Pros
The USO has an important mission, respected brand, and unique service delivery model. Those are and will continue to be the organization’s strongest qualities. Staff are deeply committed, collaborative, and genuinely care about service members and families. There is a strong sense of purpose in the work, and many talented individuals who want to make a difference.
Cons
In recent months, the organizational culture has deteriorated significantly under new leadership. The implementation of a rigid return-to-office policy has created widespread disruption, with scores of employees effectively given end dates if they are unable to comply. The result has been substantial attrition across departments, which is weakening teams, eroding institutional knowledge, exhausting resources, and undermining key functions. While the policy has been framed as a way to improve collaboration, it reflects a fundamental disconnect from how modern teams actually work. Staff have proven they can collaborate effectively using digital tools, yet new leadership has failed to recognize or embrace this reality. In addition, policy enforcement has been highly inconsistent. While employees were told exceptions to RTO would be rare, new hires with prior connections to leadership have been granted permission to work remotely. This has created a perception of favoritism and undermined trust across the organization. More broadly, the organization lacks clear strategic direction. Leadership appears misaligned and reactive, with little evidence of a cohesive vision or plan. This absence of direction, combined with inconsistent decision-making, has driven morale down to a level that many employees describe as toxic.