USO Newsletter: Holiday edition!

Your support makes all of these special moments possible. [USO]( [DONATE NOW »](G32Q4/ays3MjE3cWhlQWQ0Mi9DcEhyRTMwalFRanlleXBWS1BVQktBS2VlQ3RDdGo5QlE1L25MeUdrWEtPLzV1T3dydEFOL0hXUUhrQzBZbTc0UDZINmprTHBJM28yWTlTSlZ0Wmg0SzZabDRPL3c9S0/NUV4aXVvdDg3VHVRU1dQeHhJbkV1c1NjbHhUd3ZVRWwxVnlqSFNVTGhUQT0S1) YOUR USO AT WORK Issue 98 / Dec 2021 We hope you and your loved ones are enjoying a warm and wonderful holiday season! As thousands of our troops spend this special time away from their own homes and families, the USO is doing everything we can to brighten their days — and your support is a huge part of these efforts. [If you're able, please consider making a donation to help support our brave military service members this holiday season.](hY/ays3MjE3cWhlQWQ0Mi9DcEhyRTMwalFRanlleXBWS1BVQktBS2VlQ3RDdGo5QlE1L25MeUdrWEtPLzV1T3dydEFOL0hXUUhrQzBZbTc0UDZINmprTHBJM28yWTlTSlZ0Wmg0SzZabDRPL3c9S0/NUV4aXVvdDg3VHVRU1dQeHhJbkV1c1NjbHhUd3ZVRWwxVnlqSFNVTGhUQT0S1) [GIVE NOW TO SUPPORT OUR TROOPS]( Thank you for all you do to support our service members, especially during this time of year. USO FRONT LINES Expanding Our Reach: USO Opens First Center in Poland We’re so excited to open USO Powidz, our very first center in Poland at Forward Operating Site Powidz. Featuring a lounge, an internet cafe and a gaming center, our new center is already planning all sorts of fun programs to support our service members. [Read more about our exciting opening event](C4dWAvTb/ays3MjE3cWhlQWQ0Mi9DcEhyRTMwalFRanlleXBWS1BVQktBS2VlQ3RDdGo5QlE1L25MeUdrWEtPLzV1T3dydEFOL0hXUUhrQzBZbTc0UDZINmprTHBJM28yWTlTSlZ0Wmg0SzZabDRPL3c9S0/)[»]( Helping our troops celebrate the season no matter where they are in the world USO Japan Area Staff brought support, connections to home and holiday joy to troops and their families at Camp Zama’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting. Our cheerful team was there handing out festive treats like hot cocoa and candy canes, and wishing all our service members a wonderful holiday. [Read more about how USO Japan celebrates the holidays]([»]( GET INSPIRED USO’s Canine Comfort Crew brings joy to our troops Emotional and mental health are two of the top issues service members struggle with, and research shows that interacting with animals can make a big difference. The USO is thrilled to welcome therapy dogs at many of our locations to bring joy and comfort to our troops. [Keep reading to meet Zeke the Golden Retriever, a proud member of our Canine Comfort Crew!]([»]( 8eXCW6w4qtG/ays3MjE3cWhlQWQ0Mi9DcEhyRTMwalFRanlleXBWS1BVQktBS2VlQ3RDdGo5QlE1L25MeUdrWEtPLzV1T3dydEFOL0hXUUhrQzBZbTc0UDZINmprTHBJM28yWTlTSlZ0Wmg0SzZabDRPL3c9S0/NUV4aXVvdDg3VHVRU1dQeHhJbkV1c1NjbHhUd3ZVRWwxVnlqSFNVTGhUQT0S1 Giving a military family the surprise of a lifetime During the NFL’s Salute to Service campaign in November, we partnered with USAA and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to surprise a military family living in the Tampa Bay area with a private tour of Raymond James Stadium, complete with a meet-and-greet with their favorite NFL player, Rob Gronkowski. [Read the whole inspiring story](SN/ays3MjE3cWhlQWQ0Mi9DcEhyRTMwalFRanlleXBWS1BVQktBS2VlQ3RDdGo5QlE1L25MeUdrWEtPLzV1T3dydEFOL0hXUUhrQzBZbTc0UDZINmprTHBJM28yWTlTSlZ0Wmg0SzZabDRPL3c9S0/NUV4aXVvdDg3VHVRU1dQeHhJbkV1c1NjbHhUd3ZVRWwxVnlqSFNVTGhUQT0S1)[»]( GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT Announcing the first ever Opry Live: USO Holiday Special! We are so excited to partner with the Grand Ole Opry and the Circle Network for a night of festive entertainment at the first ever Opry Live: USO Holiday Special! This exciting event will feature performances by Lauren Alaina, Luke Combs, Jessie James Decker, Craig Morgan, the War and Treaty, Josh Turner and Carrie Underwood, and will be hosted by USO Global Ambassador Kellie Pickler. The special will air on Circle TV at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 18 and will be streaming exclusively for service members and military spouses through the entire month of December. [Learn more about this festive program]( [»]( EVENTS Delivering Thanksgiving joy to troops stationed in Germany Since 1999, USO Kaiserslautern has hosted an annual Thanks for Thanksgiving event. USO staff and volunteers join with senior enlisted service members in Germany to pack and distribute complete holiday meal fixings to junior enlisted troops. [Read more (and check out some photos!) from this inspiring event]([»]( BY THE NUMBERS: 9 [We hope you’ll take a moment to read this list of nine easy ways to give back to our troops during the holiday season!]( VOICE OF THE USO “The USO is proud to help our Armed Forces remain connected to family, home and country during the holidays. From providing Thanksgiving dinners to over 3,000 service members and their families to guiding traveling tropps home at our airport centers, the USO is there.” –Charles Ridings, Senior Director of Operations, USO Midwest Region CORPORATE PARTNERS First Ever USO Commander’s Cup Partners with Oakley In partnership with Oakley, the first edition USO Commander’s Cup was held on Nov. 14th and consisted of members from each of the six service branches. The Army team came out victorious in the Call of Duty and Rocket League Tournaments. Oakley has been a longtime supporter of the military community for over 25 years and we thank them for joining us in being a Force Behind the Forces© for this exciting event. Along with sponsoring the event, Oakley also generously donated products to the USO for all the teams that competed in the event. [Learn more about the other ways Oakley has given back]([»](tg/ays3MjE3cWhlQWQ0Mi9DcEhyRTMwalFRanlleXBWS1BVQktBS2VlQ3RDdGo5QlE1L25MeUdrWEtPLzV1T3dydEFOL0hXUUhrQzBZbTc0UDZINmprTHBJM28yWTlTSlZ0Wmg0SzZabDRPL3c9S0/) Wawa Raises Almost $1 Million for the USO Our friends at Wawa raised almost $1 million in support of the USO through their “Show the Troops You Care” campaign. We are thankful for Wawa’s partnership which helps bring comfort, connection and support to our service members and military families. Raising Holiday Spirits with Tito's Handmade Vodka Tito’s Handmade Vodka has been a longstanding supporter of the USO by sponsoring many local Centers and events around the country. This December, we are excited to announce Tito’s has joined forces as a global sponsor to help deliver the USO mission and programs worldwide. To kick off the holiday season, Tito’s helped generate critical funds by generously matching up to a total of $150,000 in donations to support USO programming and services. Through December 31, 2021, this USO holiday matching gift campaign is being promoted on shelves with Tito’s at AAFES stores. Raising holiday spirits with a favorite fashion faux-pas? Count Tito’s in! Tito’s iconic Ugly Holiday Sweaters were distributed to USO Saudi Arabia, Europe, Hampton Roads and Central Virginia to spread holiday cheer to service members stationed far from loved ones. Thank you, Tito’s, for your support and bringing a touch of home to service members and their families this holiday season. [Learn more about Tito’s philanthropy work]([»]( 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]([»]( GIVE MORE THAN THANKS® There are many ways you can support our nation’s heroes as they work to ensure our safety, health and security. Some gifts allow you to make an impact for service members today, while others allow you to extend your support for the brave men and women who protect our country into the future [Explore smart ways you can stand behind our service members]([»]( From all of us at the USO, thank you for being a dedicated and proud military supporter! 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