Thursday, July 22, 2010
Country superstar and USO tour veteran Billy Ray Cyrus will play a free concert at 7 p.m. Sunday at Biggs Army Airfield on Fort Bliss. This event is a special, exclusive performance just for military personnel with valid IDs and their families; the general public will not be admitted. Cyrus is a great supporter of the Troops, having gone a week-long, three-country USO tour last December with Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; tennis star Anna Kournikova; and comedian Dave Attell. He's also a supporter of Operation Phone Home, a USO program that delivers prepaid international phone cards to deployed service members free of charge, and recently shared this special message that explains how YOU can support the program, too: "Being separated from family and loved ones is just one of the many difficult sacrifices our troops make to defend our country and our freedom. But right now, you and I have a special opportunity to help make dealing with that separation just a little easier. Thanks to the USO's Operation Phone Home program, when you donate $15 today, you will provide our brave men and women with 45 calls home.To make the most of this opportunity, the USO has set a goal of 100,000 calls by July 31. It's an ambitious goal, but it's one we must take on for our troops. And it's one we know we can achieve with the help of generous supporters like you. So please, don't hesitate and join in this great campaign today. Thank you, Billy Ray Cyrus" Thanks to Billy Ray Cyrus for all he does for our Troops and their families, and thanks to all of YOU who make our programs and services possible. Let's make these 100,000 calls by July 31st a reality!
Read full story
Monday, June 14, 2010
Actors (L-R) America Ferrera, Ryan O'Nan and Jason Ritter pose with troops in the Persian Gulf as part of their first-ever USO tour. Also joining the actors is writer/director Ryan Piers Williams, who is also participating in his first USO tour. (USO Photo by Tracy Thede)
The mercury may have topped 120 degrees, but fan favorites America Ferrera, Ryan O'Nan and Jason Ritter - along with writer/director Ryan Peters - stayed cool as they wrapped up their first USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour to the Persian Gulf, having visited with over 1300 service members along the way! The group's Handshake Tour found them greeting Troops, posing for pictures, and signing autographs as they traveled throughout the Persian Gulf for eight days. Ferrera had this to say about her experience: "We are here because we are so thankful and grateful and to hear a soldier say "thank you" its overwhelming, because really we are the ones who are filled with so much gratitude." Check out a short video below, in which they express their gratitude to the Troops... [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6KyDWPvQo0]
Read full story
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Actors (front, holding banner L-R) Jason Ritter, Ryan O'Nan and America Ferrera (second row center) take time out from their first-ever USO tour to pose with the medical staff on June 10, 2010. Also joining the actors is writer/director Ryan Piers Williams, who is also participating in his first USO tour. (USO Photo by Tracy Thede)
Emmy Award-winning actress America Ferrera (Ugly Betty), and fellow actors Ryan O’Nan and Jason Ritter, along with writer/director Ryan Piers Williams, are currently traveling in the Persian Gulf on their first-ever USO/Armed Forces Entertainment tour. During the trip, the foursome have visited troops, signed autographs, posed for photos and extended their appreciation to our nation’s finest. Ferrera, O’Nan, Ritter and Williams are all avid supporters of the U.S. armed forces and can be seen this summer in The Dry Land, an independent feature film about a war veteran’s return home from the Persian Gulf.
Read full story
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Toby Keith entertains troops stationed a remote forward operating base in the Persian Gulf.Read full story
Monday, April 05, 2010
Their tour may have ended, but the great pics keep coming! Check out these amazing images with NFL stars Drew Brees, Billy Miller, and Donnie Edwards. And don't forget to scroll to the bottom of the post for a video from DVIDS!
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees gets rushed by service members as he plays an exhibition football game with troops at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti on March 29, 2010. Brees is in the region as part of a nine-day USO tour designed to boost morale and bring troops a touch of home. (USO photo by Michael Clifton)
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (Left) and tight end Billy Miller run to complete a U.S. Marine Corps grenade training exercise at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti on March 29, 2010. Joined by fellow NFL'er Donnie Edwards, the trio is in the region as part of a nine-day USO tour designed to boost morale and bring troops a touch of home. (USO photo by Michael Clifton)
New Orleans Saints tight end Billy Miller is seen through the smoke, dust and sand atop an LAV (Light Armored Vehicle) belonging to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti on March 29, 2010. Miller was joined by teammate and Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees and NFL player Donnie Edwards, as part of their third USO tour together. (USO photo by Michael Clifton)
An Indianapolis Colts fan gives his team a shout-out as New Orelans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Donnie Edwards and New Orleans Saints tight end Billy Miller ride by during a training excerise on March 29, 2010 . This was the third annual USO tour for the trio, who visited troops in Japan in 2008 and spent time with those stationed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in 2009. (USO photo by Michael Clifton)
NFL players Billy Miller, Donnie Edwards and Drew Brees participate in a training exercise with U.S. Marines attached to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti on March 29, 2010. Part of a week-long USO tour, the group met with thousands of service men and women. (USO photo by Michael Clifton)
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Donnie Edwards and New Orleans Saints tight end Billy Miller board a V-22 Osprey in route to the USS Nassau on March 29, 2010. Traveling on their third USO tour together, the NFL trio also visited troops in Turkey and Dubaii as part of their nine-day USO tour. (USO photo by Michael Clifton) [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asrtnskoiKs]
Read full story
Monday, March 15, 2010
4TROOPS are United States combat veterans - three young men and one woman who served on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan. Former Cpt. Meredith Melcher, Former Sgt. Daniel Jens, Staff Sgt. (Ret.) Ron Henry and Former Sgt. David Clemohave come together for a singular purpose: to sing on behalf of all troops, to honor their sacrifices and to create awareness for their needs. And here's the exciting part: their debut self-titled CD will be available on April 20th with a portion of the proceeds from the sales to benefit veteran-related charities, including the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and the USO! The album consists of well-known positive pop and country songs and some new songs. All of the songs take on a special meaning in the context that they are performed by these four combat heroes. The first song is For Freedom, an inspirational patriotic tune written by Matt Moran for his grandfather, a WWII vet. Country star Toby Keith gives his blessing for a new version of his popular and controversial post 9/11 hit Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue to be included on the album with lyrics revised to reflect a 2010 outlook. Bob Woodruff, the ABC news anchor who was severely injured in Iraq, conducted the first TV interview with 4TROOPS which aired on Good Morning America (ABC) on Tuesday January 26th. Woodruff is personally invested in creating a better environment for injured troops who return from war. Through The Bob Woodruff Foundation and ReMIND.org, Woodruff’s goal is to provide resources and support to service members, veterans and their families to successfully reintegrate into their communities, in addition to educate the public about the needs of the injured troops and empower people everywhere to take action. 4TROOPS is embarking on an U.S. Military base tour at the end of March followed by a National tour in the fall. Upon hearing of the 4TROOPS, the Motel 6 hotel chain immediately wanted to be involved as a promotional partner and as a first step has generously donated lodging for the group throughout their U.S. Military base tour. Check out their latest video below and be sure to visit their website to learn more!
Read full story