Partnership with NBA is a ‘Slam Dunk,’ Dempsey Says DOD, the National Basketball Association and USA Basketball launched a new partnership last week to support local communities and hundreds of thousands of active and retired armed forces members and their families through the sport of basketball. The program will focus on community service, transition, leadership and rehabilitation for those with life-altering injuries. On Friday, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey praised the collaboration, saying it will help solve problems at the community level. “I’m excited about partnering with the NBA and USA Basketball in finding innovative ways to serve the communities in which we live and work,” said Dempsey, reported American Forces Press Service said. “This partnership will be a slam dunk — two groups who are the best in the world at what they do giving back to the communities that support them.” One initiative will help the thousands of service members returning from overseas acquire needed tools and skills to transition to civilian life, according to a press release. The partnership will feature events across the country, including USO Tours with basketball legends, exhibition games, clinics, open practices, speaking engagements, meet-and-greets and tickets to NBA games. “My prediction for us is that as these wars in Iraq and Afghanistan begin to fade and begin to pass into the rear-view mirror of American life, we’re going to have to increase our efforts to connect with America,” Dempsey said. The partnership builds off of the successful NBA Cares and USA Basketball’s Hoops for Troops program. Hoops for Troops is the year-round global social responsibility program for the NBA and USA Basketball in collaboration with DOD, USO, Wounded Warrior Project, and other military and veteran-serving organizations providing support for active and retired service members.
Posted on: Tue, 22 Apr 2014 13:44:18 +0000
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