The Unseen Sacrifice, How the USO Stands by Soldiers and Families Amid Deployments

There are no cheering crowds, no grand send-offs, no prolonged embraces in the terminal. Instead, on January 28, 2025, the basketball court at the Newman Fitness Center on Fort Stewart served as a quiet holding area where Soldiers of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team gathered their gear and shared fleeting goodbyes before boarding buses to the aircraft that would carry them into the unknown. The moment was brief - too brief - but there was no other option.

“We used to be able to stand with them at the headquarters building or inside the gym, hold their hand, give them one last look as they walked onto the bus to the air terminal,” said one military spouse in a email interview, who asked to remain anonymous. “Now, it’s a quick hug in the gym parking lot. And then they’re gone, but maybe its better this way.”

While much of the public believes deployments have slowed since the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the truth is quite the opposite. Today’s service members deploy just as often, deploying to the farthest reaches of the world, answering the call to serve wherever needed.

In recent years, the nature of U.S. military engagements has evolved, with a shift from large-scale combat operations to more specialized missions, training exercises, and strategic deployments across various regions. While the overall number of service members deployed in active combat zones may have decreased, service members continue to be stationed globally to support ongoing operations, alliances, and international commitments.

But unlike before, these deployments stretch nine months or longer, leaving families to navigate nearly a year of missed birthdays, anniversaries, a child’s first steps, and graduations alone.

For Soldiers like Staff Sgt. Patrick Quigley, the weight of leaving is suffocating. “The most challenging part of deploying is the emotional connection with my children,” he admitted. “Me and my wife, we can communicate. The kids, they need a different kind of affection. It’s hard to give that through a phone call or a video chat.”

As the Soldiers shouldered their rucks and prepared to board the plane that would take them thousands of miles to their deployment destination, there was one unwavering presence that remained, the USO. The private nonprofit organization that has supported America’s service members since World War II was still there, offering a small but powerful gesture; a hot cup of coffee, a cold bottle of water, and, perhaps most importantly, a moment of reassurance.

The Last Smile They See Before They Leave, The First When They Return

For Matthew, a retired Soldier who served for over 26 years in the U.S. Army, and now works with the USO at Fort Stewart, this mission is personal. “I remember deploying out of this very terminal, and the USO was the last friendly face I saw before I left and the first when I came back,” he said. “Now, I get to be that for someone else.”

Lieutenant Colonel Derrick Taylor, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Hunter Army Airfield, knows the impact of that presence. “Having someone to talk to, even for a moment, right before they leave, it’s invaluable,” he said. “The USO has been with us since 1941, and they’re still here, standing by our Soldiers and their families.”

While the Soldiers stepped into an uncertain mission, their families faced a different battle at home, one of loneliness, resilience, and holding the line until their loved ones return. The USO doesn’t just support the warfighter; they support the spouses left to juggle work and childcare alone, the children struggling to understand why dad or mom won’t be home for Christmas, and the parents who check the news every night, hoping for updates on where their son or daughter might be.

At the staging area, USO volunteers handed out hygiene kits, carefully designed for both male and female service members. Each kit contained the basics, toiletries, razors, shampoo, deodorant, and personal care items, small comforts that would mean everything in the coming weeks. For Soldiers heading into unfamiliar conditions, it was one more reminder that someone had thought of them, cared for them, and wanted them to have what they needed before stepping into the unknown.

Jenny DeVan, a USO volunteer for over 20 years, has seen these struggles firsthand. “Many of these Soldiers have never been on a plane before. They come up to us, ask questions, sometimes just wanting to talk,” she said. “We listen. We encourage. And in those moments, they know they are not alone.”

The USO offers more than snacks and travel lounges, it offers connection. Through the USO Reading Program, deployed parents can record bedtime stories for their children, ensuring that even thousands of miles away, they can still be part of their child’s night. For those arriving at overseas bases, the USO is often the first friendly face in an unfamiliar place. And for spouses navigating life alone, USO programs provide community and support in the absence of their loved one.

Back home, USO Coffee Connections offers a space for military spouses to gather, share experiences, and support each other, helping them build friendships and find encouragement during long deployments. Whether it’s through community-building events or support networks, the USO ensures that families don’t have to navigate this journey alone.

As the last Soldier stepped onto the bus that morning, the gym grew quiet once more. The USO volunteers packed up their coffee stations, their snack tables, their comfort kits. The Soldiers were gone—but the USO remained, standing ready for the next rotation, the next wave of goodbyes, the next mission.

Because while the world may not see these departures, the USO does. And we will be there, every time.

Join the USO in supporting our service members deployed across the globe with words of encouragement and gratitude. Add your message of support here: USO.org/2MillionMessages