'Reminders of Home' for Deployed Service Members

		The USO is a private nonprofit, charitable organization relying on contributions from individuals, organizations and corporations to support its programs for service members and their families around the world. The USO serves as the link between the American people and our men and women in uniform. The mission of the USO is to bring a touch of home to service members and their families. (PRNewsFoto) WASHINGTON, DC USA

American Airlines Frequent Flyers Donate $200,000 to the USO FORT WORTH, Texas and WASHINGTON, Nov. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second year in a row, American Airlines AAdvantage(R) members can send deployed service members a care package and reminders of home through the United Service Organizations (USO). (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20031119/USO ) Since Dec. 1, 2003, AAdvantage members have donated $200,000 to Operation USO Care Package, sending more than 7,600 care packages to America's men and women in uniform deployed overseas. This holiday season, many members of the U.S. armed forces will once again be separated from their families. The USO will continue to provide AAdvantage members the opportunity to thank them for their heroic efforts and let them know that they have not been forgotten. Approved and endorsed by the Department of Defense, the USO Care Package is a way to send a message of encouragement to a service member and provide a touch of home. With a $25 donation, AAdvantage members will earn 125 miles and sponsor a holiday care package full of items the troops have requested, including a 100-minute, pre-paid AT&T calling card, toiletries, disposable cameras and sunscreen. AAdvantage members also can include a personal message wishing the troops a happy holiday and thanking them for their service and sacrifice. "The generosity AAdvantage members have shown to the deployed members of U.S. armed forces is truly remarkable," said Jeff Zidell, Vice-President American Airlines AAdvantage Marketing. "The care packages and personal messages of support have touched the lives of thousands of deployed men and women, letting them know we appreciate their service and sacrifice." AAdvantage members can sponsor USO Care Packages with a personal note of thanks at http://www.usocarepackage-aa.org. Members will be prompted to enter their AAdvantage number, and the USO will post 125 miles to their account for each package sponsored. Anyone who is not an AAdvantage member can visit http://www.aa.com/aadvantage to sign up and participate in this program. "American Airlines has been a committed supporter of the Operation USO Care Package program, and we are very pleased to team up with them again this year," said Elaine Rogers, USO-Metro President and Worldwide Administrator for Operation USO Care Package. "Operation USO Care Package is possible due to the support of corporations like American Airlines, their employees and their AAdvantage members." About the USO The USO is chartered by Congress as a nonprofit charitable corporation and relies on the generosity of the American people to support its programs and services. The mission of the USO is to provide morale, welfare and recreation-type services to uniformed military personnel. The USO currently operates 124 centers around the world, including five mobile canteens, with 70 located in the continental United States, three in the Caribbean and 46 overseas. About AAdvantage Marketing(SM) AAdvantage Marketing programs are mileage-based promotions and marketing tools utilized by a diverse range of brands. These businesses represent categories including credit cards, financial services, telecommunications, retail, packaged goods, non-profit organizations and of course travel. To learn more about AAdvantage Marketing programs, please visit http://www.AAdvantage.com. To order miles or find out more information, visit http://www.orderAAmiles.com