USO offers home away from home

Military personnel and their families know all too well what it means to miss holidays. Nevertheless, the USO on Fort Sill ensured that Marines and Soldiers were be able to celebrate.

Between 50 to 60 volunteers with the USO began cooking on Monday, getting ready to prepare their “#operationfeastmode” dinner serving up to 700 Marines, Soldiers, and the Fort Sill Community, according to Fort Sill USO Executive Director Jennifer Waters. As of 11:30 a.m. Friday, nearly half that had already been served.

“Our volunteers really enjoy knowing that it’s made by their own hands to serve our service members and their families,” said Waters.

One of those volunteers was Col. Jared W. Stoutenborough, Commanding Officer of the Marine School of Fires at Fort Sill. He had been looking forward to the event, “It’s an annual tradition here. It’s an opportunity to just say ‘thank you’ to our Marines, who help me on a personal and professional basis every day.”

“It’s one of the highlights of the year, it’s my favorite season and if there’s one thing I can count on it’s that Marines love enjoying a good meal.” he said.

Another set of helping hands, Major General Phil Brooks, Commanding General of the Fires Center of Excellence at Fort Sill said: “We’re here because they can’t be home, where they would like to be. So we’re here serving them a Thanksgiving meal because they serve our nation so proudly.”

Hunter Kelley, 2nd Lieutenant in the Marine Corps, was told by command that a lunch would be served at the USO on Wednesday. The event was a great way to feel a piece of home. “This is a good opportunity to sit down and break bread with other Marines in the detachment,” said Kelley.

Cindy Stoutenborough, wife of Colonel Stoutenborough, who has served for 31 years, volunteered with the USO for an opportunity “to have all the Marines come together, for them all to be in one place when they can’t be with their families. It is just very nice, especially since we can’t be with our family either.”