Features

Doesn’t matter where, USO is there

Story and photos by Staff Sgt. Robert McIlrath
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
May 20, 2022
Lt. Col. Mark Nexon, 496th Air Base Squadron commander, Kayla Clark, Naval Station Rota USO center manager, and Staff Sgt. Erika Sidari, 496th ABS air transportation function supervisor, cut a ribbon to signify the opening of the USO at Morón Air Base, Spain, April 8, 2022. Sidari, who was the POC for the USO opening, worked for nearly 10 months to see the job get done. Prior to the ribbon cutting ceremony, Morón AB did not have a permanent USO facility. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Robert L. McIlrath)

For over 80 years the United Service Organization has been providing U.S. military members on active duty, reserve and guard, and their families, a place of refuge while traveling or off duty at their duty station.

Morón Air Base, Spain, has hosted a few temporary USO locations on base, but on April 8, after a ribbon cutting ceremony, their USO found a permanent home.

“The USO has been moved around in the building a couple times,” said Lt. Col. Mark D. Nexon, 496th Air Base Squadron commander. “I can’t see it getting moved again, this is the home now.”

Before this opening, the closest permanent USO was located about an hour drive south in Naval Station Rota, Spain.

“So much time, effort and energy went into making this feel like a home away from home,” said Kayla Clark, NAVSTA Rota USO center manager. “We are so excited to have a USO presence in Morón.”

The process for establishing a permanent USO location began in the late summer of 2021 and had its share of challenges along the way.

A ribbon cutting ceremony took place on April 8, 2022 to signify the grand opening of a permanent USO facility at Morón AB, Spain. The USO will provide a comfortable place for traveling service members to relax in between troop movements. Prior to the ribbon cutting ceremony, Morón AB did not have a permanent USO facility. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Robert L. McIlrath)

There was a need to get furniture, snacks and outside vendors to fill some of the other needs that a new USO would require.

“Initially the logistics of acquiring items from other locations as well finding room for a USO here was a challenge,” said Staff Sgt. Erika Sidari, 496th ABS air transportation function supervisor and primary POC for the USO at Morón AB. “Typically USOs are near the passenger terminal and we had the space for it.”

With the official ribbon cutting ceremony completed and the new USO open for patrons, Sidari commented on the overall success leading up to that.

“We did a soft opening last month, so far I’ve seen people in there all the time, people reading, people taking snacks,” Sidari said. “I’ve had some of the deployers come up and say that they enjoy being there and it’s somewhere nice where they can relax and that makes me happy.”

The Morón AB USO is located in building 1411, next to the passenger terminal.

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