Since 1941, the USO has been the nation's leading organization to serve the men and women in the U.S. military and their families, throughout their time in uniform. From the moment they join the U.S. military, through their assignments and deployments, and as they transition back to their communities, the USO is always by their side.
Shortly before the onset of America's involvement in World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt sought to unite several service associations into one organization to lift the morale of our military and nourish support on the home front. Those entities — the Salvation Army, Young Men's Christian Association, Young Women's Christian Association, National Catholic Community Services, National Travelers Aid Association and National Jewish Welfare Board — became the United Service Organizations.
Today, the USO has continued to support our nation's military and their families for over eight decades as they defend our country and its freedoms. By providing support to our servicemen and women as they perform their most challenging duties around the world, the USO's credo is to be always by their side.
The reach of the USO's more than 250 centers extends to countries on every continent, operated by thousands of staff and volunteers whose goals are to match our service members' vigilance and provide best-in-class service to those who sacrifice so much for America.
In January 2023, I founded the USO's Accountants Salute the Troops Council to bring the public accounting firms together as one across the country to provide greater awareness of the noble mission of the USO and to collectively raise significant funding to support our U.S. military. There are many ways for accounting firms to join and participate with the Council including but not limited to:
- Organize accounting firms' fundraisers throughout the year, including for the United States' upcoming Semiquincentennial on July 4, 2026, marking America's 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence;
- Fundraise within accounting firms' existing stewardship programs;
- Fundraise within accounting firms' planned giving programs;
- Fundraise within accounting firms' charitable private foundations;
- Making individual donations, including monthly giving;
- Gifts in honor or in memory of a military loved one; and/or
- Planned giving, with an estate gift for accounting firms' partners, employees and/or clients.
On December 2, Giving Tuesday, the Council is kicking off its fundraising campaign to raise $250,000 by America's 250th birthday on July 4th of 2026 for critical funding so the USO can carry out its mission. Tax-deductible donations to the USO can be given directly at
If you're interested in learning more about the Council and onboarding your accounting firm to the Council, please contact me, Peter J. Scalise, the founding chairman of the Council, at
