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USO center at Charlotte Douglas wins top national honors


E4 Specialist Kevin Lancial checks his cell phone while sitting in the USO lounge next to the Christmas tree Saturday morning. About 4,000 soldiers in basic training at Fort Jackson will come through Charlotte Douglas International Airport in the annual Operation Victory Block Leave, also called Operation Exodus, event. Volunteers from the USO Charlotte Center and other groups will greet the soldiers, give them directions to gates or to the second-floor balcony where they can get a free breakfast or relax before headed home for a two-week leave. They began arriving at the airport around 3:30am on Saturday December 20, 2014.
E4 Specialist Kevin Lancial checks his cell phone while sitting in the USO lounge next to the Christmas tree Saturday morning. About 4,000 soldiers in basic training at Fort Jackson will come through Charlotte Douglas International Airport in the annual Operation Victory Block Leave, also called Operation Exodus, event. Volunteers from the USO Charlotte Center and other groups will greet the soldiers, give them directions to gates or to the second-floor balcony where they can get a free breakfast or relax before headed home for a two-week leave. They began arriving at the airport around 3:30am on Saturday December 20, 2014. File/jsimmons@charlotteobserver.com

The USO center that serves military members and their families flying into and out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport has been named tops in the country.

The center was named the top large stateside USO center at the annual TellUSO Awards ceremony in Chicago on Thursday. The center is formally known as the USO of North Carolina Charlotte Center.

The awards were based on the results of the 2014 TellUSO survey that polled thousands of troops and families worldwide on the USO’s performance.

Top award winners in their size categories received the highest overall scores in satisfaction, value, staff helpfulness, friendliness and knowledge.

The Charlotte center serves more than 150,000 military members and their families each year.

“It’s an honor to be recognized for our work making sure every moment counts for our military members,” Charlotte Center director Ellyn Brotherton said in a statement Wednesday. “This would not be possible without the help of our dedicated volunteers, who serve tirelessly to ensure that every military member who passes through our doors is greeted by a friendly face.”

The Charlotte center also won in 2013, the first year of the awards.

The center is operated by three staff members and more than 200 volunteers.

Marusak: 704-358-5067;

Twitter: @jmarusak

This story was originally published May 6, 2015 at 11:41 AM with the headline "USO center at Charlotte Douglas wins top national honors."

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