March 31, 2019
WASHINGTON -- The vice chairman’s annual USO tour kicked off yesterday with a performance for service members and families stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
This is Gen. Paul J. Selva’s fourth and final USO tour since becoming vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
"It's an honor to join the USO to thank our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, and their families for all they do to keep our nation safe. It's important they know that everybody back home cares about them and what they're doing to defend America and the values we hold dear,” said Selva.
The seven-day tour includes stops in six different countries in the U.S. European and U.S. Central Command areas of responsibility and provides an opportunity to boost morale for service members and families stationed overseas.
This year’s tour includes celebrity chef Robert Irvine; country music artist Craig Morgan; professional fighters Chris Weidman, BJ Penn and Felice Herrig; former MLB player Shane Victorino; and professional surfer Makua Rothman. This is the 16th USO tour for Irvine, 11th USO tour for Morgan, and the first USO tour for the other performers.
All USO performers volunteered to travel to participate in variety-style shows and troop engagements to show service members that America remembers them and values their service.
“I’ve experienced firsthand how important these visits are to service members and their families stationed abroad, and I’m honored to join General Selva on this USO tour and to bring a bit of home to our troops,” said Morgan.
“The USO was originally created to be a home away from home for our troops serving overseas,” said Irvine. “Today, after having taken part in more than a dozen USO tours, I get to say that the USO has become my home away from home, and it is the honor of my life. I will continue to serve our men and women in uniform, in whatever small way I can, for the rest of my life.”
For more than 78 years, the USO--a private, non-profit organization-- has strengthened America’s military service members by keeping them connected to family, home and country, throughout their service to the nation. To learn more, visit: www.uso.org/force.
Follow the tour on the Joint Staff’s social media accounts:
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube,
LinkedIn and Flickr.
For more Joint Staff news, visit: www.jcs.mil.