United Service Organizations

Uso centers - uso centers are the foundation for our connection to the military community and enable uso to serve as hubs from which to provide outreach support to areas where no physical uso center exists. Uso centers provide a home away from home for Service members and their families around the world. 2023 continued to present unique challenges as Service members were deployed and repositioned throughout europe to support nato allies and ukraine. Uso established new centers in poland, bulgaria, and other remote areas to support Service members engaging in military training exercises with our allies. Uso centers in the middle east have also been supporting increased Service member presence in the region due to the israel-hamas conflict. During 2023, the uso had more than 250 locations supporting over 6.5 million visits. See schedule o.uso centersuso centers provide a home away from home for Service members and their families around the world. Uso centers offer an inviting and comforting place where Service members and their families can connect by internet or phone, play a video game, catch a movie, have a snack or just put up their feet and relax. During 2023, the uso had more than 250 locations supporting over 6.5 million visits. Uso centers can be found in 40 u.s. states and territories, and in 29 countries overseas, including australia, bulgaria, chad, cyprus, djibouti, germany, greece, denmark (greenland), honduras, hungary, italy, iraq, japan, jordan, kenya, kuwait, lithuania, poland, qatar, romania, saudi arabia, slovakia, south korea, spain, syria, turkey, United arab emirates, and United kingdom. The uso has four locations that primarily serve wounded, ill and injured Service members, their families and caregivers. These centers provide a home away from home for wounded Service members, many of whom visit multiple times daily between medical appointments. Created for our nation's healing heroes and their families, these centers may feature classrooms, sports lounges, communal kitchen and eating areas, business centers, healing gardens and more.uso also operates mobile centers that allow the uso to extend its reach to Service men and women. These mobile centers can deliver the uso's amenities on the go, enabling us to connect with a broader audience of military members and their families nationwide and abroad. These state-of-the-art vehicles focus on delivering uso programs, including wi-fi, gaming, meals and other programming, where they are needed most. The core focus of the program is on areas of the country where there are no brick-and-mortar uso facilities, national guard annual training events, natural disasters and hardship locations.the uso has supported families of the fallen during every dignified transfer at dover air force base for over 30 years. The staff and volunteers of this uso center coordinate among uso locations across the country to support and comfort families who have just received tragic news as they travel to and from dover air force base.additionally, uso centers in the middle east have been supporting increased Service member presence in the region due to the israel-hamas conflict. Delivery of programs like care packages, uso2go, program in a box, as well as providing additional support for families of deployed Service members, including those that have been rapidly deployed based on the new tensions, are focus areas. The uso also provides support for sailors aboard the aircraft carriers in the u.s. navy's fleet. By expanding support to those serving in remote and distant locations with no access to a traditional, brick-and-mortar uso center, ship-based centers are helping sailors at sea relax and recharge. Uso centers afloat are open while ashore and underway and include the same amenities as traditional centers, including comfortable seating, tvs, board games, uso program kits, snacks, and video games. Each ship center is also outfitted with computers and phones to give sailors a way to communicate with their families. In addition to the main center, the uso's presence on each ship includes a number of smaller satellite spaces, or "morale lockers." The lockers are outfitted with a gaming kits, tv, snacks, and lounge space. Uso centers provide support to these ships including restocking of supplies and providing port-side programs to Service members as ships come into ports across the globe.

Service member, military family, and expeditionary programs - uso provides a suite of programs focused on wellness and resiliency for Service members and their families. These programs include the uso reading program keeping Service members connected to their children through story-time; uso holidays providing programming to help Service members feel connected and supported during the holidays throughout the year; uso care package, uso2go and program in a box kits that ensure Service members deployed to remote locations can enjoy essentials, recreation and comforts of home. See schedule o for more information about the programs offered and accomplishments during 2023. Service member and military family programs uso's military and military family programs provide support and comfort to Service members and their families, whether they are deployed, transitioning from their Service, wounded, ill or injured, or have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Uso reading program the uso reading program keeps Service members connected to their children through story-time. Service members can visit a uso center or expeditionary location offering the program, record themselves reading their child's favorite story and have that recording and a copy of the book sent home - ensuring that they can read their child a bedtime story from anywhere in the world. Recognizing the challenges military children often face when dealing with separation, the uso reading program also makes it possible for military kids to add a new book to their own library and share story time with someone they love by recording themselves reading. In 2023, uso enabled digital recording delivery and automated book delivery to allow loved ones to receive both in an expedited timeframe.uso holidaysuso holidays offers both programming and uso care packages to help Service members feel connected and supported during holidays throughout the year. Uso centers and teams activate around the globe to bring a piece of home to Service members and their families, no matter where they are called to serve during the holidays. Whether it is delivering care packages, hosting holiday events, providing free entertainment, or enabling technology that brings loved ones together, the uso helps Service members and their families stay connected to the comforts of home during the holiday seasons. Service members have shared that through uso holidays, they were given the opportunity to celebrate the holidays they wouldn't have had otherwise.in 2023, the uso delivered 50,000 holiday care packages to military members serving in remote operating and training bases and reached Service members in 57 countries. Each special care package is delivered in a festive uso branded bag and includes a snack pack and a variety of partner-provided items donated in-kind. In addition, uso center around the world hosted holiday events with more than 730,000 participants.uso gamingthe uso gaming program focuses on creating opportunities for Service members and their families to engage in a variety of different gaming activities, regardless of their location. The program includes local, regional and global events - varying from tournaments and leagues to casual trivia and community nights and everything in between. The gaming program captures both online and in person experiences to better serve our audience and those around them. Throughout 2023, uso's gaming program delivered broader services to a global audience through programs, accessibility, and expeditionary support. Nearly 3,000 programs took place at local uso centers. Not only did the uso continue to provide access and equipment to Service members in austere locations, we continued to invest in rapid response gaming kits that provide Service members with access to gaming where no uso center exists. These kits are deployed across the globe, notably in places like somalia, aboard aircraft carriers, and with our Service members deployed to eastern europe.in 2023, dodea pacific esports included the first ever far east championship for esports in okinawa, with all twelve dodea pacific schools competing. Our salute to Service saw over 200 competitors gather from around the world to compete for an opportunity to attend the super bowl. The commanders cup tournament featured all six branches of the military fighting for the right to hoist the trophy for another year. Uso canine programthe uso understands the strong bond between humans and animals, and the critical roles dogs can play within the military community to help address mental, emotional, and physical needs. The uso canine program includes therapy dogs, family pets and military working dog programs. Interacting with therapy dogs can reduce stress and provide a unique morale boost for Service members and their families. Including canine family members in programs enables families to participate more fully in uso activities and feel connected to their community. Uso's support of military working dogs honors their contribution, as well as that of their human handlers, who also feel cared for as their canine battle buddy is acknowledged.uso special deliverycombining baby shower games, local guest speakers and drawings for traditional baby shower gifts, these popular showers hosted by uso centers provide a touch of home for parents-to-be who are often away from their families, friends and support networks during their pregnancies. Uso special delivery is also offered virtually, with video-call baby showers that can reach remote military communities located far from a uso center, where a traditional, in-person baby shower might not be possible. 70% of participants report that the uso special delivery baby shower is the only shower they will have to celebrate this life milestone. In 2023, the uso hosted 85 showers, including virtual showers, and reached more than 3,000 expectant families. Uso coffee connectionsmilitary spouses are invited to attend uso coffee connections gatherings at their local uso center to connect with new friends or reconnect with old ones. These events allow spouses to relax in a comfortable setting, share advice, learn about local events and make new friends over a cup of coffee, a craft, local outing and more. Through uso coffee connections, military spouses stay connected to their communities no matter where they are stationed. In 2023, the uso hosted more than 800 events - both in-person and virtually - connecting over 10,000 military spouses around the world. Uso coffee connection live supports military spouses who might not have ready access to a uso center. This virtual event is an hour-long "coffee chat" between a uso military spouse and an influential guest, in which they discuss topics that are relevant and trending within the military spouse community. Topics such as community, health, wellness, marriage and the military, station changes and deployments, employment and many others have been discussed. Expeditionary programsthe uso delivers support to Service members stationed abroad who are training in isolated locations or on arduous missions in remote parts of the world. Uso care packagesthe uso care package program provides Service members with two different types of care packages - a snack pack and toiletry pack. Both are desert tan in color and are constructed with a durable nylon material with a modular lightweight load-carrying equipment (molle) system on the back of the pouch for easy attachment on most military-issued gear. The snack pack is assembled with a mixture of healthy and sweet treats, while the standard toiletry pack comes equipped with a wide range of travel-sized hygiene products. There is also a special version of the pack that provides feminine hygiene and self-care products. Uso centers also distribute specialized care packages meeting a variety of needs in the military community. In 2023, over 270,000 care packages were delivered to Service members and family members across the United states and in 72 countries around the globe. Uso2gothe uso2go program provides Service members in remote locations the small comforts of home such as electronic gaming, sports equipment, board games, movies, snacks and personal care items. Since inception of the program, the uso has supported more than 2,700 units and shipped items to remote places in eastern europe, south america, australia, djibouti, egypt, iraq, jordan, kuwait, north africa and the philippines. Uso2go continues to be the program most requested directly from the field that helps our deployed Service members relax and recharge. In 2023, the uso supported more than 470 individual military units deployed to far reaching expeditionary locations in 111 countries.

Public awareness and outreach - the uso's marketing and communications outreach programs aim to address the civilian-military drift - a natural disconnect and lack of understanding between those who have served in the military and those whom they defend who have never served and may not know or be related to anyone who has. In september 2023, the uso launched a national broadcast psa campaign reaching the general public. The campaign also has a highly targeted media effort designed to reach and build awareness with a younger cohort of potential donors and supporters that can help sustain the uso mission into the future. See schedule o for more details of the accomplishments during 2023. The uso's marketing and communications outreach programs aim to address the civilian-military drift - a natural disconnect and lack of understanding between those who have served in the military and those whom they defend who have never served and may not know or be related to anyone who has. In 2023, the uso launched a national broadcast psa campaign reaching the general public in september of 2023 that has, to date, garnered more than 374 million impressions across over 210 markets for the uso, leveraging media channels like broadcast tv, outdoor billboards, and radio. The campaign also has a highly targeted effort designed to reach and build awareness with a younger cohort of potential donors and supporters that can help sustain the uso mission into the future. To date this effort generated more than 62 million impressions. In addition, through its website and mail, the uso collected more than 1.36 million messages of appreciation from the american public which are being distributed or displayed at uso locations across the globe.

Entertaining troops and families since its founding in 1941, the uso's global entertainment department delivers first-class entertainment programming to u.s. military Service members and their families. Partnering with the department of defense and the entertainment and sports industries, the uso brings a wide variety of high visibility celebrities and athletes to military locations worldwide. Through one of a kind, in-person tours and its military virtual programming (mvp) series, online sessions providing celebrities and Service members the chance to interact virtually, the uso creates meaningful interactions that uplift and strengthen Service members and their families.in 2023, Service members and military families participated in the uso entertainment program more than 168,000 times through in-person tours, digital engagements, including the mvp series, and ticket opportunities. Uso entertainment delivered entertainment to 325 military sites, including 22 in-person tours with 175 events traveling to 11 countries and one ship at sea.uso global entertainment also offers worldwide limited on-demand content streaming through its mobile app, to its centers and airport lounges as well as across uso social media platforms. To date, content streamed across uso platforms has garnered over 1 million views and featured artists such as carrie underwood, ne-yo, idina menzel, ewan mcgregor, and dolly parton. Uso transition programthe uso transition program, which compliments existing military transition programs, empowers Service members and military spouses throughout their time in the military and as they transition back to civilian life. Beyond practical support and resource connection, this program pairs individuals with a uso transition specialist who offers personalized action plans focusing on employment, education, financial wellness and mentorship, instilling confidence and a sense of purpose during the pivotal phases experienced throughout active duty. By addressing both the emotional and practical needs, we ensure a smoother career journey for Service members and spouses, and a more fulfilling transition into civilian life.by leveraging our global reach, the uso is able to engage with transition-focused programming earlier in the Service members' career, resulting in more prepared, more financially stable and better-connected Service members and military spouses. In 2023, new offerings to the program included a specialized focus on military spouses, a resume writer on staff, and specific interview preparation offerings. The program served more than 21,000 individuals with action plans and resources, resulting in more than 350,000 touch points. In addition to the programs listed above, uso local teams design and produce programs that are tailored to the specific needs of Service members and their families in their geographic area. This flexibility in programing is critical due the significant geographic scope of uso operations as well as the diverse needs of Service members and their families. These locally developed programs also serve as an innovation laboratory for future uso - wide core programing.