NEWPORT NEWS, Va., Oct. 25, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE:HII) is pleased to announce its four star-level sponsorship of the annual USO Gala, which will take place tonight at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C. HII’s sponsorship will help enable the USO to continue its critical mission of lifting the spirits of troops and their families through the many programs the organization delivers to service members, their families and wounded warriors.

“We are proud to sponsor the USO and the important work it does all around the world,” said HII President and CEO Mike Petters. “The USO’s support of the men and women who keep our nation safe is truly remarkable. Whether delivering care packages to our forces in the mountains of Afghanistan, or hosting a career transition seminar for troops and spouses, or entertaining children of our deployed service members during the holidays, the USO is a world-class organization that ensures these men, women and their families know they are cared for and supported.”

This year the USO celebrates its 72^nd anniversary. At the gala, the USO will recognize a special volunteer as well as honorees selected by the senior enlisted representatives from each branch of the Armed Forces for their extraordinary bravery, loyalty and heroism.

Among the estimated 1,000 guests will be Washington dignitaries, members of Congress, military leadership, celebrities, members of the USO Board of Governors, USO corporate sponsors and the media.

About the USO: The USO (United Service Organizations) lifts the spirits of America’s troops and their families millions of times each year at hundreds of places worldwide. We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases, top-quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops and their families, wounded warriors and their families and the families of the fallen.

The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency. We rely on the generosity of our volunteers and donors. In addition to individual donors and corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by Worldwide Strategic Partners: American Airlines, AT&T Inc., BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, Clear Channel Communications, The Coca-Cola Company, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corp., Procter & Gamble and TriWest Healthcare Alliance. The USO is also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). To learn more about the USO, please visit http://www.uso.org.

About Huntington Ingalls Industries

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) designs, builds and maintains nuclear and non-nuclear ships for the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard and provides after-market services for military ships around the globe. For more than a century, HII has built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder at its Newport News Shipbuilding and Ingalls Shipbuilding divisions. Employing more than 37,000 in Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana and California, HII also provides a wide variety of products and services to the commercial energy industry and other government customers, including the Department of Energy. For more information, visit: