USO to Celebrate Grand Openings of Three Centers

ARLINGTON, Va., Feb. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families will have three new places to recharge and reconnect as the United Service Organizations (USO) opens facilities in Germany, Guam, and Utah on its 81st birthday.

On Friday, Feb. 4, the USO Utah center in the Salt Lake City International Airport will have its grand opening, while the USO Tumon Bay center in Guam and USO Grafenwoehr in Germany reopen with expanded offerings.

"The USO is committed to go where our service members are, no matter the location," said USO Chief Operating Officer Alan Reyes. "Our centers provide a place for service members to rest, relax and connect. They may visit a USO center to call family members, play a video game with friends back home or share a meal over the holiday season. This is the icing on the cake to celebrate the birthday of our organization with the grand opening of these three new centers."

The USO Utah airport center in Salt Lake City will be a nearly 1,000-square-foot facility providing amenities and outreach programs to the current members of the military and their dependent family members. Center amenities will include comfortable furniture for resting, computers and Wi-Fi access, and complimentary snacks and beverages. The center will also have a lounge area with TV entertainment, movies, and family games.

"The USO goes where our troops go, and we're proud to support our military service members and families serving, training and traveling through Utah," said USO West Regional President Bob Kurkjian.

The USO Tumon Bay center serves more than 20,000 service members of all six service branches permanently assigned to Guam. It also supports more than 50,000 service members annually deployed to the island, on visiting Pacific Fleet ships or transiting through to other Indo-Pacific theater destinations.

The new center at Dusit Hotels-The Plaza will be outfitted to offer an array of free services including high-speed fiber internet, a sports lounge/gaming room with big-screen televisions, a cafe, reading areas, massage chairs and a conference room reservable for private meetings. 

"There are approximately 160,000-plus military hotel stays in Tumon each year, and on any given day, more than 2,000 military members reside in Tumon hotels," said USO Pacific Regional Vice President Scott Maskery. "A center located here allows the USO to welcome our military service members in the heart of Tumon's vibrant activities."

The USO Grafenwoehr center in Germany is also celebrating the organization's birthday with a reopening to support more than 40,000 service members and their families located at U.S. Army Garrison in Bavaria. The fully renovated center with 11,000-plus square feet will now include floor-to-ceiling wall panels for the gaming room and movie theater as well as a remodeled kitchen, restrooms and offices.

"USO has connected service members to family, home and country since 1941, with our centers as a key component," said USO EMEA Regional Vice President Grant McCormick. "Following more than two years of planning and renovation, the USO Grafenwoehr center is now fully operational to provide USO goodness to our service members and their families."

For military service members and their families looking for more details or for a center near them, they can visit the USO app or USO.org/centers.

About the USO:
The USO strengthens America's military service members by keeping them connected to family, home, and country, throughout their service to the nation. At hundreds of locations worldwide, we are united in our commitment to connect our service members and their families through countless acts of caring, comfort, and support. The USO is a private nonprofit organization, not a government agency. Our programs, services and entertainment tours are made possible by the American people, the support of our corporate partners, and the dedication of our volunteers and staff. To join us in this important mission and learn more about the USO, please visit USO.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

SOURCE USO