Posted on 11/25/2005 11:42:34 AM PST by Dubya
http://www.starnewsonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2005211250341&source=email MORRISVILLE - It wasn’t a delayed flight that kept Chris Brown at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport all day the day before Thanksgiving.
It was the USO.
The Marine lance corporal drove three hours from Camp Lejeune to take a friend to catch a flight on Tuesday. He spend most of the day Wednesday shooting pool and socializing at the state’s only airport-based USO.
"Someone told me about it, and I thought I’d come hang out here," said Brown, who eventually would leave for a flight to his family’s home near Detroit. "There’s plenty of things to do to pass the time."
The 24-hour club is ordinarily busy, but even more so on the busiest travel weekend of the year.
More than a dozen soldiers were in the room on the second floor of the airports Terminal A on Wednesday.
Some carried plates of turkey and dressing from a table near the small kitchen, while others used a couple of computers, played video games or watched football on television.
The United Services Organization of North Carolina opened its first club in 1941 in Jacksonville. That facility is still in operation.
The airport USO opened in August 2004. Originally, it was to be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and serve an estimated 1,000 people each month.
That number doubled, then tripled, and the center began to stay open around the clock.
"It’s probably a lot more needed than anybody imagined," director George Tuskey said.
He noted that about 70,000 military personnel are on active duty in North Carolina, and many fly out of Raleigh-Durham.
"What our mission is, is to accommodate the needs of these guys," Tuskey said. "We make them feel like somebody appreciates them. They’ve just been through basic training, where they’re told they’re nothing. We’re the first person they encounter who tells them they’re somebody special and that what they do is appreciated."
Hiram Fuller knows that feeling. During the Air Force veteran’s two tours in Thailand and Vietnam more than 30 years ago, the USO shows starring Bob Hope were bright spots.
"It was the one thing to look forward to," he said.
In the words of my son, who us in the US Navy, "Mom, the USO is AWESOME!". Flying to his first duty station, alone, this past August, he found himself at San Diego Airport with no idea of how to find a place to stay until he had to report to base, how to get his stuff there, etc. He found the airport USO and they were a Godsend! They made all arrangements for him - even arranged a ride to base the next day. What angels! It greatly eased this moms heart!
God bless the USO!
During my time in the Marine Corps, there were a number of times I availed myself of U.S.O. facilities, and greatly enjoyed the entertainment they provided including Bob Hopes Christmas 1967 tour with Raquel.
USO BUMP!!!
I'll bet I watched that on TV! My family NEVER missed a Bob Hope special with the troops!
Oh, and stumpy, THANK YOU for your service sweetie!
God Bless!
sneakers
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