USBA Kicks Off Campaign To Support VFWs Operation Uplink

USBA (Uniformed Services Benefit Association) has become a corporate sponsor of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and its Ladies Auxiliary Post program, Operation Uplink. Joining other corporate sponsors as FedEx Express, Pfizer, Wal-Mart and the NFL, USBA pledged its support of Operation Uplink along with a check to kick off what they hope would be one of many donations from members to its cause.

Kansas City, MO (PRWEB) January 11, 2004 --USBA (Uniformed Services Benefit Association) has become a corporate sponsor of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and its Ladies Auxiliary Post program, Operation Uplink.
Joining other corporate sponsors as FedEx Express, Pfizer, Wal-Mart and the NFL, USBA pledged its support of Operation Uplink along with a check to kick off what they hope would be one of many donations from members to its cause. The Operation Uplink program provides pre-paid cards to hospitalized veterans and military personnel. To date, the program has distributed over 4 million prepaid phone cards -- representing more than 60 million minutes of phone time.

"A soldier, sailor, airman or Marine can use one of our prepaid [Operation Uplink phone cards and talk to someone for at least 10 minutes," says VFW National Commander Edward Banas Sr. "The cost of long distance phone calls can be very expensive, which might prevent someone from calling home. For example, a 10-minute phone call from Saudi Arabia is $15."

Thanks to individual donations and corporate sponsors like USBA, Operation Uplink gives a person the chance to call home -- from anywhere in the world -- free of charge."

"Were proud to do what we can to help the VFW provide calling cards to the men and women in uniform, " says USBAs President/CEO, Rear Admiral Larry G. Vogt, U.S. Navy, (Ret.). "Not just because these same people make up our own membership, but because we genuinely care about these brave soldiers and veterans."

USBA is a nonprofit organization providing a variety of low-cost group life insurance plans and other financial services to the Active Duty and Retired Military market as well as Honorably Discharged Veterans, National Guard, Reserves and Federal civilian employees. With over 200,000 insured lives, USBA is one of the largest military associations offering life insurance plans.

The VFW assists all veterans and their families obtain veterans entitlements and other services. In addition, the organization works for the well being of those serving on active duty, in the National Guard and the Reserves. The VFW was founded in 1899. There are 2.6 million members of the VFW and its Auxiliaries located in approximately 9,000 posts.

More information about Operation Uplink can be found on their website: www.operationuplink.org which can also be accessed through USBAs website: www.usba.com.
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