John Hanson is the communications director for the United Service Organizations. He travels around the world with the likes of Lance Armstrong, Scarlett Johannson and Kid Rock, bringing them to do shows for U.S. troops stationed overseas, including in the war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan.
What does the USO do? It is an organization whose mission is to take care of American troops, U.S. military members and families around the world. We lift the spirits of the American military better than anybody else.
How do you do that? We have 138 USO centers in military bases, three in Kuwait, three in Iraq and two in Afghanistan. They are places for for members of the military to get away from the daily grind of what they do, a safe place to go take a break for a while. Everybody knows about our entertainment shows, which are about 20 percent of what we do. We send entertainment around the world to perform for the troops.
Do you often travel around with the stars?
I just returned a week ago from a trip to Iraq with Stephen Colbert. We met in Kuwait and flew into Baghdad together. He put on four half-hour television programs in three days and about 5,000 troops got to see the shows, and he also got out and visited with the troops. He was a real pro and very generous with his time and spirit.
Did you give him that camouflage suit?
Brooks Brothers made it for him and he autographed it and auctioned it off for a charity.
What is it like touring war zones with the stars? I’ve been here seven years and it has been a delight. The talent is willing to put up with whatever you throw at them. We haven’t had any diva moments, which is great. They know they are going for maybe a week, whereas the troops are going to be there for 15 months.
How did you get involved with the USO?
I was in the Air Force during the Vietnam War and in Guam and Thailand. The USO was the place that kept me sane and balanced. I worked at the Department of Veterans Affairs during the Clinton administration, and when this job opened up, I jumped at the chance to get back. I’ve been doing public affairs for years and this is the only place I’ve worked where I didn’t have to apologize for something. We have a lot of happy customers and a lot of great news.
