Photo By David Tracy | Members of the Tampa International Airport United Service Organization (USO) advisory...... read more read more
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MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The breadth of MacDill/Tampa community expanded last week with the opening of the first USO established in the nation in the last decade.
Located at Tampa International Airport, the new USO will support the active duty and retired military community in Tampa, and is a welcome addition to the growing resources available to MacDill service members, said Col. Matt Molineux, 6th Operations Group commander.
"Tampa greets us with open arms, said Molineux. "They work with us day in and day out to make our relationship better and to find ways to be able to support all of the military that work on MacDill.
"They make it a priority to take care and support the military that is out protecting their freedoms; we are a part of their community and they welcomed us into the community with open arms."
"It's a welcoming atmosphere for them, they're appreciated, their sacrifices are appreciated, and this is one tangible way of the entire community being able to get together to show their tangible appreciation," said Walter Lamerton, Tampa USO chairman, about the new facility coming to Tampa International Airport. There hasn't been a new USO established in the nation in more than a decade.
The groundbreaking ceremony took place at TIA March 15. Guest speakers were Florida U.S. Representative Bill Young; Al Carter, Department of Veterans Affairs chief of staff; Lamerton, and Col. Matt Molineux, 6th Air Mobility Wing Operations Group commander.
Construction for the new 1,100 square-foot facility at TIA is schedule to be completed early July. By August the new USO should be furnished and fully staffed to support an estimated 800 military members, veterans and dependents daily.
Ironically, last Labor Day there were troops sleeping on the floor right in front of where the new USO will be, said Lamerton.
The estimated cost to operate the USO at TIA is $400,000 annually. Lamerton and his staff had to show the need for a USO and show that the community here is supportive enough to fund the expenditure.
"What better things can we do, then to help our military and veterans?," said U.S. Representative Bill Young.
"It took a lot of work and effort ... it took a lot of people from the whole Tampa Bay community, the base and everywhere around to get together to engage the USO headquarter staff as wells as the airport staff and the community at the same time," Lamerton said.
"Florida has the third largest veteran population in the world," said Al Carter, adding that there are about 421,000 veterans within a 60-mile radius from TIA.
The VA is providing pivotal support in the effort to make the Tampa USO a success.
"We hope to partner with the USO and provide support to the veterans and the military in whatever capacity," said Carter. The VA plans to provide aid ranging from: benefit support, fund raising activities or manpower support (getting volunteers to staff the facility).
"Having a place for military, hosted by former military and supporters of the military provides that at home atmosphere... it's veterans supporting veterans," said Carter.
| Date Taken: | 03.15.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 02.04.2014 08:08 |
| Story ID: | 120071 |
| Location: | TAMPA, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 86 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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