As Soldiers working at Ellington Joint Reserve Base, we regard this issue as personal. We miss the invaluable services provided by the United Service Organizations (USO), a crucial institution that once existed on base as a local support system. Not only did we depend on it, but future Soldiers also need this fundamental resource. The sudden closure of the USO facility took away the vital support, emotional and practical, we and our families largely rely on amidst rigorous military life.

Now more than ever, we need to reinstate the USO on our base. The USO has historical significance; its inception dates back to 1941 and it now operates more than 200 centers worldwide. Additionally, a Pew Research Center report notes that an estimated 1.3 million active-duty personnel serve in the U.S. military, with many depending on services like USO for physical and emotional support. Alone Texas has over 100,000 Reserve and National Guard Soldiers. 

This plea is not only to bring back what once was, but to ensure the well-being of countless servicemen and women in the present and future. The understated significance of the USO's operation inherently falls under the support that we, as a nation, pledge to our Soldiers.

We request you to stand with us in appealing this cause to the authoritative bodies in Washington, D.C. Let's bring back our local support system at Ellington Joint Reserve Base. Please, sign this petition to make our collective voice heard.