Former Army Chief of Staff General Casey Joins ThanksUSA's Board of Directors

WASHINGTON, Oct. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- ThanksUSA, a charitable effort to mobilize Americans to "thank" the nation's active-duty troops, today announced that General George Casey, former chief of staff of the Army, has joined its Board of Directors.

"General Casey has been an unwavering advocate for military families throughout his career, and we are pleased to welcome him to the ThanksUSA family," said Bob Okun, chief executive officer, ThanksUSA. "Given his proven excellence in both managing and serving in the United States Army, we will undoubtedly benefit from his valuable insights."

"I look forward to assuming my position on the ThanksUSA Board of Directors and working with such an honorable and well-respected group of individuals," said General Casey. "This extraordinary effort has touched many military families, providing much-needed scholarships for the children and spouses of our brave men and women in uniform. I'm committed to ThanksUSA's mission and hope to contribute to the continued success of the organization."

General Casey served as the Army's chief of staff from April 2007 to April 2011, as America endured its war on terror. He is credited with restoring a sense of balance and structure to the Army, which grew under General Casey's leadership. Among his many accomplishments, he increased funding for soldier and family programs, and he took steps to improve the Army's care for wounded soldiers and military families.

Prior to his executive position in the Army, General Casey served as the commander of Multinational Force Iraq, where he aimed to transfer Iraq control back into the hands of its people.

About ThanksUSA
Founded in the fall of 2005, ThanksUSA, a non-partisan 501(c) (3) organization, is an effort to thank the men and women of our armed forces and their families for their service to the country with the gift of education. The organization provides need-based, post-secondary education opportunities to the children and spouses of active-duty status military personnel through competitive scholarships. For more information, visit www.ThanksUSA.org.

SOURCE ThanksUSA