NAS JAX, Fla. – USO centers provide comfort to deployed service members
For service members stationed far from home, especially in combat zones, visiting a USO center can bring them a piece of home.
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The USO operates centers in various locations, from airport terminals to overseas bases, such as one near Naval Air Station Jacksonville. Volunteers and veterans highlight that these centers offer a space to unwind, engage in activities like playing games and watching TV, and connect with others.
“Shooting pool, playing games, snacks, watching TV. Back then we didn’t have computers,” shared Bob Neely, a Vietnam veteran with 22 years of service in the Army, reminiscing about his time at the USO during the war.
Neely added, “It helps to give you a feeling of being home when you’re not there.”
Even in recent times, active-duty troops were seen enjoying karaoke at a USO center in Kuwait, reinforcing the continued relevance and usage of these facilities.
“The younger soldiers or sailors, it’s their first time away from home, they’re alone, they don’t have any family – and the USO helps to give them a nice place where they can sit back, relax, talk with people,” Neely reiterated.
Jenny Lyon, a Navy veteran and USO volunteer, emphasized the significance of this support in enhancing mission readiness, stating, “The more support you have, the better you do your job, and that’s what they are all about.”
In observance of Military Appreciation Month, News4JAX has teamed up with Navy Federal Credit Union and the USO for Help on the Homefront, a donation drive to gather items for care packages. Contributors can drop off approved goods at local Navy Federal branches.
Recommended items for donation include granola bars, fruit snacks, and boxed macaroni and cheese, which will be assembled into care packages and dispatched to overseas locations.
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