Members of the United Service Organizations Board of Governors visited here on March 4 as part of an immersion tour designed to highlight the missions and capabilities of reserve and guard forces supporting global operations and domestic response.
The visit included engagements with Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve and Army National Guard units operating from Joint Base San Antonio. Leaders from the wings briefed the delegation on strategic airlift operations and how reserve components support the U.S. military’s global mobility mission.
Col. Brendon Bartholomew, 433rd Airlift Wingdeputy commander, provided an overview of the wing’s operational and training missions along with the role of the C-5MSuper Galaxy in transporting oversized cargo and personnel worldwide.
Bartholomew said the C-5 is an incredible strategic asset. It can carry roughly 280,000 pounds of cargo and fly nearly 5,000 miles without refueling, allowing the U.S. military to move significant amounts of equipment or personnel anywhere in the world.
Members of the Board of Governors toured the aircraft and spoke directly with aircrew about operations, training, and the demands of supporting global mobility operations. During the visit, board members observed how the integrated structure enables total force collaboration across units and components.
Retired U.S. Navy Adm. Christopher Grady, a member of the USO Board of Governors and former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said meeting with service members firsthand provided valuable insight into the missions they support.
“It’s easy to sit in a boardroom and forget who you're serving,” said Grady. “The more that we can get to the flight line, the field, or out to the fleet, the better we understand the demands on the individual member of the joint force… that's absolutely critical.”
Barbara Barrett, the 25th Secretary of the Air Force and a member of the USO Board of Governors, said the tour provided a unique opportunity to learn about the 433rd AW’s dual operational and training mission as the C-5 Formal Training Unit.
“It’s impressive to see the quality of the young people that are training and the first-rate caliber of the people who've chosen to be a part of the United States Air Force,” said Barrett, who is the owner and CEO of Triple Creek Ranch when she is not serving on the board. “I'm honored to have served with the Air Force, and it's a real pleasure to continue that service to the military members and their families through the USO.”
Earlier in the day, the group received a mission overview from the Texas Air National Guard’s 149th Fighter Wing, which included a visit to an F-16 Fighting Falcon.
In keeping with the joint nature of the tour, board members also received a hands-on briefing and walkaround of a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. Pilots and crew members assigned to Charlie Company, 2-149 General Support Aviation Battalion, a part of the Texas Army National Guard's 36th Combat Aviation Brigade, discussed the aircraft's impressive capabilities. They highlighted its crucial role in executing air assaults, life-saving medical evacuations, and rapid disaster response missions.
For more than 78 years, the USO has served as a leading nonprofit supporting U.S. service members and their families throughout every stage of military life through programs, services and support designed to strengthen their well-being.
Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Michael Linnington, the USO’s chief executive officer, said the immersion allowed the board of governors, many of them military veterans themselves, to see firsthand the positive impact of the programs and services the USO provides for service members around the world.
“The crews of the C-5 Galaxy are incredibly dedicated,” said Linnington. “They're committed to their craft, and they're really focused on what's important.”