United Through Reading announces BAE Systems as the Mission Ready sponsor of its Operation Storytime Campaign

July 25, 2023

July 26, 2023, Washington DC – United Through Reading is honored to announce that BAE Systems, Inc. will serve as the Mission Ready sponsor as part of their Operation Storytime Campaign. 

Mission Ready ensures that the more reading ready our military families are, the stronger our nation is today and tomorrow. Reading together as a family supports military readiness by promoting essential educational skills and fostering family bonding and connection. Making sure military families have the tools they need to be even stronger and prepared for time apart improves family readiness and helps service members focus on their mission. 

“BAE Systems is excited to be the Mission Ready sponsor, ensuring our military families are connected and resilient even when their service member is away. We’ve long partnered with United Through Reading because of their proven record of supporting military families through their reading programs,” said Mike McBride, vice president of Legislative Affairs at BAE Systems, Inc. and member of the United Through Reading Board of Trustees.

BAE System’s sponsorship of Mission Ready will support United Through Reading’s efforts to keep military families reading-ready. Military members use these programs daily to save storytime moments missed when duty keeps families apart, making families stronger and ensuring service members can focus on their mission. BAE Systems has partnered with United Through Reading since 2009. Most recently, in 2022, they supported the successful launch of the Mobile Story Station East, a mobile recording studio that allows service members and veterans to make storytime recordings while in their local community. So far, the Mobile Story Station East has traveled from the Washington, DC area to bases in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina. 

“We are grateful for our longstanding and continued partnership with BAE Systems to support military family readiness through our programs. This support helps our service members focus on their mission, knowing that they continue to be part of their family’s reading routines at home,” said Tim Farrell, United Through Reading’s CEO. BAE Systems is featured prominently on both Mobile Story Stations and United Through Reading’s mobile reading app. 

Operation Storytime is United Through Reading’s three-year campaign to connect #TheNextMillion military family members through shared storytime. Learn more at operationstorytime.org.