90 U.S. VETERANS MAGAZINE WWW.USVETERANSMAGAZINE.COM
FEATURE: COVER STORY
N
ot everyone has been called to serve as a member of our Armed Forces, but country star, actress, television host and philanthropist Kellie Pickler feels it's her duty to serve the called. By partnering with the USO (United Service Organizations), one of the nation's leading nonprofit charities dedicated to members of the military and their families, Pickler, alongside other celebrities, gets the chance to give back to a community that means the world to her. They have enabled me to be a part of something that matters, she shared. Working with the USO, it's really all about keeping the families connected and keeping our servicemen and women connected with their loved ones. We take a piece of home to themwhen we do holiday tours, we take a professional athlete, a singer, comedian, actor, actress and just develop this show with them. We sign [autographs], laugh; we take pictures. We have breakfast, lunch and dinner. If they're stationed somewhere where their families are able to be with them, we have family day. We get to break bread together and laugh and share their storiesbreak up the monotony of what they do. And Pickler, a North Carolina native, was a great choice for this role because she is a wiz at putting on a show. The now 35-year-old got her start in the industry in 2005 on the fifth
PAUL MORIGI/GETTY IMAGES
Country music artist Kellie Pickler (R) and Ed Shames, the last surviving officer and oldest surviving member of Easy Company, attend the American Veterans Centers "2019 American Valor: A Salute to Our Heroes" Veterans Day Special at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC.
Previous Page