Photo By Janecze Wright | Taylor Garcia, military spouse and Fort Hood USO volunteer, reads “Flat Stanley: His...... read more read more
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FORT HOOD, Texas — The Fort Hood USO marked a milestone this year with its 24th Birthday Bash and celebrated the occasion with a 10-day celebration from Aug. 4 through Aug. 14.
Packed with fun, food and heartfelt appreciation, the event honored over two decades of dedicated support to service members and their families at one of the largest military installations in the country.
“The USO does so much for our Fort Hood community, and we wanted to make sure that we celebrated and highlighted all of the opportunities and resources that we have available for them,” said Julie Mendez, center operations manager, Fort Hood USO.
The USO, known for its mission to strengthen America’s military service members by keeping them connected to family, home and country, pulled out all the stops for the birthday celebration. Daily events were designed to bring joy, build community, show appreciation for the military personnel who rely on the USO’s resources year-round and usher in the new school year. There were also giveaways and interactive experiences tailored for Soldiers, spouses and families.
The USO kicked things off with a Story Time event for parents and children to socialize and unwind while enjoying a story and snacks.
Taylor Garcia, military spouse and USO volunteer, read “Flat Stanley: His Original Adventure,” by Jeff Brown, as part of the celebration.
Garcia said volunteering gets her out of the house and allows her to use her experience in early childhood education, and she praised the USO for their support of the military community.
“The USO, they put so much time and effort into the events and supporting military families, and they deserve recognition for their work,” Taylor said.
Festivities continued with refreshing snow cones, freshly spun cotton candy and a festive photo op to kick off the new school year. Patrons took a mid-week pause to focus on health during Wellness Wednesday and enjoyed a live cooking demonstration, complete with samples of delicious and easy-to-learn recipes.
The celebration wrapped with a Back-to-School Birthday Bash complete with a custom backdrop prime for epic selfies, themed crafts, tasty treats and a special gift to take home, as well as the opportunity to socialize and bond over coffee during Coffee Connections.
Mendez noted meeting Soldiers and families where they are and being flexible to accommodate the diversity of the community is essential.
“Not one event is going to be perfect for everyone, and we have such a large community here,” she said. “With such a large community and with various demographics here at Fort Hood, we wanted to make sure that we try to have something available for everyone.”
In addition to special events like the birthday celebration, the Fort Hood USO also offers a variety of resources and services throughout the week such as Power Hour Lunches, workshops and assorted family friendly activities. It is also sometimes just a place to relax and unwind.
As the USO looks ahead to marking a quarter of a century of dutiful service, the organization plans to build upon the standard of excellence it has established over the years and strengthen community partnerships to continue to support and provide for the military community.
“We’re just so proud of our time and our experience here at Fort Hood, and we like to celebrate our partnership with both the base and with our community every year,” Mendez expressed.
For more information about upcoming USO Fort Hood events and volunteer opportunities, visit forthood.uso.org. Soldiers and families can also use the USO facilities located at Bldg. 121, 761st Tank Battalion Ave. open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and noon to 6 p.m. on Saturdays.
| Date Taken: | 08.21.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.22.2025 14:43 |
| Story ID: | 546268 |
| Location: | FORT HOOD, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 13 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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