ARLINGTON, Va., June 23, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via PRWEB - The USO Board of Governors selected Dr. J.D. Crouch II as the 23rd President and Chief Executive Officer of the United Service Organizations (USO) , effective July 28, 2014. Dr. Crouch joins the USO after a distinguished career that includes both public and private sector leadership positions.
For more than 70 years, the USO has always been by the side of our nation's troops and their families – serving them throughout their service, from the moment they join, through their deployments and as they transition back to their communities. With more than 160 locations worldwide, USO provides critical support to forward-deployed troops, military families, wounded, ill and injured troops, their families, and caregivers, families of the fallen and troops in transition. Dr. Crouch will lead the organization that constantly adapts to meet the immediate needs of active duty troops and families who need them the most.
"During this time of transformation, I know that J.D. Crouch is the right leader at the right time for the USO," said General Richard B. Myers, Chairman of the USO Board of Governors and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "He comes to the USO with a record of government service, leadership and innovation, but most important of all, he has a deep and abiding passion for our men and women who serve this country. His vision will guide the USO to build our partnerships, ensure our resources, and strengthen our commitments to our troops and their families around the world."
"I am both humbled and honored to join this mission: supporting and serving the men and women of our Armed Forces and their families," said Dr. Crouch. "There are few challenges more critical than meeting the unique needs of our troops and their families. Americans can trust that our Armed Forces will keep us safe – and I believe we must do everything in our power to support them."
Dr. Crouch was Chief Executive Officer of QinetiQ North America (QNA) until May 2014. QNA was the North American presence of QinetiQ PLC, a global company offering services and products involving business, aerospace, defense and security sectors.
He served as Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Advisor from 2005-2007. He was a senior advisor to President George W. Bush on national security matters and chaired the sub-cabinet Deputies Committee. Additionally, he was the U.S. Ambassador to Romania from 2004-2005.
From 2001-2003, Dr. Crouch served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy, and was the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense on policy for missile defense, nuclear forces, NATO, Europe, Russia, the Central Asian Republics, the Caucuses and the Balkans, technology security policy, counter-proliferation and arms control.
From 1993 to 2001, and 2003 to 2004, Dr. Crouch was Associate Professor of Defense and Strategic Studies at Missouri State University in Springfield, Missouri. He was co-founder of PalmGear.com, the Internet's leading Palm OS App Store from 1995-2001.
Dr. Crouch has twice been awarded the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Medal. He currently serves on the Defense Policy Board and the NSA Advisory Board, and the Board of Directors of Intelligence and National Security Alliance and the Executive Committee of Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association. He has written on a wide range of defense and foreign policy issues.
Dr. Crouch holds a Ph.D., M.A., and B.A. in International Relations from the University of Southern California (USC). In 2006, he was honored by USC with the Distinguished Alumni Merit Award. He and his wife, Kristin, live in McLean, Virginia. They have two children, Lara and Jake.
Sloan Gibson was President and CEO of the USO from September 1, 2008 until February 11, 2014, when he was confirmed as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. He was recently appointed Acting Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff John I. Pray, Jr. served as Interim President and CEO following Gibson's departure.
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About the USO
The USO lifts the spirits of America's troops and their families more than 10 million times each year at hundreds of places worldwide. We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases in the U.S. and abroad, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops, military families, wounded warriors, troops in transition and families of the fallen. The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency. Our programs and services are made possible by the American people, support of our corporate partners and the dedication of our volunteers and staff.
In addition to individual donors and corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by President's Circle Partners: American Airlines, AT&T, BNSF Railway, Clark Construction Group, LLC, The Coca-Cola Company, Grand Canyon University, JCPenney, Jeep, Johnson & Johnson, Kroger, Northrop Grumman Corporation and TriWest Healthcare Alliance and Worldwide Strategic Partners: BAE Systems, BIC, The Boeing Company, ConAgra Foods, FedEx, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft Corporation, Procter & Gamble, TKS Telepost Kabel-Service Kaiserslautern GmbH & Co. KG and Wawa Inc. We are also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). To join us in this important mission, and to learn more about the USO, please visit uso.org .
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