USO Florida

Exciting News for Florida Drivers! The USO is making history with its first-ever Specialty License Plate, now available for pre-sale in Florida! This isn’t just a license plate - it’s a symbol of your commitment to supporting our service members and their families. A portion of each purchase helps fund critical programs to strengthen the well-being of the people serving in America's military and their families here in Florida and across the globe. Let’s turn Florida’s roads into a powerful show of appreciation for those who serve! ?? Here’s how you can get involved: ?? Click here: https://lnkd.in/eN_pNrdr ?? Purchase a pre-sale voucher for yourself or ?? gift one to someone else! ?? Share the word! Don’t wait - be part of this historic moment today! Together, let’s fill Florida’s roads with pride and gratitude for those who serve. Every plate makes a difference! A heartfelt thank you to Paz Patel, one of our esteemed senior USO Florida Advisory Council Members and CEO of Trent-Trust Investments for his leadership, passion and commitment in stewarding this initiative and making this possible. #USOPlate #ForThePeopleWhoServe #FloridaDrivers #USOMission #FirstEverUSOPlate

Yesterday was an unforgettable day at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Salute to Service game! The USO was proud to join in honoring the brave men and women who serve our nation and their incredible families. As part of this special event, we celebrated the General H. Norman Schwarzkopf Military Family of the Year Awards, which honor a local family from each branch of the military - Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy, and Space Force. These families embody the values of integrity, courage, commitment, and service before self, exemplifying what it means to share in the sacrifices of service to our country. A heartfelt thank you to Brian Ford, the Bucs' Chief Operating Officer, and Zak Zumbiel, the Bucs' Community Impact Manager, for their unwavering support and dedication to making this event meaningful and impactful. Your commitment to recognizing and supporting military families truly makes a difference. The National Football League (NFL)'s Salute to Service program is about more than just a game - it’s a tribute to those who protect our freedoms and a reminder that their service does not go unnoticed. This program demonstrates the power of community, respect, and gratitude, bringing us all together to honor and support the heroes among us. To all who serve, have served and their families: we see you, we appreciate you, and we are proud to stand with you. #SaluteToService #USO #TampaBayBuccaneers #MilitaryFamily #ThankYouForYourService #CommunitySupport #HonoringOurHeroes Dr. Kimberly DeVries, DEL, LSSBB, Aaron Bowman

Congratulations to Dr. Kimberly DeVries, DEL, LSSBB, of USO Central Florida, for being recognized by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an AdventHealth "Goal Getter," for her outstanding contributions to our mission. This honor reflects her dedication and positive impact on our service members and their families. Kimberly's leadership and commitment exemplify the spirit of service that the USO strives to uphold. We are proud to have her as part of our team and celebrate this well-deserved recognition. #SaluteToService #WeAreTheKrewe #USO

Today's USO, National Football League (NFL) Salute to Service Showdown Media Day is officially a wrap, and what an incredible day it was! The USO's ongoing partnership with the National Football League (NFL) continues to exemplify our shared commitment to honoring and supporting our service members and their families. This year's Media Day brought unforgettable moments, filled with stories of resilience, friendly competition, and heartfelt connections that will resonate well beyond the field. A huge thank you to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for their generous support and hospitality, making this event not only possible but exceptional for everyone involved. Special thanks to the Buccaneers' Chief Operating Officer Brian A. Ford, Jr., and Zak Zumbiel for their leadership and unwavering commitment to our military community. Kudos to our USO teammates Callum Fletcher, Dana Hustedt, Dr. Kimberly DeVries, DEL, LSSBB and Ben Gomez, for coordinating this event, to include Matthew Borrett and his team for the amazing content capture and for creating this video! Here's to another successful chapter in the Salute to Service journey and to all those who contributed to creating these powerful experiences. We’re proud to continue this mission and can’t wait to see who comes out on top tomorrow! #NFLSaluteToService #USO #NFL #TampaBayBuccaneers #BehindTheScenes #HonoringOurHeroes #MilitaryAppreciation #GOBUCS

This week, we are filled with gratitude as the Tampa Bay Lightning graciously donated $8,350 to the USO, furthering our mission of strengthening the well-being of the people serving in America's military and their families. The unwavering support from partners like the Tampa Bay Lightning ensures that we can continue to provide critical programs and services to service members and their families, both at home and abroad. Your commitment reflects the true spirit of community and teamwork, values that resonate deeply with the USO and those we serve. To the Lightning and all who stand behind their dedication to military families; thank you for believing in the power of connection and showing that our service members are never alone. Special thanks to Dr. Kimberly DeVries, DEL, LSSBB, the Area Operations Manager who oversees all USO operations and mission delivery throughout Central Florida for your leadership and representing the USO during the presentation of this donation! #ThankYou #TampaBayLightning #USO #SupportOurTroops #CommunityMatters #ForThePeopleWhoServe Aaron Bowman Laura Hersperger

Congratulations to Air Force Gaming team for taking home the USO Commander's Cup two years in a row. It is an honor to host the Commanders Cup at our USO Gaming Center at Eglin Air Force Base!

We were delighted to join our teammates and partners Tampa Bay Buccaneers and USAA in celebrating our local military service members and their families as part of Military Day presented by USAA at 2024 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Training Camp this past Wednesday, August 7th, 2024. Special thanks to military veterans Pete Hidalgo, our newest USO Florida Advisory Council Member, and Cappy Surette the Senior Manager of Corporate Communications with Disney, for joining us in celebrating our local military community in Tampa during this event. Together, we are strengthening the well-being of the people serving in America's military and their families through our shared love of NFL Football and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. GO BUCS!

As summer draws to a close, families across the nation are preparing for the back-to-school season. For our military families, this transition can be especially challenging due to frequent moves and deployments that come with military life. Recognizing these challenges, our local USO Florida Center staff and volunteers at Naval Air Station Jacksonville and Tampa have stepped in to provide invaluable support to military children through programs, events and school supply distributions. Thank you to Freedom Mortgage for supporting our USO Center in Jacksonville Florida again this year, helping collect and distribute 1,000 bookbags filled with school supplies to our local military families. Read more by following the story link: https://lnkd.in/e386up7n Aaron Bowman, Laura Hersperger

Thank you and congratulations to PCS Pools for being recognized as one of the USO's extraordinary military supporters of 2024! As a Veteran owned business, PCS Pools is committed to strengthening the well-being of the people serving in America's military and their families across the globe, and in their own back yard in Tampa, Fla. PCS Pools offers special pricing for military veterans, law enforcement, first responders, and educators. To learn more about PCS Pools and how they give back to the local community and other notable charities, please visit www.pcs-pools.com today.???

We are excited to announce the recent appointment of Pete Hidalgo, Global Advisory Services Leader for MagicOrange as USO Florida’s newest Advisory Council Member! Pete is also a successful entrepreneur via his role as Founder and President of PHJ Management, Inc., where he invests in local companies and assists them in scaling their businesses and improving their operations. As a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Pete proudly served in the U.S. Army as an Air Defense Artillery Officer, and he is no stranger to the many challenges our military service members and their families face. “As a West Point graduate and successful businessperson, I want to give back to those who serve and protect our country,” said Pete. Pete’s decades of leadership and expertise in public communications, information technology and financial services will help to bring greater awareness of the USO’s programs and services throughout Florida and the local Tampa area, while supporting the 300K+ service members and their families who call Florida home. Also, in his new role as an advisory council member, Pete will actively seek development and fundraising opportunities to support the USO’s mission of strengthening the well-being of the people serving in America’s military and their families.