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Captured Event
October 06, 2011 - USO Annual Gala
What: Annual gala in Washington, DC.
Where: Marriott Wardman Park
When: October 6, 2011
Time: 6:30 PM
Ticket Prices: 1,000.00
Beneficiary: USO
EMCEE: Carlos Mencia
Presenting Sponsor(s): TriWest Healthcare Alliance
Gala Chairperson(s): Rima Al-Sabah, Barbara Levin, Patricia McKeon, Mary Murphy, Mary Jo Myers, Margaret Gibson
Corporate Chairperson(s): David McIntyre, TriWest Healthcare Alliance
Committee Members: T. McCreary, Military.com
Libations: Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand; Clos Du Bois Merlot, Sonoma County
Entertainment: Randy Travis
Sponsors: TriWest Healthcare Alliance, ITT, P7G, Military.com, USA Today, Express Scripts, Huntington Ingals Industries, Altria, AM General, AT7T, BAE Systems, General Dynamics, Humana Military Healthcare Serviceds, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft Corporation, Boehringer Ingelheim, The Coca-Cola Company, Oshkosh Defense, Northrop Grumman Corporation
Menu: Chesapeake Iceberg Wedge, Lump Crab and Bacon, Crumbled Blue Cheese and Corn, Blistered Tomatoes and Buttermilk Dressing, Blood Orange Sorbet, Braised Beef Short Rib with rain Mustard Sauce, Mashed Potatoes, Brococolini, Musrooms, Roasted Vine Tomato, and Onion Jam Rings, Dinner Breads, Chocolate Pave
Blacktie Photos by: Bry Boland
Airman of the Year- James A. Baynard and Family
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An estimated 1,000 patrons gathered paying special tribute to our men and women in uniform. Guests included Washington dignitaries, Members of Congress, military leadership, members of the USO corporate sponsors and the media.
The star-studded event celebrated the USO - 70 Years Young and featured well-known entertainers from USO celebrity entertainment tours. A special volunteer and honorees selecteed by the Senior Enlisted representatives from each branch of the armed forces for extraordinary bravery, loyalty and heorism.
USO President Sloan Gibson attended with his wife and Host Committee Co-Chair Margaret Gibson. "Tonight we are celebrating more than 70 years of service to U.S. troops and military families. We are here because of you. You make it possible for us to continue to lift the spirits of troops and families serving around the world and to meet their changing needs. Thank you for joining us and thank you for your unwavering support in times of peace and war."
Basketball Hall of Famer Karl Malone, who attended with wife Kay Malone, recently joined entertainers Jon Stewart and David Blaine on a USO tour to visit deployed troops in the Middle East.
AST3 Christopher R. Austin, USO Coast Guardsman of the Year, made the girls swoon in his beautiful blue uniform. Not the only man in blue, Senior Airman James A. Baynard, USO Airman of the Year, turned a few heads himself. Sgt. Milfred Shane Williams impressed everyone as USO Volunteer of the Year.
Sgt. Lucan Chaffins, USO Marine of the Year, only had eyes for his lovely wife Emily.
Everyone's heart was won over by Cpl. David J. Bixler, USO Soldier of the Year, whose hometown of Harrison, Arkansas is very proud.
Congress was well represented by Joe Heck(R-NV), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) and her husband, Howard McKeon (R-CA) and his wife Patricia, Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) and his wife Carolina, Scott Brown (-MA) and his family and former member Chet Edward (D-TX) and his wife LeaAnn.
Randy Travis is always a delight, as he was on this special night, singing 'Forever and Ever, Amen,' and 'America Will Always Stand.'