USO Programs
United Through Reading® Military Program
In 2006, the USO and United Through Reading® partnered to extend the nationally recognized United Through Reading® Military Program to service members at select USO centers worldwide. Today, in addition to recording sites on Navy ships worldwide and remote operating bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, service men and women can visit USO centers in airports, community locations, military medical facilities, and overseas bases to read a book aloud while being recorded on DVD.The USO enables service members to participate in the United Through Reading Military Program free of charge. The DVD, a copy of the book, instructions, and information about the program, are mailed to the child and family back home. All recording equipment, books, and packing and shipping materials are supplied by the USO.
Operation USO Care Package
Hundreds of thousands of military personnel are serving in far-off places defending the liberties we hold so dear—away from their families, friends and the comforts of home. In 2003, the USO discovered the changing needs of those thousands of deploying troops. Understanding the impact that the little things can have and the difference they can make, the USO launched Operation USO Care Package, providing the comforts of home in the form of a care package. Operation USO Care Package is the only program of its kind recognized by the White House and the Department of Defense due to the program’s strict adherence to security requirements.
Rocky Mountain USO RV
In 2005, through a generous donation by Lockheed-Martin Corporation, a fully equipped RV was given to the USO to be used in the New Orleans area after hurricane Katrina, to provide services for the military personnel to the area. The RV has since been designated to provide community outreach to help provide special event support, and volunteer recruitment. The vehicle offers a mobile capability to market the USO mission and the programs and services provided to members of the armed forces and their families. In addition, the Rocky Mountain USO- RV mobile allows local communities and organizations to come together and show their support to our men and women in uniform; a key USO role of building a bridge between the community and our military.Since the Rocky Mountain USO RV officially hit the road in 2005, it has provided entertainment, comfort, information and refreshments at more than 125 military and public events to our USO friends, supporters, and thousands of service members and their families. The Rocky Mountain USO RV has played a unique role in spreading the USO’s mission of supporting the troops to more than 6 million people.
USO Mobile
The Mobile USO program is designed to bring a “home away from home” directly to service members stationed in remote and isolated areas throughout the United States. The vehicles offer a comfortable place where service men and women can relax, have a snack, watch a movie or connect online with family and friends during their downtime.In addition to bringing the traditional USO programs and services to service members, the Mobile USOs’ mobility allows local communities and organizations to come together and show their support to our men and women in uniform with the “HELLO! From the Home front” program.
USO in a Box
The U.S. military, despite its size, can move and deploy with speed and efficiency. In order to support these brave men and women, the USO must have the same agility. Since a fixed USO center cannot be built on every forward operating base in Southwest Asia, the USO created the USO in a Box program in 2008 to meet these new demands.Each unit features Internet access, two rugged laptops, four flat screen televisions, a DVD player, VoIP, three Xbox® 360 gaming systems and surround sound. The nature of these units allows them to be quickly moved from one location to another, as needed.
Pro vs. GI Joe
In 2008, the USO partnered with Pro vs. GI Joe to provide deployed service members an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go head-to-head in an exciting video game competition against their favorite professional athletes via the Internet. Service members play in USO centers all over the world in front of their unit while the professional athletes play in front of fans, friends, and teammates in the U.S. Troops and professional athletes alike operate with the same issued equipment: big screen television monitor, webcam monitor, gaming console and gaming tag.
USO Operation Phone Home ®
Established in 2003, USO Operation Phone Home delivers prepaid international phone cards to deployed service members free of charge. As one of the most requested items from deployed service members, the prepaid international phone cards continue to be a hit with service men and women. The phone cards are distributed through USO centers both overseas and in the U.S., where they are handed out to service members passing through, or are delivered directly to military units. Since the program began, more than 2.2 million phone cards have been distributed. Photo: Phone Home
Operation Mail Call
Operation Mail Call gives service members access to an Internet-based greeting card provider to send 10 free greeting cards (including postage) to loved ones back home. To participate in Operation Mail Call, service members can visit participating USO centers and request an Operation Mail Call account card complete with log-in information and instructions. Once logged-on, service members can choose from more than 3,000 high-quality greeting cards for every occasion, which also can be customized with personal photos and personalized handwriting. No matter where a service member is stationed, the greeting cards will be processed and placed in the U.S. Postal Service; ensuring loved ones receive their mail within days.
Operation Enduring Care
Since Operation Enduring and Iraqi Freedom began, more than 33, service members have been wounded in action. The Operation Enduring care (OEC) program was designed to meet the needs of recovering service members injured in war efforts and training exercises. The program also supports medical personnel who care for the wounded and funeral escorts, mortuary personnel, honor guards serving fallen troops and the families of the wounded. The six programs that make up Operation Enduring Care include:- USO Day Rooms: This program provides lounge areas at hospitals and medical facilities.
- Operation USO Comfort Kits: Provides duffle bags filled with clothing and toiletries for troops coming directly from the battlefield
- Operation Connect with Care: DVD players, Movies, CDs, Video gaming systems with games and other entertainment items
- Operation USO Outing: Provides trips to local sporting/entertainment events and concerts
- USO Grant Fund: Provides special items that don’t fit into other OEC categories
- USO Emergency Fund: Provides emergency financial assistance for service members and their families to cover transportation, hotel and travel accommodations.
Mobile Entertainment Gaming Systems
To bring a touch of home to our men and women in uniform in the most desolate forward operating bases (FOBs) in Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations in Southwest Asia, the USO developed a program called MEGS. The Mobile Entertainment Gaming System, or MEGS, is a portable, self- contained and highly durable multimedia platform created to give service members endless hours of fun and relaxation. With the ability to be set up and broken down in minutes, MEGS can be delivered to forward operating bases in Afghanistan or Iraq, ships at sea or to stateside installations. Built to accommodate four players simultaneously, each MEGS can be configured to support the Xbox® 360, Sony Playstation® 3 and the Nintendo® Wii™. MEGS systems come equipped with all the necessary adapters, cables and routers, which makes set up very easy for service members. Each MEGS can be linked together with another MEGS, allowing service members in different locations to play one another.
USO2GO
USO2GO delivers the USO’s most popular services to troops in the remote and restricted areas. Everything from beanbag chairs, snacks, coffee, and toiletries to phone cards, DVDs, XBox®360, PlayStation® 3, and Wii™. Also available are laptops, musical instruments, art supplies, footballs, Frisbees, and horseshoes.Developed with feedback from deployed service members, USO2GO kits change as the needs of service members change. Units can select eight variations that can be customized to fit the needs of individual units stationed on Forward Operating Bases (FOBs). Each kit is also pre-packaged and ready to ship upon request. Troops can order any combination of the following packages:
Comforts of Home: Designed to provide comforts not readily available at a FOB. Items include toothbrushes, toothpaste, shower shoes, shower caddies, shaving gel, shampoo, deodorant, mouthwash and baby wipes.
Furnishings from Home: Provides comfortable and durable furniture for service members to enjoy, including folding tables, chairs and bean bag chairs.
Edible Enjoyments: Provides comfort foods and beverages to service members. Food items include sports bars, crackers, cookies, beef jerky, microwaveable popcorn, chicken noodle soup, Crystal Light®, Gatorade® and a coffee pot with coffee packets.
Leisure Kit: Designed to provide a distraction on the difficult days service members often face. Items selected include books, board games and playing cards.
Electronics Assortment: Packed with high-demand items like Xbox® 360, Nintendo® Wii™ and Playstation® 3 consoles and portable DVD players, this also includes a wide selection of DVD's and video games.
Athletic Kit: Features recreational activity equipment, including a putting green and portable putting set, volley ball and badminton set, horseshoes, frisbees, footballs, flag football belts, nerf balls, soccer balls and a magnetic dart board.
Design in the Desert: Designed to appeal to the artistically and musically inclined, this kit comes with sketch pads, colored pencils, crochet book and yarn, music books, a keyboard and acoustic guitar.
Bridge Back Home: Provides a link to the home front with phone cards and online greeting cards.
The USO and Trevor Romain Partnership Together
The USO and The Trevor Romain Company are working hard to reach out and support the millions of military children around the world to help them deal with the stresses of military life. This partnership includes the following elements:The Deployment Kit helps military children and their families prepare for deployment, stay connected during the separation, and plan for reintegration, created by the Trevor Romain Foundation.
Each backpack kit includes:
- An interactive journal with activities and writing prompts
- A caregiver booklet
- A set of dog-tags
- A stuffed bear named Cuzzie™
- The "With You All the Way! Dealing With Deployment" DVD
- A keepsake box
