Thursday, November 13, 2008

Entertainers and the USO - giving to our troops

In the discussion of Iraq, Afghanistan and U.S. military forces there have been many things said over the years. During the early part of the Primaries, particularly the Democratic Primaries, it was a focal point of public interest as well as political campaigns. But for all this commentary one of the things that was often missed were the troops themselves.

I must admit that I too failed on this point. So much discussion focused on the how and when of ending the wars little was spoken about how the troops were and what was being done for our returning soldiers.

I was reminded of this most recently when I received information about an ongoing USO tour. The USO gives back to our troops that are stationed overseas and fighting on behalf of our nation. No matter the political interests of all of us here at home, we all should appreciate the voluntary service that our troops provide for us.

This USO tour is a small piece of that appreciation, but for our troops it is an important one. And in this tour Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, U.S. Marine General James E. Cartwright, the Ying Yang Twins, model/singer Mayra Veronica and comedians Gabriel Iglesias and Edwin San Juan are all taking part.

“It’s incredibly difficult to be stationed far away from family and friends,” said General Cartwright. “The goal of this USO tour is to bring a touch of home to those serving around the world, to put smiles on our troops’ faces and to provide great memories that will last a lifetime.”


In addition to appearing in the USO tour, the Ying Yang Twins will also be releasing a new song on i-Tunes – Wild Out. Proceeds collected from the sale of this song will be donated to the Brooke Army Medical Center, to help veterans.

I for one am glad to hear of these entertainers and their efforts to give to our troops. The above group joins a long line of celebrities and entertainers that have met our troops, overseas and at home, for decades via the USO. Some recent entertainers that have joined USO tours include:

Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Trace Adkins, Baby Bash and Anna Kournikova, Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, Boyz II Men, Gary Sinise, Brad Garrett, Dennis Haysbert, Michael Irby, Max Martini and Robert Patrick, Toby Keith, Tichina Arnold, Miss USA 2007 Rachel Smith, Miss Teen USA 2007 Hilary Cruz, Scarlett Johansson among many others.

Celebrating and honoring our troops is not a political act but one of honest appreciation and thanks. For that I think every entertainer that joins a USO tour needs to be acknowledged. I don’t have space for that here but you can go to the USO’s website to learn more. www.uso.org

And I should mention one other thing. The USO is at its core made up of volunteers that give their time to support our men and women in uniform. They work 24-hours a day, seven-days a week, and the majority of them are not as visible as the celebrities and entertainers mentioned above. It is through that work, and the donations of people like you and me, that events like the above are possible.

No comments: