022 alongside U.S. troops

What a way to ring in the New Year! As J.D. said: “It’s because of American service members that we have the opportunity to live in freedom and celebrate the New Year in the greatest country in the world.” We’re looking forward to reaching more troops and military families than ever in 2023 with the support of patriotic Americans like you.

Check out the video of this exciting year-end celebration. »

BY THE NUMBERS

In honor of the New Year and the season of resolutions, here are 5 New Year’s resolutions for military supporters in 2023 »


	VOICE OF THE USO “Being able to call home, being able to sit and have fun with your friends and your teammates and an opportunity to just relax in an environment where you just don’t know what tomorrow will look like … [the USO] was just a remarkable thing to have on the ground.” —U.S. Army lieutenant colonel deployed in Eastern Europe over the holidays

CORPORATE PARTNERS

Partner Highlight: Tito’s Handmade Vodka

Tito’s is generously extending their support of the USO into 2023. The Love, Tito’s movement is committed to their charitable giving mission, and Tito’s Handmade Vodka has been a proud USO partner since 2011. Funds raised through this partnership help fund the USO’s critical military support programs. Thank you, Tito’s, for your generosity and continued support through the years!

Learn More »

OTHER WAYS TO GIVE

BE A FORCE BEHIND THE FORCES^®

Help make sure our troops have the support they need the moment they need it

As our service members put their lives on the line around the world to keep us safe, it's up to patriotic Americans like you to have their backs. Your monthly donation will go so far in ensuring our military heroes have the resources they need, no matter what they're facing.

Set up a monthly donation now. »

PLANNED GIVING

You can help service members draw strength from connecting to the things they love and fight for, while earning an income from your gift. Charitable gift annuities (CGAs) offer a secure, fixed payment stream for you or a loved one for a lifetime. You will also receive tax benefits and the satisfaction of creating a lasting legacy through the USO.

Click here to learn more. »

From all of us at the USO,
thank you for being a dedicated
and proud military supporter!

The USO is a nonprofit organization and not part of the Department of Defense (DOD). The appearance of DOD visual information does not imply or constitute DOD endorsement.

Photos by the USO