RDU Airport, NC – On Thursday, August 5, the USO of North Carolina and the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority will officially open North Carolina’s first airport-based USO center. The lounge will offer service members and their families a place to rest and relax while waiting for their flight to depart or for transportation to one of the state’s military bases.

The USO and the Airport Authority teamed up to develop the 1,500 square foot facility, which is located in Terminal A on the second floor directly above the AirTran ticket counter. The Airport Authority voted earlier in the year to donate the space and construction costs to convert the former office space into a lounge for military service members. The USO is providing financial support, staffing and furnishings.

The center will open officially on Thursday when Brigadier General Ronald Coleman, Congressman Bradley Miller and RDU Airport Director John Brantley dedicate the space to U.S. Military. Over 150 dignitaries, military officers and government representatives are expected to attend the ceremony, which will be held at 10 a.m. at the RDU Airport Authority building. Shuttle service to the USO Center will be available immediately following the grand opening festivities.

Over fifty-five volunteers have signed up to assist service members who enter the USO center. Volunteers will provide assistance to meet service members’ unique travel needs.

“The Triangle community has welcomed the USO with open arms,” said Judy Pitchford, president and CEO, USO of North Carolina, Inc. “Thanks to the support of this community, we will open a center that will provide a smiling face and safe, quiet place to relax for our men and women of the armed forces and their families.”

Amenities in the USO lounge will include computers with high-speed Internet access, kitchenette, snacks and beverages, large screen television, children’s area, changing rooms and overstuffed recliners.

“Over the years, RDU volunteers and staff have worked closely with the military to make travel for our service members as comfortable and convenient as possible,” said RDU Airport Director John Brantley. “A USO center has been needed, and we are proud to partner with our community and USO of North Carolina to provide this service to our military men and women.”

The USO center is essential at RDU because the airport is the arrival and departure point for service members from the state’s six major bases. Each month, nearly 1,500 military men and women travel through the airport. There are also numerous military units located in the Triangle, including the National Guard and Navy, Marine and Coast Guard reservists who will benefit from the USO’s outreach programs and services.

About the USO of North Carolina
The mission of the USO of NC is to enhance the quality of life of the U.S. Armed Forces personnel and their families within our geographic boundaries and to create a cooperative relationship between the U.S. military communities and the supporting civilian community. The USO of NC is a voluntary nonprofit organization that receives no federal funding and relies solely on the support and generosity of the American public.

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