Members and partners provide thousands of supplies to soldiers in need

Within the last few weeks, the Army’s Army, the world’s only volunteer organization of citizens and businesses who’ve pledged their moral, physical and spiritual support to those in the military, has provided assistance to the USO and Family Readiness Group for the 1st Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery (1-7 ADA), of the 108th ADA Brigade at Fort Bragg, helping to collect personal items for more than 2,250 care packages that will be distributed to soldiers as they return from deployment.

When Army’s Army partner Pam Sise, president of the Fayetteville Area Hospitality Association (FAHA) and general manager of the Residence Inn and TownePlace Suites by Marriott – Cross Creek, heard that the USO on Fort Bragg didn’t have enough supplies to fill 2,000 care packages for its Rack Pack Program, she asked the Army’s Army to help get the word out.  Through an email, the Army’s Army reached out to and requested assistance from its 1,100+ members and 46 partners, who responded within minutes of receiving the message, offering to lend a hand.

“I would like to thank the Army’s Army for its overwhelming response and strong support of our soldiers and their families,” said Sise.

Through the Rack Pack Program, the USO places packages containing basic-needs items such as washcloths, shampoo, conditioner, shaving gel, toothbrushes, and other items, on the bunks of single soldiers who have been deployed for several months and will return to an empty room.  The items help the soldiers, many of whom have no transportation to go off-post, get through the first 48 hours after their return.

Fort Bragg Federal Credit Union, an Army’s Army partner organization, provided the USO with supplies for all 2,000 Rack Packs.  “This collaboration is extremely fitting and meaningful to us as a military credit union with deep roots to Fort Bragg and its soldiers,” said David Elliott, president and CEO of Fort Bragg Federal Credit Union.  “It is just a small way for us to say thank you to our troops for the sacrifices they’ve made by supporting this effort through the USO.”

Army’s Army member and Family Readiness Support Assistant for the 1-7 ADA, Shelby Brown, contacted the Army’s Army to help with donations for 250 care packages they would be supplying to their returning soldiers.  Immediately, Army’s Army members and the USO stepped-up to help fulfill their request. Due to the overwhelming amount of donations to the USO, they graciously decided to supply the 1-7 ADA Family Readiness Group with all the 250 care packages they needed.

“The Army’s Army is an awesome organization and is to be highly praised for their prompt and excellent response for those soldiers who would otherwise go to an empty barracks room,” said Brown.

With dozens of individual Army’s Army members also providing supplies to the USO and 1-7 ADA Family Readiness Group, both organizations have more than enough items to provide to the soldiers.  The members and partners of the Army’s Army, citizens and businesses in America’s First Military Sanctuary Community, Fayetteville/Cumberland County, have proven once again that they don’t just give lip service to “support the troops,” they live it.

About the USO:
The mission of the USO of NC is to serve and support America’s military and their families.  Our vision is to lead the way in enriching the lives of America’s military in the Carolinas.

Congress has chartered the USO as a non-profit charitable corporation.  It is not, however, a part of the United States Government even though it has been endorsed by the President of the United States and the Department of Defense.  Each President has been the Honorary Chairman of the USO since its inception.

About the Family Readiness Group:
A Soldier/Family Readiness Group is a command sponsored organization of family members, volunteers, soldiers, and civilian employees belonging to a unit, that together provide an avenue of mutual support and assistance and a network of communications among the family members, the chain of command, chain of concern, and community resources.