USO to Celebrate Grand Opening of USO Center on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune

Leaders from Marine Corps Installations East-Marine Corps Base (MCIEAST-MCB) Camp Lejeune and United Service Organizations (USO) will host a grand opening ceremony on September 14 at 11:00 am, marking the official opening of the USO’s newest center on a Marine Corps base.

The establishment of the new USO center on Camp Lejeune was carefully coordinated between MCIEAST-MCB Camp Lejeune leadership and the USO and will provide programs and services to over 40,000 active duty service members and their families who live on base and in the surrounding community.

Colonel Adolfo Garcia Jr., Commander, MCIEAST-MCB Camp Lejeune, will officiate the ceremony, joined by Lisa Marie Riggins, USO Regional President, Southeast Region and Kelli Willoughby, Executive Director, USO North Carolina.

“Having a USO centrally located on our base is a tremendous asset and testament to our enduring commitment to support the well-being of our Marines, Sailors, and their families,” Garcia said. “The amenities and services the USO provides have sustained our military through some very tough times in our nation’s history. Their long-term presence on Camp Lejeune means our service members will always have a place they can go to relax, unwind, and feel appreciated.”

The new USO center will serve as a home away from home, where service members and their families can go for special programs, offering a warm, welcoming, alcohol-free lounge; internet connectivity for guests; healthy drinks and snacks; and various forms of entertainment such as board games, video games, TV, and books.

USO center staff will also provide additional programming during special observances and holidays, and outreach support to the surrounding local military installations throughout the year.

“A tremendous amount of planning and collaboration have gone into making the dream of a USO center on Camp Lejeune a reality,” said Riggins. “This dream would not be possible without the support of Marine Corps Installations East-Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune leadership, the local military community, supporters, partners and the USO North Carolina Advisory Board, and we are grateful for your commitment and dedication to the care of the Marines, Sailors and their families who will benefit from the USO’s world-class programs and services.”

Interested media should contact mcieastcommstrat@usmc.mil by noon, Sept. 13 and be prepared to meet an escort at 10:15 a.m., the morning of Sept 14, at the Wilson Gate visitor’s center.