SPRINGFIELD, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 11, 2006--The SemperComm Foundation, a charitable non-profit organization founded to boost the morale of United States military members stationed at overseas remote bases, today announced its Second Annual Gala and Silent Auction will take place at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, May 11, beginning at 6 p.m. The gathering is expected to draw a large crowd of defense, Congressional, business and federal agency leaders to help support The SemperComm Foundation mission.

SemperComm was founded in 2004 by the employees of Computer Systems Center Incorporated (CSCI), a Virginia-based defense contractor, to ensure that small far-flung U.S. military stations were outfitted with the ability to contact family and friends. The Foundation provides the communications equipment and software, the satellite access that enables connectivity and entertainment equipment like televisions, DVD players and movies free to the military.

"Many of our employees are former U.S. military members," said CSCI CEO Linda LaRoche. "When we asked them what cause they felt passionate about and could really get behind, making sure troops that are stationed in far away places--often away from front lines--get morale and welfare boosters was what they told me. Life is bearable for most American men and women stationed far from home if they're able to have some kind of contact with the people they love. When our troops make so many sacrifices for us, how can we NOT do this for them?"

The SemperComm Foundation's mission is to eventually outfit and fund all small, remote U.S. military stations overseas that lack morale and welfare support--typically any station with fewer than 75 personnel and far from other bases. Through partners such as Stars for Stripes, a non-profit foundation to help bring celebrity entertainment to the troops, and PC Recycler, a DC-based electronics refurbishing/recycling company, SemperComm has been working to outfit bases like the U.S. Marine Corps' Jungle Warfare Training Center(JWTC) in Okinawa, Japan.

"To fund the bases, the initial cost is approximately $80,000. Satellite access costs about $65,000 annually thereafter," LaRoche, who also acts as president of The SemperComm Foundation, said. "The SemperComm Gala represents our major fund-raiser for the year, and it will help us grow and continue our mission."

The 2006 SemperComm Gala features a silent auction to help raise funds for the Foundation's efforts. Among the items available for auction are several golf and mini-vacation packages. In addition, the Foundation will also be accepting donations from attendees, and a substantial portion of each ticket price is going to fund SemperComm's efforts.

About The SemperComm Foundation

The SemperComm Foundation is a charitable non-profit organization that was founded to boost the morale of U.S. service members stationed at overseas remote bases, by providing them with the means to communicate with loved ones back home and with access to a variety of entertainment equipment in order to make life at remote postings more bearable. The name SemperComm (Always Communications) is derived from the Marine Corps motto "Semper Fidelis" (Always Faithful). SemperComm is supported by its title partner, Computer Systems Center Incorporated (CSCI); its entertainment partner, Stars For Stripes; and its presenting sponsor, PC Recycler. For information about SemperComm, visit www.sempercomm.org.

Copyright Business Wire 2006

SemperComm Foundation, The

SemperComm Foundation, The

The SemperComm Foundation is a charitable non-profit organization that was founded to boost the morale of U.S. service members stationed at overseas remote bases, by providing them with the means to communicate with loved ones back home and with access to a variety of entertainment equipment in order to make life at remote postings more bearable

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