child puppet character, Katie, to bases all over the Pacific and Europe. And Chelsie Hightower and others quick- stepped Dancing with the Stars all the way to bases in Germany. Grammy-winner, Grand Ole Opry
wise actress puts her arm around a wounded servicemember’s shoulder. A musician sings of yearning toward a distant wife and child, yet un- seen, born after a tour of duty began. An athlete bends six-pack muscles to the task of maneuver- ing a wheelchair for a combat-disabled man.
A
Celebrities, from all walks of fame, use their star status to encourage and fundraise for servicemembers. For instance, did you know the curled- tongue rock band KISS donated $1 from every ticket sold on their sum- mer 2011 North American tour to an organization for those injured in com- bat? Or boxing greats like Oscar De La Hoya and others went to Kuwait and Iraq to encourage troops? “We have many celebrities that
help, from Bill O’Reilly [and] Trace Adkins [to] The Sopranos stars,” says Becky Melvin of the Wounded Warrior Project, a Florida-based organization that conducts events and fundraisers for wounded ser- vicemembers and their families. One
64 MILITARY OFFICER AUGUST 2012
recent event brought together Chica- go’s professional sports teams — the Bulls, Bears, Blackhawks, Cubs, and White Sox — for a meal, bowling, and bocce ball with servicemembers and their families.
Performing for troops Often events for the troops involve performances, notably through the USO. Gary Sinese’s “The Lt. Dan Band” and Toby Keith both are on the road many weekends a year perform- ing for servicemembers. A touring Sesame Street troupe — financed by children’s book author and illustrator Trevor Romain — recently brought old favorites like Cookie Monster and Grover as well as a new military
member, and multiply-awarded fid- dler Charlie Daniels, famous for “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” has for more than 20 years per- formed all over the world on mili- tary bases, even in hot spots such as Sarajevo and Bosnia. He recalls one hair-raising experi-
COMEDIAN CRACKS JOKES but shows tenderness toward the battle-weary. The worldly-
ence in Iraq. “One night we were com- ing back from a base in a helicopter and got shot at over Baghdad,” Daniels says. “They were shooting off flares. I thought it was a maneuver and was surprised that it actually was live fire.” Some performers involve their mil- itary audience in unique ways. For- mer Lance Cpl. Josh Gracin, USMC, a singer who first achieved fame on the second season of American Idol while serving in the Marine Corps, went on to record top singles including “Noth- in’ to Lose.” Working alongside the Sears Holdings Corp. Heroes at Home program, which supports the reha- bilitation of homes for veterans and military families, Gracin composed a song, “Can’t Say Goodbye,” based on the winning personal story in the Portraits of Heroes competition. The story was written by young widow Seana Arrechaga as a tribute to her fallen husband, Army Sgt. 1st Class Ofren “AC” Arrechaga. “Can’t Say Goodbye” officially was unveiled in a special performance in Wheaton, Ill.
Handshake tours
Other non-performing celebrities go on “handshake tours.” They in- clude Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, and Urban Meyer, head football coach at The Ohio State University and a network sports commentator. Meyer sees his visits overseas as part of a team effort to “support one another and count on one another.”
PHOT0: SGT. MATTHEW FRIBERG, USA/DOD
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