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CONTACTS: Ashley Berke Kerry Auge National Constitution Center Liberty USO 215.409.6693 215.365.8010 [email protected] [email protected]

LIBERTY USO AND NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER TO HOST LAWN PARTY FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL AND THEIR FAMILIES AS PART OF 2011 LIBERTY MEDAL CEREMONY

Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates to receive 2011 Liberty Medal

Philadelphia, PA (September 12, 2011) – Military personnel and their families are encouraged to pack a picnic and bring lawn chairs and blankets to watch the 2011 Liberty Medal ceremony live at the National Constitution Center, honoring former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Presented by Liberty USO of and Southern New Jersey and the National Constitution Center, the USO Lawn Party will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 22, 2011, prior to the 7:00 p.m. ceremony. Admission is FREE for all active, inactive and retired military personnel and their families. USO guests should arrive at the corner of 5th and Arch Streets. Picnic meals are allowed, but no alcohol or glass products will be permitted. Military personnel are welcome to dress in uniform to show support for their respective branches of the military.

"The USO of Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey (Liberty USO) is honored to be a part of the 2011 Liberty Medal ceremony, which pays tribute to the tremendous career of Dr. Robert Gates,” said Liberty USO President & COO Joseph P. Brooks. “As supporters and care providers for the Armed Services, Liberty USO believes this is a wonderful opportunity for our service men and women and their families to witness an event which is so very relevant to them in terms of their everyday safety and wellbeing."

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ABC News Correspondent Bob Woodruff, actress and star of Kim Delaney, Pennsylvania Governor Thomas W. Corbett and National Constitution Center President & CEO David Eisner will participate in the 2011 Liberty Medal ceremony. Action News Anchorman Jim Gardner will host the live broadcast on WPVI-TV/6abc. The ceremony also will be streamed live on www.6abc.com.

In his five-decade career in public service, Dr. Robert Gates served eight presidents – in uniform, as the director of the CIA and as the civilian head of America’s armed forces. From the era of the Cold War to the complex challenges of the 21st century, he helped transform U.S. intelligence and military operations to meet emerging realities, and supported the safety and empowerment of American servicemen and women. Having served both President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama, Dr. Gates is the only Secretary of Defense in U.S. history to serve presidents of different parties.

A tireless advocate for the welfare of American troops, Gates has been called the “ultimate soldiers’ secretary.” Thinking of the troops as his own sons and daughters, he made it a top priority to care for them and their families. His push for the purchase of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles (MRAPs) and the production of drones, cameras and sensors provided a safer way to conduct operations and saved the lives of countless American soldiers. He also played an instrumental role in reducing the amount of time to get wounded soldiers from the battlefield to a hospital in Afghanistan.

The Liberty Medal was established in 1988 to commemorate the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution. Given annually, the medal honors men and women of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe. The Liberty Medal was first administered by the National Constitution Center in 2006, when Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton were honored for their bipartisan humanitarian efforts on behalf of the victims of the tsunami in Southeast Asia and the hurricanes on the Gulf Coast. Other past Liberty Medal

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ADD TWO/USO LAWN PARTY winners include Nelson Mandela, Shimon Peres, Kofi Annan, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and Bono. Last year’s Liberty Medal was awarded to former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. The Medal also has been awarded to organizations, including Doctors Without Borders and CNN International. Six recipients of the Medal subsequently have won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Ira Lubert of Independence Capital Partners will sponsor the Liberty Medal award in 2011, as he has for the past three years. For the sixth year, Citizens Bank is the presenting sponsor for the President’s Reception prior to the Liberty Medal ceremony. Hublot, the luxury Swiss brand that brings the "Art of Fusion" to watchmaking, will co-sponsor the Liberty Medal gala for 2011-2012, and will create a limited edition "U.S. Liberty Bang" timepiece to celebrate the significance of the Liberty Medal.

The City of and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania also support the Liberty Medal.

About Liberty USO For nearly seven decades, the USO of Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, Inc. (Liberty USO) has served the needs of active duty, National Guard and reserve military personnel and their families throughout Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey. Liberty USO’s mission is to enhance the quality of life of the U.S. Armed Forces personnel and their families. In short, Liberty USO is the bridge between the civilian population and our service members. In times of war and peace, Liberty USO has delivered its special brand of support, comfort, morale boosting, and recreational activities to service members and their families.

About the National Constitution Center Located on Independence Mall in Historic Philadelphia, the National Constitution Center is America’s first and only nonprofit, nonpartisan institution devoted to the U.S. Constitution. As a cutting-edge museum, national town hall and educational facility, the Center illuminates

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ADD THREE/USO LAWN PARTY constitutional ideals and inspires acts of citizenship through must-see multimedia exhibitions, live performances, timely public programs and dynamic educational resources. The museum dramatically tells the story of “We the People” through more than 100 interactive exhibits, films, photographs and rare artifacts; the stirring theatrical performance Freedom Rising; and the iconic attraction Signers’ Hall, featuring 42 life-sized bronze statues of the Founding Fathers. As America’s town hall for constitutional dialogue, the Center regularly engages political leaders, scholars, pundits and journalists of diverse viewpoints. The Center also houses the Annenberg Center for Education and Outreach, which serves as the hub for national constitutional education and provides exceptional civic learning resources both onsite and online. For more information, call 215.409.6700 or visit www.constitutioncenter.org.

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