Caring For Our Troops, Partnering With USO

As a USO Worldwide Strategic Partner, the firm contributes its consulting expertise to serve the men and women in the U.S. armed forces.

USO logo Since 1941, the United Service Organization (USO) has provided morale-boosting programs and services to military personnel and their families. While the USO has changed over time, its mission remains the same: To bring a touch of home to America’s women and men in uniform, wherever they’re stationed.

The USO operates in 9 countries, 21 states, and the District of Columbia with more than 250,000 volunteers, 135 centers, and a fleet of mobile and expeditionary platforms. The nonprofit recently opened centers in Iraq and Afghanistan and expanded some programs such as USO Care Packages.

The work of the USO is made possible through the support of the American public and organizations such as Booz Allen Hamilton. The firm has been a USO Worldwide Strategic Partner since 2008, donating funds to enable the programs and services to support America’s troops, and contributing its intellectual capital on a pro bono basis to develop a new strategic plan for the USO’s future.

The partnership with the USO underscores Booz Allen’s commitment to an organization that serves the defense community and its military mission. Although the firm’s official involvement began in 2008, Booz Allen’s employees throughout the nation have supported the USO on a volunteer basis for decades.

“Booz Allen wants to serve the men and women who serve our country,” says senior associate Michael Fields. “By supporting the USO, we can help ensure that the troops and their families have what they need to accomplish their goals.”

In recent years, the USO has experienced unprecedented success. One way the firm is supporting the nonprofit is through the development of a long-range strategic plan to create a more proactive and directed approach for managing its growth.

Associate Dexter Harris says, “To sustain and institutionalize these gains, the USO had to address issues that included establishing a clearly defined and focused vision. In addition, limited metrics and controls made it difficult for it to gauge operational performance, track processes, and enforce accountability. Insufficient IT capabilities and infrastructure compromised its ability to manage day-to-day operations and use the e-market for revenue generation and communication. It also had to fully integrate its HR programs with operational realities.”

To address these concerns, Booz Allen facilitated a three-phased strategic planning process with USO senior leaders. The first phase was a strategic assessment that identified key opportunities and challenges and developed a customized process framework for the strategic planning effort. In the second phase, the firm guided USO leadership through the process developed in the first phase, culminating in the adoption of five goals:

Provide programs and services that exceed the expectations of troops
Build a sustainable business model that generates abundant resources
Drive the organization using performance measurements based on meeting the needs of troops and their families
Build a highly effective workforce that delivers peak performance
Increase recognition of the full scope of USO programs and services and their impact on troops and their families

In the final phase, Booz Allen is assisting the USO in developing the implementation plans needed to achieve these goals.

“With Booz Allen’s expertise and insight, the USO is making significant progress towards its long-term strategic plan,” says USO president and CEO Sloan Gibson. “Our hope is not only to continue to provide expeditionary programs and a vital touch of home to the troops and their families, but also to become a leader in performance, communication, and collaboration among nonprofits and for-profits alike.”

story posted June 23, 2009