ORLANDO, Fla. — Officials broke ground Friday morning on a new USO Welcome Center at Orlando International Airport.
USO leaders said they still need about $300,000 in funds, but they're confident that getting the money won't be a problem.
The groundbreaking was figurative because the center will be indoors in a 3,100-square-foot space. It will include a lounge space, TVs, food and other amenities for troops passing through OIA.
"You just would not imagine how that feels to have a place to rest and relax, especially when you're coming from someplace as far as Afghanistan or Kuwait, because you're looking
at (more than) 30 hours of flight," Dalia Espeut-Jones said.
Officials project that 700,000 active-duty military, veterans and family members will pass through the airport this year and use the center once it's opened.
One soldier told Channel 9 his story about a USO volunteer who helped him through the airport for his first deployment at 18 years old.
"She took me to the ticket counter, she took me to the gate, she took me to the USO center and fed me and she made sure I got to the gate on time and shipped off and gave me a hug before I left. That's what USO does for us," Army Reserves Col. James Nelson said.
Officials plan to open the center sometime this summer.
Cox Media Group
