The White Falcon - 26.02.1993, Page 6

USO dishes
Story and photos by
J02 Carlos Bongloannl
up 52 years of service
Fifty-two years ago this month, the United
Service Organization (USO) came into exis-
tence to give U.S. military members of World
War II a sense of home while away from
home. Since that time, the USO has strived
to fulfill its mission of service while adapting
to the changing military scene.
In its early years of operation, the USO
concentrated on the single, military member.
With the considerable percentage of married
personnel in today’s volunteer force, the focus
is expanding to include family members.
For the past 21 years, USO Keflavfk has
catered to the varied needs of the base com-
munity, providing service to active duty as
well as family members. The traditional free
cup of coffee is a given, but the USO offers
much more. It’s a place to hang out with
The USO is an alternative recreational spot
on base where people can go for a non-alco-
holic environment. Steve Campbell, Senior
alA.T. Mahan, is a familiarface at the USO.
"This is great. There's no other place my
friends and l can go to shoot pool and get
something to eat at the same time. 1 come
here almost every day. I love it," said
Campbell.
Customers of all ages come out to enjoy a meal at the USO. An average of 100 pounds offish
and 50 pounds of chicken are served every Friday night. The USO opens at 7 a.m. weekdays
and 8 a.m. on weekends. They close at 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, but remain open
until 4 a.m. early morning Friday and Saturday. Below, SSgt. Dave Johnson prepares a plate
of food during a Friday Night Fish Fry. One of 33 part-time employees at the USO .Johnson
appreciates the opportunity to serve others while earning some extra cash.
friends, watch movies free of charge,
get a bite to eat or even browse around
in its gift shop. (It offers 10 percent
off all merchandise on military pay-
days.)
The USO sponsors local trips to
the Blue Lagoon, the skating rink in
Reykjavik and the Hard Rock Cafe.
There’s the annual six-day tour around
Iceland June 13 through 18, too. USO
Keflavik also hosts Department of
Defense sponsored shows, sometimes
with big-name personalities.
According to Colleen Ward, USO
Director, Keflavik, “In terms of the
number of workers employed (33),
this facility is the largest USO over-
seas... We are a completely self-
sufficient, non-profit organization,
and we’re proud to be here because of
the support and closeness we feel
from the community.”
Currently, sections of the USO are
under renovation. Contractors are
building an enclosed front entrance
plus expanding rest-room facilities
and freezer space. “The changes and
additions should improve service and
provide a more pleasant atmosphere
to patrons,” said Ward.
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