Military Spouse Appreciation Day

All USO centers in Italy united in honor and recognition of Military Spouses stationed across the boot, via a variety of targeted programs- all created to share our organization’s gratitude and appreciation for their service. The celebrations kicked off with heartfelt video messages from Area Senior flag spouses, excited to share their gratitude and acknowledgment for the resiliency, strength and spirit of sacrifice shared by their peers. “ It is because of the love and support you have for our service members, that you contribute to make life easier and less stressful for our troops and family members”, commented Dr. Barbara Burke, spouse of Admiral Burke, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa in her video message. “Think of everything you accomplished in the days or decades of our military spouse life. We moved pets, babies, teenagers and thousands of pounds of household goods across continents- always ready for the next step, while being an anchor for our loved ones”, said Mrs. Lori Blaisdell, spouse of Vice Admiral Black, Commander US Sixth Fleet. America’s military spouses are the backbone of the families who support our troops during mission, deployment, reintegration and reset. Although they may not always wear a uniform, they too, serve and sacrifice alongside their service member while keeping the military strong. In honor and appreciation for Military Spouses, centers in Italy hosted a multitude of initiatives to include virtual message shout outs, free family photo sessions, breakfast events and in person opportunities, that allowed spouses to connect and take a break from the challenges magnified by the COVID pandemic. Pausing and saluting the women and men who do so much to support our troops and country is an important part of our mission and we truly hope that through these support initiatives, our message of appreciations has reached all of the amazing military spouses we proudly serve.