The ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony for the newly remodeled Joint Base Lewis-McChord United Service Organization (USO) Center held today - Nov. 8, on McChord Field, marks a new era for the USO of Puget Sound.

First, it will be renamed The Shali Center after the late Gen. John Shalikashvili, a USO supporter and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs under President Clinton, and his widow and USO Board member and volunteer Joan Shalikashvili. In addition, the organization will be expanding its reach to cover military bases and families throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska, and will become USO Northwest (USONW).

"This is huge for the JBLM community," said Chief Master Sgt. Gordon Drake, command chief of the 62nd Airlift Wing. "This local chapter (of the USO) is a power projection place that has the capacity to move a Stryker Brigade wherever they need to go. It is the strongest, most active and visible USO I've even seen. In my 27 years (of service) and seven deployments, it the last thing we see and the first when we return, and it's like that wherever we go. The type of relationship the military has with the USO is hard to find. They are always there for us, and we don't ever have to ask."

The $375,000 newly renovated center will be used by more than 3,500 troops before deploying in November, and Drake estimates the facility will serve more than half a million Armed Forces personnel in the near future.

"The Shali Center was engineered to move massive deployments," said Don Leingang, USONW executive director and a retired Navy Servicemember of 24-years. "We have made the commitment to serve military and their families and give back 100 percent to benefit units. We are proud to be the only organization on base to take care of deploying troops after they say their final goodbyes. We are that last touch of home in the form or a tuna sandwich, a warm smile, or cup of coffee, and we take that responsibility seriously. No one gets turned away."

The 3,100 square-foot USONW center has free soda, an ADA-compliant restroom, a gaming room with five flat screen TVs (two for Xbox), a state-of-the art cafeteria and free long distance and wi-fi. It also has a private room dedicated to the United through Reading Program, which allows Servicemembers to create videotapes for family before they deploy. 

The USONW also provides grants to military commands to aid Servicemembers, and recently awarded the 62^nd Airlift Wing grants through the Helping Hands Grant and the Airmen Against Drunk Driving campaign.

 "Our volunteers and staff will move mountains to make military comfortable because they have a great love for what they do and their hearts are in it," Leingang said. "Why else would you get up at 2:00 a.m. to make sandwiches? Its more than volunteering, it's taking care of family, and we hope military families know how much we care."

  For more information, please visit the USO's new website at www.usonw.org.