[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 19 (Tuesday, February 2, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E93-E94]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   HONORING THE USO FOR 75 YEARS OF SERVICE TO OUR TROOPS AND THEIR 
                                FAMILIES

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ANDER CRENSHAW

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 2, 2016

  Mr. CRENSHAW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the hard working men 
and women of the USO in celebration of their 75th Birthday of 
entertaining and supporting our troops and families. I especially 
applaud the work of the Greater Jacksonville Area USO which makes it 
its mission to lift the spirits of our service members and their 
families. This small army of mostly volunteers reaches out to active 
duty military at our three large navy bases, Naval Air Station 
Jacksonville, Naval Station Mayport and Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay. 
They also support our United States Coast Guard men and women, the 
Marines at Blount Island Command, Army personnel stationed in the area, 
and those serving in the Florida National Guard.
   The USO was formed in 1941 at the request of President Franklin D. 
Roosevelt who realized he needed a civilian organization to handle on-
leave recreation. This call to action led six agencies to coordinate 
their civilian war efforts and resources to form a new organization--
the USO, United Service Organizations. Today, the USO is a private, not 
for profit organization, supported entirely by donations from citizens 
and organizations.
   Since its inception, the USO has been that ``Home Away From Home'' 
for our military during wars and during peace time. The Greater 
Jacksonville Area USO was established as an independent branch of the 
national USO in 1979. Today, its three centers continue to serve over 
250,000 military and families with quality of life and morale boosting 
programs.
   I have had the privilege of working with the USO and its many 
volunteers in serving dinners prior to pay days. They are called No 
Dough Dinners and are hugely popular with

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our junior ranking families. In addition, our USO mails over 15,000 
goodie boxes to front line troops and distributes hundreds of calling 
cards for deployed troops to call home. Here in Jacksonville, the USO 
operates Internet cyber cafes, assists families and troops with 
programs like United Through Reading where the deployed member reads a 
book on a DVD to his or her children back home. Two of the USO's most 
popular programs are the Welcome Center at our airport and free or 
reduced cost tickets to local sporting and cultural events.
   On February 4, 2016, the Greater Jacksonville Area USO will 
celebrate 75 years of serving our military and providing help on the 
home front for those who give their all for the security of this 
nation. The Greater Jacksonville Area USO is 100 percent self-funded 
and relies on donations from citizens and corporations like Boeing, 
Jacksonville Jaguars, W.W. Gay, VyStar Credit Union, Siemens, Northrop 
Grumman, Florida Blue, Jacksonville International Airport and the PGA 
Tour among others.
   Mr. Speaker, I ask you and Members of the House of Representatives 
to join me in acknowledging the 75th Birthday of the USO and its 
commitment to our active duty military.

                          ____________________