USO Supporter,

Though it has been 23 years since that fateful day, the impact of 9/11 continues to resonate deeply with millions of American families, including my own.

That Tuesday morning started like any other for me. I’d spent my first decade in the Air Force flying missions all over the world. By the time of the attacks, I’d been with special operations for about a year. I got the news soon after arriving at work that morning, and everything changed.

I can’t share much about those early days, but in a very short time, I found myself deployed in the Middle East. The following seven years saw me repeatedly in Afghanistan and Iraq, fighting the war that began on that day.

But for all I endured, it was even harder on my wife. After the towers fell and I was quickly deployed, she was left to care for our 2-year-old child — alone. There were times when we didn’t speak to each other for months.

Our entire nation was reeling from an unimaginable tragedy. With the weight of all that, there was my wife watching the news every day — knowing I was thousands of miles away fighting but without the faintest idea where exactly I was or what was happening to me. Even now, the thought of it breaks my heart.

I made it home that Christmas, and it felt like a total miracle. But I was gone again in no time. And so it went for almost seven years. That’s why we say it’s not just the service member who serves — it’s the entire family. Each and every one of them has their own story of service and sacrifice.

At the USO, our mission is to support every single one of our service members and their families — no matter what. And as we approach the 23rd anniversary of 9/11, we’ve set a goal of collecting at least 50,000 signatures via email and SMS from military supporters like you on our card of gratitude for those who put everything on the line for our country.

Can I count on you to add your name? It means the world to our service members to see your support, and it reassures their families that this community stands with them, no matter what. So please, take just a moment to add your name here.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for all that you do to support our heroes.

Christopher Plamp, COO, USO