The Palm Springs USO’s 1st Birthday Celebration
           

            The 12th of December was the 1st anniversary of the Palm Springs USO’s this grand event was coordinated and put together by Mr. Steve Hallaway the Co-Founder of Operation DVD. Mr. Hallaway informed CO guiles that our units color was requested by the director of the Los Angeles USO Mr. Mike Tileman Brigadier General (Ret). To present the colors and lead the guests in the pledge of allegiance. The CO called our color guard and asked Mr. Gunner Headlund one of our units parent volunteers if he would drive the color guard to the USO and take some pictures with the color guard set and transportation arranged away we went. when we arrived we had some time to kill so the Young Marines asked if they could practice marching on the colors so we went out into the main lobby of the airport and they practiced we kind of stopped the movement of the people as they all stopped to take pictures and ask questions , , . It is at this point the CO realized where he was and was not too surprised when TSA walked over to him. The CO calmly asked if they wanted him to bag our parade rifles the TSA surprisingly said heck no! They look great keep up the good work. With practice finished the CO guided the Young Marines into the main hall of the USO and set them up to march on the colors, the best part of the day was watching these venerable veterans get up and tell people to make a hole and make it wide for the Young Marines. It was really great to watch theses veterans jump up and treat the kids like they were the best thing since sliced bread as the Young Marines reciprocated the same enthusiasm to the veterans as well. You could see that the veterans enjoyed the adrenaline rush they got from the Young Marines that were present. The Young Marines marched on the colors for Col. Appleton the Chief of Staff from Marine Corps Air Ground Station 29 Palms. They boxed the colors and presented them; I then lead everyone in the pledge of allegiance the Young Marines then retired the colors . Everyone spoke on behalf of the Palm springs USO’s 1st birthday, Mr. Tileman, introduced Col. Lewis Millet (Ret) recipient of the Medal of Honor, Silver Star, Legion of Merit (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Air Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Purple Heart (3 Oak Leaf Clusters) Col. Millet served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. The Young Marines were then asked to come up and speak to the troops of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing stationed at the Manas AB, Kyrgyz Republic Kyrgyzstan via Sat phone which was an honor to talk to these brave men and women , , . Both the troops and the Young marines enjoyed the phone call. After the phone call it was time to cut the USO's birthday cake Col. Millet and Col Peck shared the honor of cutting the cake , . The event wrapped up with the CO, Mr. Tileman and our Young Marine color guard covered in DVD’s to take a picture for Operation DVD, (a model of Bob Hope was moved into the background of the picture just so he could be in the picture as well, we think he would have liked that) . Before we deaprted we ensured that all of the DVDs were repacked back into their boxes so they can make their way to the troops , As the Young Marines and the CO departed they were able to take a picture with MEdal of Honor recipient Col. Millet . Col. Appleton then came up to the Young Marines and said they were the best color guard he has seen in a while and they almost had him fooled for the real deal Marines for a moment. As we started to exit a reporter for CBS news asked if he could interview the CO who started an interview and then cut it short and asked the reporter if he would like to interview the Young marines instead. He said sure the CO stood right next to him as he asked the questions to each Young Marine , . The whole event was broadcasted on ABC, NBC and CBS as well as local news reporters from the local papers. There were a lot of influential people such as Mrs. Jackie Lee-Houston, who shook the Young Marines hands and thanked them for being such good positive role models for the other youth.  A big thank you goes out to our unit’s color guard Young Marine Sgt’s Fitzpatrick, Sgt. Hedlund, Cpl. Fitzpatrick and LCpl. Masters and of course Mr. Gunner Headlund for driving the color guard and taking some great pictures, Ooh-Rah Young Marines!