Armed Forces Entertainment

Armed Forces Entertainment (AFE) is the official United States Department of Defense (DoD) agency for providing entertainment to U.S. military personnel overseas. Armed Forces Entertainment hosts over 1,200 shows around the world each year, reaching over 500,000 personnel at 355 military installations. Types of talent include musicians, comedians, cheerleaders, and celebrities of sports, movies and television.

Armed Forces Entertainment was founded in 1951 to provide up-and-coming American entertainment to US troops and their family members stationed overseas, with priority to remote and isolated locations, ships at sea, and contingency operations. Entertainment is provided to the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. This is different from the non-government United Service Organizations (USO), whose entertainers tend to be famous, and generally aren't sent as close to the front line.

Armed Forces Entertainment is an Air Force command operation and is the single point of contact with the DoD for providing entertainment to US military personnel serving overseas. It is the lead agency in providing transportation and logistical support for the USO in bringing celebrity entertainers to troops.

Armed Forces Entertainment typically showcases emerging artists but also features celebrity acts such as Kid Rock and Drew Carey.

The responsible organization for overseas military entertainment has changed names and jurisdictions over its first five decades; from the United Services Organization Camp Shows to the U.S. Army’s Armed Forces Professional Entertainment Office (AFPEO) and resting in 2006 with the U.S. Air Force’s Armed Forces Entertainment office. However, the mission has remained constant: to provide a program of live, professional entertainment to enhance the quality of life for Armed Forces personnel.

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