A Decade of Connection on the Front Lines of Readiness: USO JBER Marks 10 Years of Supporting the Force in Alaska

In the Indo-Pacific, distance is challenging and complex.

Alaska sits at the northern edge of the region, a critical hub for airpower projection, Arctic operations, homeland defense, and rapid response across the Pacific. For the service members stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER), the mission is demanding, and the geography is isolating.

For the past 10 years, the United Service Organizations (USO) at JBER has worked to close that distance, strengthening morale, resilience, and readiness for those who serve on the front lines of America’s Indo-Pacific posture.

Since arriving on base in 2016, the USO at JBER has grown into far more than a lounge. It has become a steady presence, a place where service members and families can reset, reconnect, and recharge in one of the most operationally significant regions in the world.

“The USO is important to me because I think it’s incredibly amazing that we are afforded the opportunity to have support while we’re serving our country as an active duty member. The USO has created such a home away from home feeling for our members and for me and my family, like my husband, my children.”

That “home away from home” carries particular weight in Alaska. Service members here often operate in extreme climates, high-tempo mission sets, and significant distance from extended family support systems. In that environment, connection is not just comforting, it is mission-enhancing.

Since January 2018 alone, the USO at JBER has served more than 700,000 patrons, bringing total visits over the past decade to nearly one million. In 2025 alone, the center welcomed 47,341 patrons, including those utilizing the Wellness Center, and hosted 459 programs at Elmendorf.

Behind each visit is a moment that strengthens the force, a family event that eases stress, a program that fosters connection, or a quiet space that allows a service member to recharge before returning to duty.

That impact is powered by community. Since January 2017, 567 active volunteers have contributed more than 50,219 volunteer hours, reinforcing a network of support that surrounds Alaska’s military community year-round.

A certificate of appreciation is presented to the USO at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and the USO Alaska team in recognition of their decade of dedicated support to service members and families across the state.

“Our goal in Alaska is to have an opportunity for engagement with every service member in the state of Alaska each year,” said Brett Banks, USO Alaska Area Director. “If we have service members and or family members there, we want to be there to support them.”

Banks emphasizes that the USO’s role is directly tied to operational strength.

“The USO is a respite and refuge for service members and their families from the stress of everyday life. We want to be that ‘home away from home’ for those who serve.”

In the Indo-Pacific theater, where readiness, resilience, and rapid response are essential, morale is not a secondary concern. It is a strategic imperative. A service member who feels supported is better positioned to focus on mission execution. A family that feels connected reduces stress on the force. A community that rallies around its military strengthens the foundation of national defense.

The opening of a second USO center on the Fort Richardson side of base in August 2025 reflects that enduring commitment to accessibility and engagement, ensuring support remains embedded where service members live and work.

Founded in 1941, the USO has long stood beside America’s military through every era of service. At JBER, a critical node in the Indo-Pacific, that mission continues daily, measured in nearly a million moments of connection over the past decade.

Ten years after opening its doors, the USO at JBER remains a constant in an ever-evolving strategic landscape, strengthening those who serve, sustaining their families, and reinforcing readiness at the northern gateway to the Indo-Pacific.