Press Release
☷JBM HH USO Honor Guard Lounge game room keeps service members connected
U.S. Army ( By Press Release office)
Apr 29,2022
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Joint Base Myer - Henderson Hall Commander Col . David Bowling plays video games with service members at the USO Honor Guard Lounge Gaming Center April 22 . Executive Director for the USO National Capital District Lisa Marie Riggins gives opening remarks at the USO Honor Guard Lounge Gaming Center ribbon cutting April 22 . Joint Base Myer - Henderson Hall Command Sgt . Maj . Matthew Majeski , Joint Base Commander Col . David Bowling , 3rd U . S . Infantry Regiment Soldier Spc . Edmundo Navarro , Executive Director for the USO National Capital District Lisa Marie Riggins , and E . W . Lilliewood , vice president of public sector programs and channels for Dun and Bradstreet , cuts the ribbon for the USO game room opening April 22 . Joint Base Myer - Henderson Hall , Va . , - - Since 1941 the mission of the United Services Organizations ( USO ) has remained the same - - to serve the men and women in the U . S . military , and their Families , throughout their time in uniform from the moment they join , during their assignments and deployments , and as they transition back to their communities . During WWII , service members stayed connected to their Families , homes , and country through hand - written letters transported via ship . In the 1990s , prior to email and texting , they stayed connected through USO grams . More than 80 years later , service members now connect with each other through video games such as Halo . To better support service members , Joint Base Myer - Henderson Hall Honor Guard Lounge has replaced pool tables for personal computer ( PC ) games and instituted a game room in the community center to be more representative of the 21st century . In a ribbon cutting ceremony highlighting JBM - HH’s new state of the art game room on Friday , April 22 , Pam Horton , senior director of special projects for the USO for the National Capital District , said she is proud of the work that had been put into the facility over the past 18 months . Horton thanked several key players including the Morale , Welfare and Recreation team for helping secure the space for the game room , Executive Director for the USO National Capital District Lisa Marie Riggins for helping purchase the equipment , and Spc . Edmundo Navarro , 3rd U . S . Infantry Regiment ( The Old Guard ) Soldier , for installing and testing the equipment . Riggins , who lived at Fort Myer as a child , said she remembers her parents communicating only a handful of times during her father’s 6 month deployment to Vietnam , so she understood the need for the USO to grow with the rapidly changing technology – to include gaming . “[Gaming] is truly the way our service members not only connect with just one person , but the entire globe whenever they want , however they want , ” said Riggins . “They are more connected now than they’ve ever been . ” Despite service members’ constant connectivity , Horton said she hopes they will stop by the community center and use the equipment in the gaming room . “The reason why people should come over here and game on our equipment is because we have a direct connect fiber line that is running into this building so the speed is very fast , ” said Horton to the service members in attendance . “If you want to come in and game for a little bit during the day or participate in a gaming tournament , you have that ability here . ” For Riggins , the Honor Guard Lounge gaming center would not have been a success without support from Joint Base Myer - Henderson Hall Commander Col . David Bowling . “Command is what makes this happen , ” said Riggins . “We can be in the background , we can be the force behind the force , but if we don’t’ have a commander to champion this , it doesn’t happen . ” Bowling , a self - proclaimed gamer of 20 years , stopped by game room opening to cut the ribbon alongside Riggins and Spc . Navarro , and play video games with the service members in attendance . Bowling applauded the work of the USO and encouraged the younger service members to gain a newfound appreciation for the USO . “As you get older you will gain a better perspective and understand that there are a lot of people in this country that care about you and your families , who go out of their way to ensure you are taken care of , ” said Bowling . One of those ways is through the USO’s shift to gaming as a way to connect with others . “Gaming is what you want , and gaming is what we are going to give you , ” said Riggins .
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