General Frank J. Grass to Lead First-Ever National Guard USO Tour and Travel to Four Countries in Six Days

ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 17, 2016 --


WHAT:            National Guard USO Tour Led by General Frank J. Grass


WHO:              Star of CBS' hit show "Scorpion" Robert Patrick
                       Platinum-selling country star Jerrod Niemann
                       NBA legend and Olympic Gold Medalist Sam Perkins
                       Actor Matthew Lillard
                       Top 10 in the world UFC middleweight, Special Forces Sniper, Ranger qualified and Green Beret assigned to the SOD(A), Tim Kennedy


WHEN:            Spring 2016


WHERE:          Various locations 
                      Note. For security reasons, the country names and tour dates cannot be released at this time.                                                                         
 

WHY:               For the first time in its 75-year history, the USO has joined forces with the Chief of the National Guard Bureau and will soon send a variety-style USO entertainment tour abroad. Led by the Chief of National Guard Bureau General Frank J. Grass, the USO tour will visit four countries in six days. Accompanying Grass as his special guests will be the star of CBS' hit show "Scorpion," Robert Patrick, platinum-selling country star Jerrod Niemann, NBA legend and Olympic Gold Medalist Sam Perkins, actor Matthew Lillard and Top 10 in the world UFC middleweight, Special Forces Sniper, Ranger qualified and Green Beret assigned to the SOD(A), Tim Kennedy. 

Part of the USO's yearlong 75^th anniversary celebration, the National Guard USO tour will spend time at five bases in Europe and the Middle East. Scheduled activities include are USO shows, meet & greets and an array of unit visits. This trip will mark the sixth USO tour for Patrick, fourth for Lillard and the first for the remainder of the group.

As the 27^th Chief of the National Guard Bureau, Grass serves as a military adviser to the president, secretary of defense and National Security Council. In this capacity he is also responsible for ensuring the more than 458,000 Army and Air National Guard personnel are accessible, capable and ready to protect the homeland and provide combat resources to the Army and Air Force.

QUOTES: 

Attributed to General Frank J. Grass:
"It's wonderful to see this talented group taking time away from their schedules to personally thank American troops. My wife, Pat, and I would like to thank the USO for its efforts to support troops and families for the past 75 years. It's truly a pleasure to work with them for this first National Guard-hosted USO tour." 

Attributed to Robert Patrick:             
"I've been on many USO tours since I first started volunteering with the USO and I am very grateful to General Grass for the opportunity to be a part of this year's first-ever National Guard-hosted USO tour. I am really looking forward to the trip and can't wait to extend my admiration and thanks to our men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces."

Attributed to Matthew Lillard:
"My favorite thing about USO tours is talking to service members… learning about what they do, listening to their stories and simply just spending time with them. I think that is what makes each trip so special. I'm truly honored to have been asked to join General Grass on his first USO tour and am really excited about all the bases and troops we will get to visit." 
 
About the USO

The USO strengthens America's military service members by keeping them connected to family, home and country, throughout their service to the nation. At hundreds of locations worldwide, we are united in our commitment to connect our service members and their families through countless acts of caring, comfort, and support. The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency. Our programs, services and entertainment tours are made possible by the American people, support of our corporate partners and the dedication of our volunteers and staff.

In addition to individual donors and corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by President's Circle Partners: AT&T, the BNSF Railway Foundation, Clark Construction Group, LLC, The Coca-Cola Company, FedEx, Johnson & Johnson, Kroger, NFL and Four-Star Partners: Advisors Excel, BIC, ConAgra Foods, GEICO, JCPenney, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Starbucks, TKS and the Wawa Foundation. We are also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). To join us in this important mission, and to learn more about the USO, please visit uso.org.

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