# USO

> The USO is a congressionally chartered, private nonprofit that supports U.S. active-duty, Reserve and National Guard service members and their families from enlistment through deployment and transition to civilian life. Its network combines more than 260 physical locations with airport hospitality, shipboard and remote-site centers, care packages, family and spouse programs, entertainment, education, financial wellness and employment support. It is not a government agency; donations, grants, corporate support, in-kind goods and a large volunteer corps power the operation.

- **Founded:** 1941
- **Headquarters:** Arlington, United States
- **Founders:** YMCA (Founding organization), YWCA (Founding organization), The Salvation Army (Founding organization), National Catholic Community Service (Founding organization), National Jewish Welfare Board (Founding organization), National Travelers Aid Association (Founding organization)
- **Team size:** LinkedIn lists 501-1,000 employees; the supplied company record estimates 1,300 employees. The USO separately reports 27,000 annual volunteers for 2025.
- **Products:** USO Centers, USO Entertainment, Care Package Program, USO Transition Program, USO2GO and Program in a Box
- **Notable:** Founded on February 4, 1941, from six civilian service organizations convened at President Franklin D. Roosevelt's request., Built more than 3,000 centers and mobilized more than one million volunteers at its World War II peak., Produced more than 400,000 Camp Shows with roughly 7,000 volunteer entertainers between 1941 and 1947.

## Products & services

- **USO Centers** — Hospitality and community spaces at airports, military installations, induction sites, overseas locations, combat zones and aboard ships, with internet, phones, food, rest areas and local programming.
- **USO Entertainment** — In-person celebrity and athlete tours, Military Virtual Programming, on-demand content and ticket distribution for service members and families.
- **Care Package Program** — Toiletry and snack packages distributed to units, departure points and selected USO centers rather than mailed to named individuals.
- **USO Transition Program** — Education, employment, financial-readiness and mentorship support for service members and military spouses, including workshops, networking and individualized planning.
- **USO2GO and Program in a Box** — Portable amenities, games and activities for isolated areas, combat zones, naval vessels and remote sites where a permanent center is impractical.
- **Military Family Programs** — Coffee Connections for spouses, Reading Program sessions, Special Delivery baby showers, youth activities, holiday gatherings, canine visits, gaming and sports and fitness programming.
- **USO Responds and Mobile USO** — Rapid, mobile support for service members mobilized during disasters, health crises and no-notice deployments.
- **Education, Employment and Financial Wellness** — Free learning platforms, credentials, career preparation, trusted-employer connections, practical financial education and personalized support.

## Achievements

- Founded on February 4, 1941, from six civilian service organizations convened at President Franklin D. Roosevelt's request.
- Built more than 3,000 centers and mobilized more than one million volunteers at its World War II peak.
- Produced more than 400,000 Camp Shows with roughly 7,000 volunteer entertainers between 1941 and 1947.
- Received a federal charter and is now codified in Chapter 2201 of Title 36 of the U.S. Code.
- Operated more than 250 centers and reached people in 134 countries and all seven continents in 2024.
- Recorded more than 11.3 million uses of programs and services in 2024, rising to more than 11.7 million in 2025.
- Collected more than 21 million public messages of appreciation from 2016 through its latest financial-reporting description.
- Earned a 92% Four-Star Charity rating from Charity Navigator in its current profile.
- Expanded shipboard centers to five guided-missile destroyers in the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group in 2025.
- Provided 2024 entertainment programming at more than 425 military sites across 34 countries, six continents, all 50 states and territories, and eight ships at sea.

## Latest updates

- **2026-06** — The USO announced a strategic partnership with American Corporate Partners focused on financial wellness and career readiness for military families.
- **2026-05** — The USO unveiled a Letters Home archive alongside Focus Features' D-Day film PRESSURE.
- **2026-03** — The USO announced Major League Baseball support tied to the 2026 season and continued operational support across the Middle East and beyond.
- **2026-01** — The USO and Bridge My Return launched an AI-powered job board for service members and military spouses.
- **2025-06** — The USO detailed its rollout of self-operated centers on five Navy destroyers in the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group.
- **2025-05** — A new USO center opened aboard the USS Bainbridge, providing seating, games, entertainment and snacks for sailors underway.

## Links

- Website: https://www.uso.org/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theuso
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/the_uso
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theuso
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theuso/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theUSO

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/uso
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-13