executive pay
Posted by decroft  |  November 17, 2009 11:33:16 AM

Check the form 990. He was paid total comp(including deferred) in 2008 of over $1,000,000. Volunteer, don't donate. Instead check out NMFA, the president just got a raise, all the way up to $50,000! They are a great charity, not a feather bed for overpaid execs. Also, Warriors and Quiet waters foundation, all volunteers.

Local vs. National USO
Posted by Matunos  |  November 9, 2009 5:55:01 AM

The executive salaries (which add up to $1.4M, counting all 7 compensated officers from their 990 form, ranging from $15k/yr and up) literally amount to pennies of every dollar spent by the organization- $0.02 to be exact.

Compare to my local USO Puget Sound, which only has one full-time, compensated officer, at a more reasonable $76,181/yr. However, that figure amounts to about $0.11 of every dollar spent by the organization, because their size is so much smaller. I don't begrudge Cmdr. Hinman his salary for the good work of the local USO, but there is an economy of scale involved in terms of executive compensation.

I'm more concerned with the overall administrative and fund-raising expenses as a % of total expenditures. $0.73 of every dollar spent by the national USO goes toward its programs, but $0.88 of every dollar spent by the USO Puget Sound goes toward its programs.

CEO salary
Posted by Disheartened  |  November 4, 2009 7:01:27 AM

There are organizations that aren't so top heavy administratively that do most of what the USO does. I give to both Operation Homefront (the local chapter since I live near Fort Lewis) and The Wounded Warrior Foundation (which is an offshoot of another charity and still in a bit of a "trial" period. We need to have cetain inviolable rules in our lives, I think, and one of mine is NO DONATIONS TO CHARITIES WHERE THE "TOP DOG" MAKES OVER $250,0000. PERIOD.

Free gifts
Posted by joan  |  October 5, 2009 12:12:06 PM

I do donate to the USO and believe our service men and women need to be taken care of. However, besides that Powell makes too much money, i really feel that sending free stuff in the mail (datebook with my husbands name printed on it, labels, a plastic watch, key chains, etc.) and putting postage on envelopes that may never be mailed is such a total waste of money. If I am donating to a charity I am more than happy to put a stamp on the envelope. I feel that this is such a waste of money and have stopped giving to many charities that send me stuff in the mail. I wish someone could get a message to all these charities to stop filling our landfills with garbage.

CEO Salary
Posted by George Harris  |  September 11, 2009 9:44:28 AM

I concur about the CEO salary. I won't give to an organization whose CEO makes almost as much as the President of the United States. Despite what USO claims, Charity Navigator does NOT include all the "extra" monies received by the CEO. Who knows how much his compensation "really" is?

Free retraining for veterans
Posted by D.W. Hubard  |  August 20, 2009 6:18:23 AM

I was thinking of a way to help veterans. I'm running a moderately successful small business helping businesses and government agencies measure risk, intangibles, or anything else that seems impossible to measure. I'm the author of two books on the subject: 1) How to Measure Anything and 2) The Failure of Risk Management.

I've just starting offering training for this material in online seminars or "webinars". This is training for people who feel comfortable with basic statistics, so it's not for everyone. But if any veterans would like to take this training, I would be happy to offer it for free. You just need access to a computer and a phone.

This is a specialized field but the skills this will develop are applicable to a wide variety of problems (spreadsheets, statistics, measurements, risk assessment etc.). This can help someone develop a profession management consulting career and a lot of people make a very good living doing that. How would I go about contacting veterans who might be interested?

I was in the National Guard for many years but during a time when being activated was very unlikely except for local disasters. I've been lucky and I hope I can help some others who happened to be serving at a time in history that asks much more of them than was asked of me.

Douglas W. Hubbard Hubbard Decision Research www.hubbardresearch.com dwhubbard@hubbardresearch.com 630 858 2788

USO Advertising
Posted by JudyW  |  July 27, 2009 9:55:52 AM

I work out of my home and often have my TV turned on to CHILLER. In the past two months, the USO ad with soldier Hernandez driving across the desert in a Hummer to go to a USO is beginning to drive me crazy. It is shown, on average, every 6 to 8 minutes, 24/7. How can the USO possibly justify spending that kind of advertising money? They ask you to contribute to Corporate (to pay the CEO's outrageous salary), instead of your local USO. I never see this ad on any other channel. Has anyone else seen this ad??

USO career questions
Posted by Emily P  |  June 25, 2009 5:50:21 AM

My name is Emily. I live in Louisiana and have been doing a lot of thinking about my life. I am a nursing major. All I need to obtain my degree is 2 years of clinicals which I have already applied for and I am just waiting to hear if I got in. But for some reason, well many reason, I have been wanting to take some time off from school and join the USO in the SWA region. I am currently writing my resume for my application. I have so many questions though. I have talked to the recruiter's at the main office in VA a few times but I still have many questions like : 1)How many people usually apply for the position in the SWA region. I would have a better feeling if I knew just how competitive this job really is. 2) Will my age hurt me as far as getting the job. I am 21 and I have been a student my entire life. But my passion for this is far greater than any list of jobs that someone might have. I havn't had the chance to do a lot of "service work" because I have been working my way through college. I live on my own and have ever since I was 17. I pay for college entirely on my own.My brother has been in the service for 5 years now. He has recently done a year and a half long tour in Iraq and has to go back in Jan. so I know what it means to have someone over there. I know what it's like to have to be so far away from someone you love so much and not know if they will come back or not. I want to show my appreciation for what they do for me and my country....our country. And I feel that by getting the opportunity to do this would be my way to pay them back. I would really appreciate it for some feedback on all that I have said. I really appreciate it!

With Love, Emily

Response to Karen K
Posted by USO Response  |  March 31, 2009 6:02:53 AM

First, full disclosure. I work for the USO. We encourage anyone who lives near a USO facility to contribute to that facility. However, you should know that the news stories from North Florida didn't quite have the facts straight. The explanation we provided to the local command didn't make it into the press. The one USO that was singled out for not getting Corporate Headquarters support received more than $750,000 to refurbish their facility in the past 18 months. Each local USO chartered center is a private non-profit with its own board and is responsible for its own fundraising. They do not pay for the right to use the USO name, and we do not hire their employees or make ongoing contributions to them. We do, however, respond to every request for assistance, and we are proud of the relationship we have with our great chartered centers. One more thing. Please note that the IRS Form 990 that you see for the USO is out of date. Charity Navigator receives those forms directly from the IRS for very good reasons, but that guarantees that the information you see is not current. The USO spends about 90 cents of every dollar on the delivery of programs, including the installation of a private telephone network in Kuwait (and soon in Iraq and Afghanistan) to provide clear, FREE phone calls for troops stationed there. We also delivered 3 USOs in a Box units to remote forward operating bases in Afghanistan. Each has computers, games and satellite connectivity so those troops can call home. Those units cost more than $300K each, and we will deploy about 6 more to remote bases this year. Thank you for supporting the USO's efforts for troops and families around the world, and for supporting the USOs in your local areas. John Hanson

FYI
Posted by Karen K  |  March 23, 2009 6:16:57 AM

As a regular contributor for years I really had no idea how they spent the monies, I just knew that I wanted my donations to go to help our active duty members and their families. I found out recently that local USO groups do not receive any $$ from the National organization. Both of the local USO's in my north Florida area were in danger of closing their doors because of lack of funds. They work endlessly here supporting the local military members and their families. I've chosen to give my money at the local level as well. Please remember this and consider donating to your local USO chapters!

CEO Salary sucks but we still need the USO
Posted by mandisita  |  March 1, 2009 10:53:47 PM

As a young military wife I cannot tell you how many times the USO has saved my butt! With everything from childrens clothing, diapers, grocery gift cards, nonperishable foods, and toys the CEO might be paid a lot but the charity is still worth it. On an e3 salary we had two kids, one car, and practically no money. Its a situation that a lot of young military families are in and the USO is willing to help them all.

USO centers worldwide at airports are also a godsend. Its so nice to have somewhere to go with free food and snacks when youre dragging your toddlers to a new duty station. The ones i've been to usually have childrens rooms with toys, books, DVDs (ranging from baby einstein to 300,) and cribs and clean linens as well.

The airport USOs always have ample comfortable seating and usually have some sort of a gaming system (usually covered in young servicemen, lol.)

Unfortunately, last year one of my best friends was KIA in afghanistan. I flew to his funeral with two of my good friends (also service members)who loved him dearly. The Seattle USO fed us and housed us the whole time. We probably would not have eaten that entire weekend if not for them.

So, yes, the CEO is paid a lot, but that will not keep me from donating to the USO.

The military needs you!
Posted by DiverDown  |  February 5, 2009 7:08:35 AM

I agree that some of the issues brought up here are questionable, but the military men and women still need you. Donate directly to your local USO with cash (if they are independent, otherwise cash goes back to corporate), or needed supplies (i.e. packaged snacks, a TV, cleaning supplies, reams of paper, etc.). Just ask them. They have been a blessing to me during my military travels.

Please Support USO
Posted by Military Mom  |  December 18, 2008 7:30:26 AM

As a military mom and current USO volunteer I can't stress enough how important it is to support the USO which has locations all over the world's airports and military bases. Weekly I help young men and women find their way around or make meals for them and make them feel like "mom" is taking care of them when they are far from home. Many Veterans also cross our paths and it is so interesting to hear their history. I have met so many wonderful men and women in our military over the years. I have a son currently in the military and it is good to know that people in the USO will treat him warm and friendly too. I also have been to the Dallas USO and it is fabulous. They are always busy and friendly as ever and could use your donations. Please, like I said before, donate to the local USO and the funds will be used in your local area.

Please continue to donate!
Posted by Mineman's Mom  |  December 4, 2008 6:39:28 AM

Very, very true that the CEO's salary is outrageously high. The USO does such good work, though. Please continue to donate. They have helped my son many times in his travels from Japan to the USA. I agree that the salary is too much, that CEO should be ashamed of himself, but no other organization does what the USO does for our troops. Not donating to the USO only hurts our men and women in uniform!

CEO compensation
Posted by JeanneGal  |  December 1, 2008 8:56:49 AM

I went to the USO to make another donation (I usually donate by mail), and happened to click on the Charity Navigator link. I'm so saddened to see that the CEO is paid over $330K... that's nearly what the US President is paid! And the CEO of USO surely doesn't have to handle the issues and stress! It sure appears that those of us who donate our funds are far more charitable than is the CEO of the organization! I'm sorry to say that I'll be looking for a new charity through which I can support our troops, and will not be making that planned donation today. I always thought USO such a high integrity organization... my bubble has burst... I'm saddened.

USO Rocks!
Posted by baghdadsoapy  |  November 12, 2008 6:40:16 AM

As a 1SG with two tours to Iraq, I would like anyone who is thinking of donating to the USO to know that this charity ROCKS! Quit literally. The morale boost brought by the likes of Kid Rock or Toby Keith putting on a concert for those serving thousands of miles away from home is immeasurable.

From the time a soldier lands in Kuwait the USO is there providing cell phones, wireless internet and Morale, Welfare, Recreation Centers. To the care packages and USO 2 Go items sent to the units once in-country, the USO is there.

In a perfect world 100% of the donations would go to the Troops, but in a perfect world there would be no need for a USO. Just remember no other charity has the ability to touch as many soldiers in the most remote war torn areas as the USO.

Waste, Waste, Waste!!!
Posted by DaveJ  |  November 10, 2008 7:38:34 AM

Folks,

The CEO's salary is just the tip of the iceberg! To see what I mean, just look at how little of every dollar you contribute actually goes to helping our men and women in uniform. You can find this information in the first section, Organizational Efficiency, under the Current Rating tab.

Under that section, you will see that out of every dollar the USO collects in contributions, it spends 9.6% on administration expenses (such as the CEO's salary) and 17.6% on fundraising (the money it spends to get people to contribute). That leaves a mere 72.7% (or $0.727) to be spent on the services it provides to our troops.

How does the USO stack up against other charities? It has the lowest rating (one star out of four) an organization can get!!! A one star rating means that a charity "fails to meet industry standards and performs well below most charities..." That definition is taken directly from the FAQ section of this website.

If you would like to compare the USO to other charities that provide similar services, simply scroll down to the bottom of the Current Rating page where you will find five such organizations including the USO. Simply click on the prompt "Compare These Charities (Highly Rated)" at the very bottom of the page and you can see how the other four stack up against the USO. As you will see, their performance is significantly more efficient than the USO's.

Finally, I want to mention the Fisher House Foundation (to pull up its information, simply type Fisher House Foundation in the Charity Search box and click "Go"). This organization builds housing on-base or adjacent to it for the families of badly wounded soldiers undergoing treatment at the various military hospitals around the country. As a result of these facilities, the soldiers have their family to provide t support and love they need as they struggle to recover from their wounds and overcome the limitations that they will have to cope with for the rest of their lives

I Support the USO
Posted by Thiad  |  October 30, 2008 5:37:36 AM

Regardless of the CEOs ridiculous salary (yeah, it's a stretch), we must recognize the hard working folks at the various USO locations who do an excellent job of carrying for our military members and how valuable their service is to our military members.

From my first visit to a USO as a young LCpl twenty years ago, to a recent stop overs by my husband during his travels in and out of Iraq, we've always found the USO to be an excellent oasis and a valued partner when a crisis situation arises. I cannot say enough about how folks in the Dallas office went above and beyond to help us out when my husband needed assistance recently. Like Military Mom said, find a local USO and support them.

CEO salary
Posted by Bill J  |  June 20, 2008 5:26:36 AM

In addition to Powell's bloated compensation package, I seem to recall a miserable appearance on The O'Reilly Factor where he was called to task for failing to take any initiative in arranging entertainment for the troops in Afghanistan. O'Reilly kept pressing him on this, and he waffled in classic bureaucratic fashion.

Thanks to Military Mom for pointing out that it may be possible to bypass the over-stuffed national organization by contributing locally, and thanks to the other posters for pointing out some better alternatives.

CEO salary
Posted by ssgtlitz  |  March 5, 2008 1:53:46 PM

I received a request for contribution to the USO. As former United States Marine and a 100% service connected disable veteran I am appalled when I found out the salary the CEO makes in a year ($624,522), from the organization which is there to help the service men and women. How many of these people will make that in 6 years of service? It is outrageous that he would get this type of money, which could be put to much better use to help the very people most likely unaware of his "PRICE". What can you possibly do to "EARN' such an amount? Sad part is these young people are putting their lives on the line so he can do this. As there are other service organizations which help these brave men and women and do not take a salary anywhere close to this amount. Those will get a donation. I have no doubt the USO has this worked out legally so he can take this money, but morally he should take a long look in the mirror.

uso ceo salary
Posted by notasheep  |  March 3, 2008 6:42:00 AM

Disabled American Veterans, and National Military Family Association are two charities that are similarly concerned with the welfare of our military personnel. The top administrators at DAV and NMFA receive modest compensations which would seem to attract people that are more passionate about their mission than about lining their pockets. $600K is obscene. It is disgraceful that such a venerable organization, with such an illustrious history, should be tainted and burdened with such a terrible blemish. I look forward to seeing Mr. Powell listed as a "Former Chief Operating Officer", and a replacement having a salary that reflects a better sense of propriety (both on the part of the CEO and of the USO).

600,000 or 300,000
Posted by TH  |  February 25, 2008 7:24:36 AM

Any group paying this much is not a charity in my book. $600.000 or "double speaked" down to $300,000 doesn't sound like a person "working" for charitable reasons to me.

USO CEO Compensation
Posted by USO Response  |  February 22, 2008 5:00:13 AM

Some of the comments posted concerning the salary of the USO's CEO appear to be based on a misinterpretation of the IRS Form 990 filed by the USO. IRS regulations require that, in addition to the CEO's salary, any deferred compensation, long term incentives and bonuses be aggregated and included in total compensation reported on the Form 990. The USO CEO's annual salary is $305,000. The compensation is established by the USO World Board of Governors after an independent, outside review of industry surveys, compensation studies and other data to ensure that executive compensation is within the range of that paid to comparable executives of comparable organizations for comparable services and therefore reasonable. For additional information about the USO and its charitable programs for military service members and their families, please contact: John Hanson Senior Vice President for Marketing and Communications at jhanson@uso.org

LAX USO
Posted by Military Mom  |  February 19, 2008 7:11:44 AM

I want to let you all know that each USO is it's own corporation and we here at LAX have 85% of our contributions go to support the military. I discussed this with the director tonight and he verified for me this information. If you donate to each individual USO it does not go to the CEO's salary. You need to make sure you write your donation out to a specific USO

CEO salary
Posted by M.E. Bowman  |  February 19, 2008 7:10:31 AM

I was, proudly, president of USO/Rome Italy some years ago. I have been a contributor to USO for years, and still believe it a worthwhile organization. But, can anyone explain to me what justifies a CEO salary in excess of $600K? To do what?

USO Support
Posted by Military Mom  |  February 17, 2008 11:42:37 AM

I would like to urge you to still support the USO. I volunteer there weekly and these men and women need us. If you have never been to a USO I invite you to go and see all the things that are provided to our military men, women, and families that come through our doors. All this is free for them due to your support. I know you all think the CEOs salary is high, but the USO provides a safe haven for those who sacrifice so much for us. Please reconsider, I know as I am a mom of a military son.

CEO Compansation
Posted by pbjmk5  |  February 14, 2008 1:30:57 PM

I used to donate to many causes. Now that I can afford to donate to more I am also becoming more familiar with the better run NGO's USO no longer fits the better run profile due to obscene CEO compansation.

Good bye USO
Posted by Jan  |  January 16, 2008 7:20:48 AM

I have been donating to the USO for over a year now, but I see I hadn't done sufficient homework. Shame on the CEO for such greed. I will now leave USO and donate to Disabled Verterans Charitable Service where 99.3%!!goes toward the program & 0.2% towards administrative costs---4 stars for both overall and efficiency. Now my $$ will be well used.......

Ridiculous Salary
Posted by S.D. Dale  |  January 14, 2008 12:05:47 PM

I was just about to contribute to the USO when I found out the salary of the person running this organization. NO ONE deserves this kind of salary!!! I WILL NOT be giving to the USO..... Someone devoted to helping others should feel proud to serve and not be so greedy.... S.D. Dale

CEO Salary
Posted by Jarhead  |  January 10, 2008 8:06:05 AM

I quit contributing to United Way when I found myself sitting in first class beside their executives. USO's executive compensation is the reason I no longer contribute to them.

Enormous Salary of Powell CEO
Posted by rhoadsr  |  January 9, 2008 6:12:19 AM

Powells' salary is to hight! He shoud only have $350,000 per year max. I want to donate and have donated in the past but I don't want to donate money to his salary. Something needs to be done about this very high salary. Being credible is so important and a modest salary is enough for Powell.

CEO's salary
Posted by LarryHH  |  December 24, 2007 10:54:54 AM

Amen to Leprechaun's comment about Powell's salary! I've given to USO for several years, but no more. There are plenty of other good charities that help our troops, while paying their CEOs a more modest salary--those are the ones I'll support from now on!

Management Salary
Posted by leprechaun  |  December 21, 2007 9:27:44 AM

As a long time contributor to the USO, and a retired USAF Colonel, I am hard pressed to understand how Powell can justify a salary of over $600,000 per year!!!