Service Members Enjoy Super Bowl LVII Festivities With The USO Throughout the U.S. Southeast

As millions of NFL fans tuned in to watch Super Bowl LVII held in Glendale, Ariz., – troops at home and overseas headed to their local USO centers to catch the big game.

For troops stationed throughout the U.S., and deployed overseas, Super Bowl Sunday can be a stark reminder of how far they are from home, loved ones and the great American game of football.

That’s why, this past Sunday, thousands of service members and their families gathered at a local USO – their home away from home – to watch Super Bowl LVII at special viewing events. It’s thanks to generous donors like you that the USO is able to provide these much-needed opportunities to help service members stay connected to home, no matter where their service takes them.

While each USO location celebrated game day a little differently, here’s how our USO centers throughout the U.S. Southeast celebrated the Super Bowl this year:

Fort Campbell, Ky.

USO Fort Campbell hosted a Super Bowl watch party with all the game day favorites, including pizza, chips and other snacks while service members enjoyed the game on one of many TVs airing the game.

“I really enjoyed the event because it gave me the opportunity to enjoy the Super Bowl while being able to play games, hang out with friends, and meet new people,” said Spc. Trace Bailitz.

Fort Benning, Georgia

USO Fort Benning kicked off their Super Bowl festivities, hosting a ‘Madden 23,’ USO Gaming tournament, at the local Morale Welfare and Recreation center’s Infantry Bar located on Fort Benning. The gaming tournament was open to all military service members and their families, who competed on the digital gridiron for a chance to win prizes.

“This marked the first gaming tournament where soldiers from all units were invited to come together and compete. "Many gained new friendships, while others beat old scores. It was a great event to boost morale,” said Staff Sergeant Christopher Trimble, an active member of the Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers (BOSS) program at Fort Benning.

Service members competed for a chance to win Atlanta Falcons and Monster Energy drink merchandise, and a special autographed jersey singed by former NFL Player Robert Gronkowski, while also meeting and taking photos with Atlanta Falcons cheerleaders who were also in attendance.

Florida

At the Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola USO center, staff and volunteers served pizza and other tailgate treats to single service members currently attending their initial military occupational specialty training at NAS Pensacola.

Sailors at Naval Station Mayport also enjoyed a Super Bowl snack while enjoying the game as their local USO center.

North Carolina

Junior Marines conducting initial infantry training at Camp Geiger enjoyed watching the Super Bowl on the big screen in the Infantry Training Battalion’s main classroom, while enjoying festive games, snacks and refreshments provide by the USO NC Coastal team.

For service members traveling through Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (CLT), they didn’t have to worry about missing the big game. No matter who our traveling service members were cheering for, the USO Charlotte Center provided a safe and comfortable space for them to enjoy the big game and fill up on a few of their favorite football snacks.

South Carolina

Despite adverse weather conditions at the McCrady Training Center in Eastover, S.C., causing USO South Carolina to have to cancel their annual Super Bowl Party, USO staff and volunteers traveled throughout the area on Saturday and to Charleston to deliver Oreo cookies for service members to enjoy during the big game.

All season long, thanks to the USO’s partnership with the NFL, USO Centers across the world host football watch parties, especially during the Super Bowl, giving service members a chance to unwind and root for their favorite team, helping them stay connected to family, home and country no matter where their military journey takes them.