May Is Military Appreciation Month -- And Full of Stories for the USO

Before I started working for the USO, I never would have known that May is military appreciation month. Or what a challenge coin is. Or what PCSing means.

It's funny how a new job can open up a completely different world in an instant, isn't it?

The past few months I haven't been traveling as much for work -- BUT --  I've had the wonderful task of telling many small, everyday stories about the impact the USO makes on the lives of active-duty military personnel and their family members.

Take this little story, about a military spouse who was stranded in the Chicago airport overnight with no where to go. Thanks to the USO, she had a safe, free place to spend the night and relax while she waited for her flight the next day.

“After all that had happened that weekend, it was awesome to walk in, see friendly faces that helped me and made me feel safe."

There was this touching experience, where a worried military spouse was given peace of mind about her teenage daughter, who was traveling alone and stuck in the airport, thanks the USO.

“I can’t explain it, except to say, I am crying (again) thinking how relieved I was knowing she felt safe. Knowing she was safe.” 

Even this simple story, about a young military spouse and her baby daughter, who were able to relax during and unexpected layover, thanks to the USO, can't help but make you smile.

“I was blown away at how welcoming they were to my family.”

Sometimes, I just can't believe that I work at such an amazing organization that's committed to making these kinds of moments for military families around the world. It's stories like these -- these tiny, small, everyday moments -- that make me realize just how awesome the USO really is improving the daily lives of the people who sacrifice so much for all of us.

A MilFam Thanksgiving Story: Military Family Reconnects Overseas

Every military family story I write is different. Some are about young families. Some are about veterans. And some are about families that still manage to be families thousands of miles away from eachother.

This, my readers, is one of the last type of stories.

Enter Reginald and Emmanuel Wright. Both men hail from the same household, and right now, are stationed hundreds of miles away from each other in the U.S.

But, as chance (and the Army) would have it, fate has reunited the two together again... in Bagram, Afghanistan.

I had the chance to Skype with the two men about their serendipitous deployments, thier realationship, and thier connection with the USO and was able to write up this awesome story.

Here's snippet:

Remember when you were a kid, and your parents wanted to show you off? Your report cards, your new clothes, your questionable singing abilities, all on display on command for the neighbors and their friends. 

Now imagine you’re a soldier in the most advanced Army on Earth and walking into a USO center in Afghanistan. And then you hear this: “There he is. Emmanuel, come over here and meet ...”

Aw man, Dad.

Like any proud father, Staff Sgt. Reginald Wright enjoys introducing his son to his acquaintances. But unlike most parents, the elder Wright gets to do it in a war zone. 

“You know, people here that come to visit, I get to like them, I get to talk to them, get to know them, and I say, ‘Hey, I want you to meet someone.’ I introduce my son to them. And they all stare,” Reginald Wright said. “They give that little look. And then they look at him, and they look at me, and I say, ‘This is my son.’ And they say, ‘Really?’” 

- See more at: http://www.uso.org/overseas-family-reunion/#sthash.MO8wANy6.dpuf

Remember when you were a kid, and your parents wanted to show you off? Your report cards, your new clothes, your questionable singing abilities, all on display on command for the neighbors and their friends. 

Now imagine you’re a soldier in the most advanced Army on Earth and walking into a USO center in Afghanistan. And then you hear this: “There he is. Emmanuel, come over here and meet ...”

Aw man, Dad.

Like any proud father, Staff Sgt. Reginald Wright enjoys introducing his son to his acquaintances. But unlike most parents, the elder Wright gets to do it in a war zone. 

“You know, people here that come to visit, I get to like them, I get to talk to them, get to know them, and I say, ‘Hey, I want you to meet someone.’ I introduce my son to them. And they all stare,” Reginald Wright said. “They give that little look. And then they look at him, and they look at me, and I say, ‘This is my son.’ And they say, ‘Really?’” 

Remember when you were a kid, and your parents wanted to show you off? Your report cards, your new clothes, your questionable singing abilities, all on display on command for the neighbors and their friends. 

Now imagine you’re a soldier in the most advanced Army on Earth and walking into a USO center in Afghanistan. And then you hear this: “There he is. Emmanuel, come over here and meet ...”

Aw man, Dad.

Like any proud father, Staff Sgt. Reginald Wright enjoys introducing his son to his acquaintances. But unlike most parents, the elder Wright gets to do it in a war zone. 

“You know, people here that come to visit, I get to like them, I get to talk to them, get to know them, and I say, ‘Hey, I want you to meet someone.’ I introduce my son to them. And they all stare,” Reginald Wright said. “They give that little look. And then they look at him, and they look at me, and I say, ‘This is my son.’ And they say, ‘Really?’” 

- See more at: http://www.uso.org/overseas-family-reunion/#sthash.MO8wANy6.dpuf

Click here for the whole story!

How to make a fairy tale 101: Video for the USO

In a post I wrote earlier this week, I talked about meeting and following around a wonderful military family while I was working USO Operation: That's My Dress! (OTMD) in Jacksonville, FL on Sunday.

Well, now that my video is done, I thought I'd share the final project with you and tell you a bit more about their story.

Introducing the Ruud family! Meet mom, Vicky, daughter, Brooke, father, Jeremy, and a slew of four other siblings whose names, honestly, I forget!

The Ruuds were gracious enough to let me follow them around all day long on Sunday and film thier OTMD experience, as well as share their story with me.

See, the Ruud family is no stranger to military life. Jeremy has been an active duty service member for over 18 years in the Navy, and currently, is deployed overseas. Him and Vicky have five kids, and have seen it all over the years -- paycheck to paycheck living, holiday deployments, you name it. Luckily, the USO has been there for them in all lives ups and downs.

In fact, the USO, along with a few other sponsors, gave Vicky and Brooke an extra-special suprise last week that made thier OTMD experience that much better!

Watch the video to find out and enjoy!

Behind the Shoot: Filming Trace Adkins & Casey James in at Ft. Hood for the USO

Note: I posted a previous version of this blog post featuring photos that I had to take down for legal reasons. Thank you for understanding and please watch the video I produced from the event & read the new-and-improved post! :)

There's something about shooting a concert that makes me tingle with excitement, without a doubt, each and every time. Maybe it's the huge crowd of excited people. Maybe it's the music blaring in the air. Or maybe, it's the colorful stage lights that twinkle in the audience's eyes.

Whatever reason, I always look forward to covering concerts for the USO -- almost as much as I look forward to doing feature stories with military families, those are still my favorite things to shoot.

While I was busy running (literally running) around shooting video from the day's events and didn't get a chance to chat with any of the military families at the concert, I did get to chat with the USO photographer who was also covering the event, Fred Greaves. He was super nice and I had quite a fun time geeking out with him over photography. It's always nice to meet new people at these events -- even if those new people are working for the same company as me!

Bearing all this in mind, it should come at no surprise to hear that I had a blast while covering my latest assignment for the USO -- a free concert in Ft. Hood featuring Trace Adkins and Casey James. Not only did I get the chance to head back to the 'Great Place' and my home state, but I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with both Trace and Casey and ask them about their respective histories of performing for troops around the world.

Both men have traveled overseas (Trace many, many times with the USO) to entertain deployed service men and women over the years and spoke very sincerely about their admiration for the work and sacrifices troops make by serving the country. I think that's one common theme that runs through all of the celebrity performer interviews I do for the USO -- they all seem so appreciative to be able to sing, dance, do whatever, for men and women in uniform. Often times, they feel like the troops are doing more of a service for them then they are for the troops. It's really moving to see such popular performers speak so humbly about their time spent with troops. I wish everyone could hear them speak so candily and from the heart.

That, at least, is a constant reminder to me that my job to capture these unique sentiments is just that much more important.

Volunteers are just so awesome, aren't they? My latest video for the USO.

BOO! Happy Halloween, you spooky one, you ;)

When I was down in Ft. Benning a few weeks ago shooting a few stories for the USO, I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down and chat with the October Sesame Street/USO Moment Maker of the Month, Elizabeth Gasper.

In my line of work with the USO, I get to talk to a lot of amazing people: Troops who have been injured; Stay at home moms who hold down the fort at home while daddy protects America overseas; Even 60-year-old grandmas who spend their days volunteering for free at their local USO center; And yes, people like Elizabeth Gasper, who are just trying to do the little everyday things to make a difference in their local community.

While Elizabeth has not won any wars or ever worn a uniform herself, she's played a key role in the web of support for those that do chose to put their lives on the line for our country. Elizabeth works for the Ft. Benning MWR, or, for us laypeople, the Ft. Benning Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation -- aka the people who help make sure troops and their families are happy and healthy participants their community.

While this might sound like any old desk job, the more I thought about the importance of Elizabeth Gasper's job to troops across Ft. Benning. Without people like Elizabeth, who would help plan fun family activities during the holidays? Who would ensure military families, and not just the troops, also receive the adequate care and entertainment they so desperately need during difficult times, like deployments?

It's for all these reasons that Elizabeth Gasper was awarded October's Sesame Street/USO Moment Maker of the Month Award, and the reason why I was able to do a video feature about her and her wonderful work with the Ft. Benning community.

A family's Sesame Street story: Tales from Ft. Benning

Remember a few weeks ago I mentioned that I was in Ft. Benning for work for the USO? Well, I finally finished the second story I shot from my trip!

It's a really special video about Samantha Curtis, mother of two, and her awesome family. Right now, Samantha's husband, Zach, is deployed, leaving her home with two kids under three.

While she does what she can to keep the kids busy while daddy's away, Curtis had the chance to go see the USO/Sesame Street show in Ft. Benning -- entirely for free -- and I got to tag along.

Here's their story: