Arlington, VA, April 17, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Academy Award® nominated actor and producer Jake Gyllenhaal and actor Dar Salim joined forces with the United Service Organizations (USO) on April 14 to visit Fort Irwin, home of the U.S. Army’s National Training Center, in San Bernardino County, California. Gyllenhaal and Salim toured the National Training Center, met with service members at the USO Center, and hosted a special preview screening of Guy Ritchie's The Covenant which opens only in movie theaters Friday, April 21. The film is rated R for violence, language throughout and brief drug content.
Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant follows U.S. Army Sergeant John Kinley (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Afghan interpreter Ahmed (Dar Salim). After an ambush, Ahmed goes to Herculean lengths to save Kinley’s life. When Kinley learns that Ahmed and his family were not given safe passage to America as promised, he must repay his debt by returning to the war zone to retrieve them before the Taliban hunts them down first.
Gyllenhaal and Salim arrived at Fort Irwin via Black Hawk helicopters and got an up-close look at the installation’s mission and how troops train to win the next fight at the U.S. Army’s premier training center. Fort Irwin was established by President Franklin Roosevelt. In 1981, the National Training Center was created to train Armored Brigade Combat Teams to “Win the First Fight.”
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Jake Gyllenhaal said, “I am honored and incredibly grateful to have visited the real-life heroic men and women at Fort Irwin and witness firsthand their unparalleled training facility, equipment and dedication as they ensure our freedom.”
“COL Erik Oksenvaag was a very generous host and it was a huge pleasure and learning experience meeting the service men and women and seeing firsthand the unique and impressive scope of Fort Irwin,” said Dar Salim. “SGT Zhane Benson told me she just wants to shine her light on people she meets and make the world a better place the best way she can. That says it all.”
“We appreciate the USO’s support to the Soldiers and Families of Fort Irwin and the National Training Center,” said COL Erik Oksenvaag, Fort Irwin’s Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff. “Not only was this a great opportunity for our community, but we were able to highlight the critical mission of the NTC and Fort Irwin to a group who was previously unfamiliar.”
“It was wonderful to have Jake Gyllenhaal and Dar Salim connect with service members and their families at Fort Irwin,” said Jennifer Wahlquist, Vice President, USO Global Entertainment. “We are grateful for them sharing not only Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant, but also their support and appreciation for the men and women who serve.”
USO Global Entertainment delivers first-class entertainment programming to U.S. military service members and their families. Partnering with entertainment and sports industries, the USO brings celebrities and athletes to military locations worldwide. Through one of a kind, in-person tours and its Military Virtual Programming (MVP) series, the USO creates meaningful interactions that uplift & strengthen service members and their families and remind them how much their sacrifice is valued.
Since its formation, the MVP series has featured more than 270 celebrity guests, visiting with service members and families from every U.S. state & territory, 39 countries and 29 ships at sea. In 2022, the USO delivered 27 tours and 34 MVP sessions to over 40,000, across 30 countries, and 427 military sites to service members around the world including tours to Australia, Colombia and Greenland.
USO Global Entertainment offers worldwide limited on-demand content through its mobile app and streams content on its social media platforms, offering a wide range of unparalleled entertainment programming. To date, content streamed across USO platforms has garnered over 1 million views and featured artists such as Carrie Underwood, Florida Georgia Line, Ne-Yo, Idina Menzel, Ewan McGregor, and Dolly Parton.
Follow the USO on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for updates, and join the conversation using #BetheForce on social media.
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About the USO
The USO strengthens America's military service members by keeping them connected to family, home, and country, throughout their service to the nation. At hundreds of locations worldwide, we are united in our commitment to connect our service members and their families through countless acts of caring, comfort, and support. The USO is a private nonprofit organization, not a government agency. Our programs, services and entertainment tours are made possible by the American people, the support of our corporate partners, and the dedication of our volunteers and staff. To join us in this important mission and learn more about the USO, please visit USO.org or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
About Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) is a leading entertainment company focused on the production and global distribution of film and television content across all platforms. The company owns one of the world’s deepest libraries of premium film and television content as well as the premium pay television network MGM+, which is available throughout the U.S. via cable, satellite, telco and digital distributors. In addition, MGM has investments in numerous other television channels, digital platforms and interactive ventures and is producing premium short-form content for distribution. For more information, visit www.mgm.com.
