Carmel, IN – Theta Chi Fraternity is proud to announce Beta Iota/Arizona as the recipient of the USO Fundraising Award and Iota Tau/Northern Kentucky as the recipient of the USO Service Award for the 2017/2018 academic year. Both awards were presented during the 162nd Anniversary Convention in Las Vegas.

In 2013 Theta Chi Fraternity embarked on a philanthropic partnership with the United Service Organizations, commonly known as the USO. For 75 years, the USO’s mission has been to strengthen America’s military by keeping them connected to family, home, and country throughout their service to the nation. Theta Chi is proud to have partnered with such an outstanding organization and looks forward to continuing and strengthening our partnership in the years to come.

In 2015 the Fraternity launched a friendly competition between chapters known as “Operation Military Red.” The competition tracks the dollars raised and the hours served in support of the USO.

Two separate recognitions were developed for Operation Military Red: The USO Fundraising Award and the USO Service Award. As the name suggests, the USO Fundraising Award is presented to the chapter that raises the most money for the USO in a given academic year. Similarly, the USO Service Award is presented to the chapter that commits the highest number of combined service hours to the USO in a given academic year.

Through their annual G.I. Theta Chi event, the Beta Iota Chapter at the University of Arizona raised over $10,500 for the USO. The brothers of the Iota Tau Chapter at Northern Kentucky University served over 3,700 hours for the USO by working their annual G.I. Theta Chi event and their annual soccer tournament, the Rattlers Cup.

In total, for the 2017/2018 academic year, Theta Chi chapters and colonies self-reported raising $132,269.12 and serving 22,066 hours for the USO. That brought the total for the 2016/2018 biennium to $275,494.39 raised and 40,993.5 hours served for the USO. Thank you to all of our brothers and pledges who helped raise and serve in such a large capacity for a wonderful organization.