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The USO is chartered by Congress as a non-profit charitable corporation, and is not a part of the United States Government. It is endorsed by the President of the United States, the Congress and the Secretary of Defense. Each President has been the Honorary Chairman of the USO since its inception.
In 1941, in response to a report from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Prescott Bush (President George W. Bush’s grandfather) and Hollywood’s Abe Lastfogel, Board Chairman of the William Morris Talent Agency, helped launch the USO. Those in and out of uniform knew that World War II could be a prolonged conflict, and that morale was a serious concern. Millions of American men and women were training for war and thousands were being sent overseas each day into an unknown future. America’s greatest entertainment headliners of the day, the likes of Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Francis Langford, Jack Benny, Ann Sheridan, Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters answered the USO’s call to duty and traveled tirelessly to bring the spirit and love of a grateful nation to service men and women far from home.
In Korea, Vietnam, Somalia, Desert Storm, Bosnia and Kosovo, the USO has served and continues to serve our men and women in uniform and their families. Today, the USO serves our Armed Forces through a network of more than 115 USO centers worldwide through airport centers, video messaging, cyber cafes, fleet support centers, mobile canteens, family and community centers and crisis response. In addition, the USO also provides telephone, Internet and email capabilities, cultural awareness seminars and employment assistance for military service discharges.
The USO provides our service men and women with a program of celebrity entertainment and handshake tours worldwide. The celebrity entertainment shows have been and continue to be an effective morale booster. Entertainers provide a much–needed break in the midst of lonely tours overseas. Recent tours have featured artists such as Sheryl Crow, Larry Gatlin, the Charlie Daniels Band, Paula Cole, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Reba McEntire, Hootie & the Blowfish and comedian Sinbad. Longtime USO entertainers such as the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders and Johnny Grant, the Honorary Mayor of Hollywood, continue to donate their time and talent to entertain the troops.
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