KTLA joins the staff, volunteers, friends, and family as they surprise Bob Kurkjian, president of the Bob Hope USO, with a special send off on his latest mission. The U.S. Navy Reservist Commander has been activated for a seven month tour of duty in Afghanistan.
Bob grew up in Orange County and graduated USC from where he joined the staff of then newly-elected Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan. He went on to earn a masters degree from USC’s Marshall School of Business and moved to Washington, DC where he spent the next 12 years working in non-profit management and consulting prior to returning to Southern California.
As a commander in the Navy Reserve, Bob has been a USO guest on three continents. He has been mobilized for service in Baghdad, Bahrain and afloat in the Somali Basin and Gulf of Aden. He graduated, with distinction, with a master’s degree from the United States Naval War College.
Since his arrival in 2012, Bob has led an unprecedented expansion of Bob Hope USO services and programs in Central and Southern California, leading to a doubling of the number of troops and families served. He is a licensed CPA and sits on the Board of Counselors for the USC MBA for Veterans program and the Board of Goodwill Orange County.
Commander Kurkjian was not president of just the Bob Hope USO at LAX, he was in charge of ALL THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BOB HOPE USO LOCATIONS:
*LAX
*El Segundo
*Ontario
*Palm Springs
*Orange County
*March Air Reserve Base
Remember the nonprofit organization started by entertainer Bob Hope, DOES NOT RECEIVE ANY GOVERNMENT FUNDING!!! It relies on a small staff, volunteers, and DONATIONS. Mr. Kurkjian asks that if the public wants to continue to support him as well as the USO, and the millions of active duty members currently serving and cared for by the Bob Hope USO, please donate to the Bob Hope USO at: bobhopeuso.org!
To follow his journey visit CDRKinAFG.blogspot.com
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