USO Helps Deployed Father Send Surprise Message to Son at Graduation  | | Pedro Cruz III watches a video message from his father on an iPad moments after graduating from New York University on May 23. Cruz's father, New York Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Pedro Cruz Jr., is deployed to Kuwait and was unable to attend the ceremony, but he worked with the USO to figure out how he could be the first to congratulate his son. NYU Polytechnic School of Engineering photo by Elena Olivo | Pedro Cruz III wasn't sure why the television cameras were approaching. A moment earlier, he'd walked across the stage at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, to receive his construction management degree from the New York University Polytechnic School of Engineering. When he reached the dean, Cruz was handed his diploma along with an iPad Air, a plaque and a folded American flag. As his classmates streamed across the stage behind him, the camera lights flicked on and reporters encircled the new graduate. Then he looked down at the iPad - queued up to a video of his deployed father - and pressed play. "Hey son, surprise," New York Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Pedro Cruz Jr. said in a pre-recorded video. "Right about now you should be on stage picking up your degree. I wanted to be the first to congratulate you on this special day." Shortly thereafter, the younger Cruz was talking to his father - like he does almost every day - reliving the moment.  read more... | Volunteers, Sponsors and Celebrities Help the USO Make Dreams Come True for Military Teens  | | Fashion designer Sherri Hill, left, "Duck Dynasty" star Sadie Robertson and hundreds of others helped make the USO's Operation That's My Dress a huge success for military teens. USO photo by Matthew Ziegler | When fashion designer Sherri Hill donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in prom dresses to military teens, volunteers and sponsors from around the nation stepped up to make the event as special as possible. How many exactly? Two hundred seventy-two volunteers donated 4,294 hours of their time and dozens of sponsors donated goods, services and cash totaling $750,000 to make the New York City version of USO Operation: That's My Dress a huge success. Forty-five Miss USA and Miss Teen USA contestants flew into Manhattan on their own dime to model the dresses in a runway show produced by the USO and TAJ Events with music by celebrity DJ Marlon Bizzy. The models also served as stylists, assisting teens in picking out the perfect prom dress and fashion jewelry. Fourteen celebrities carved time out of their schedules to make appearances, including Sadie and Korie Robertson from "Duck Dynasty" and the reigning Miss USA Erin Brady. A dozen hair stylists and makeup artists from L'Oreal USA and jewelry donations from Fashion Delivers helped the teens glow and glitter. read more... | Coca-Cola and the USO Honor Fallen, Celebrate Service at NASCAR Race  | | Service members unfurl a section of the USO’s Every Moment Counts flag before the start of the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, North Carolina, in May. USO photo by Joseph Andrew Lee | The USO teamed up with NASCAR at the Coca-Cola 600 to unfurl something big over Memorial Day weekend. "That something big is [our goal] to break the Guinness World Record for the number of signatures on a flag," said John Falkenbury, President of the USO of North Carolina. The USO has a long tradition of working with Charlotte Motor Speedway and Speedway Motorsports, Inc. to bring troops out to the track for the race, which is sponsored by USO Presidents Circle Partner Coca-Cola. All told, more than 1,200 troops and their families were honored at the race. Most received free tickets and the USO of North Carolina helped them travel from their bases to the track for the exciting weekend event. "This is a time that brings America together," said Falkenbury. "All walks of life, all colors, all creeds, to do one thing -- salute America -- because at the end of the day … we are there making every moment count." After a free concert by country music star and USO tour veteran Brantley Gilbert, more than 120 service members unfurled the center of the USO's Every Moment Counts flag on the infield during the national anthem. Earlier, troops, race fans and NASCAR drivers offered their support in the form of a signature on the flag. read more... | | | USO and Full Circle Home Pack Surprises for Mother's Day at VP Residence The USO and Full Circle Home joined forces in May to pack 2,000 Mother's Day boxes for military moms, wives and special women in the lives of deployed troops. Dr. Jill Biden, co-founder of Joining Forces and wife of Vice President Joe Biden, welcomed USO volunteers and spouses of congressional and senior military leaders to her home to put the packages together. "We wanted to make sure that all these brave men and women and their families know that we all recognize the sacrifices they made," Dr. Biden said.
The boxes, delivered in time for Mother's Day, were filled with items like lotions, flower seeds and a necklace, in addition to a personalized note from their deployed service member. read more... | | | BIC Honors the USO With $1M Donation On March 31, BIC Consumer Products USA presented the USO with a $1 million donation during a ceremony at the new USO Warrior and Family Center on Naval Support Activity Bethesda, Maryland, home of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
BIC's generous contribution is a result of a 9-cent donation from the sale of each of its "Support the Troops" series lighters and the donation will be applied towards the center's outdoor grilling area.
"To see that the sales of this special edition series of BIC lighters, whose designs honor America's troops, have helped to provide an opportunity where our military personnel ... can take a moment to relax and enjoy quality time barbequing with their loved ones, is incredibly moving," noted Chris Mills, President of BIC Consumer Products North America. read more... | | | Commitment to Service Drives USO's Matthews  | | Jonathan Matthews, the USO's director of logistics & facilities. USO photo | As a former officer in Britain's Royal Air Force, Jonathan Matthews understands what it means to serve. Since 2006, the former intelligence analyst and pilot has continued serving through his work with the USO.
"Volunteering and working for USO has been the only experience, other than serving in the military, where I've been able to instantly witness the results of my efforts improving the lives of others," said Matthews, who started his USO career as a volunteer at Camp Virginia in Kuwait in 2006.
With professional experience in construction and brick masonry, Matthews helped USO staff members build the Camp Virginia center and was soon compelled to join the organization full time. "During my volunteerism in Kuwait I was working for a military contractor, delivering the Army's [morale, welfare and recreation] function, but I was able to have more interaction with and contribute to the welfare of the [troops] through the USO, so I wanted to continue that positive impact." read more... | | | |
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