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April 28, 2003                                                                       Donna St. John 
Sharon Fletcher
(202) 610-6462 

The USO Announces National Military Appreciation Month

WASHINGTON – The USO is urging Americans to join in paying tribute to our armed forces – past and present – during National Military Appreciation Month, a nationwide celebration observed annually each May. 

“It is important to recognize the courage, heroism and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform, especially at this time in our nation’s history,” said Edward A. Powell, USO president and CEO.  “We owe it to our service members to thank them for the contributions they have made on our behalf, both in times of war and times of peace, and to ensure that succeeding generations are aware of their impact on our nation’s history,” he added.

The USO has been instrumental in the success of National Military Appreciation Month since its inception in 1999 when legislation was passed by Congress.  For the past five years, the USO has encouraged the public to participate and display the American flag, the POW/MIA flag, as well as yellow and red, white and blue ribbons during May through Flag Day, June 14.  Supported by veterans’ service organizations, civic groups and communities, national sports and media events, as well as the general public, the event is dedicated to active duty military personnel, members of the National Guard and Reserves, military families and those who gave their lives in defense of our country.

The USO serves our armed forces through a network of 121 USO centers worldwide, operating airport centers, deployment centers, family and community centers, and mobile canteens.  A private, nonprofit organization, the USO relies on donations from individuals and corporations to support its activities on behalf of service members and their families.

For more information on National Military Appreciation Month, visit http://www.nmam.org/ .  

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