CAMP KOREAN VILLAGE, Iraq (Dec 11, 2006) – Sergeant Jacob W. Jones, legal clerk, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) reads a hand made holiday greeting card here. Marines and Sailors received individually wrapped packages from school children carrying holiday greeting cards and small trinkets along with a few comforts of home. Marines from the Camp Pendleton, California-based 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) arrived in Iraq late November and provides security to this region of the Al Anbar Province. (Official USMC photo by ) (Released)
Country star raises the roof at
Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan –Hundreds of service members stepped away from the battlefield and into the honky-tonk as country star Aaron Tippin raised the roof with a special Thanksgiving concert held on
Bagram Airfield.
“I’m a child of the Vietnam War, and I watched a lot of veterans come home to a thankless welcome … I swore I wouldn’t let that happen to our troops nowadays,” Tippin said during a meet-and-greet with fans before the concert.
True to his word, Tippin has been traveling overseas to entertain deployed troops since 1990, when Bob Hope invited him to join his tour. Tippin said when he’s performing concerts back home, troops attending often bring photos of themselves with him taken from Afghanistan, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Saudi Arabia, and other locations around the world.
Many Coalition troops on Bagram will now be able to do the same, including Army Sgt. David Mick, Joint Logistics Command. Mick, who had his guitar autographed by Tippin, said he is a huge country music fan and jumped at the chance to meet with Tippin.
“I treasure this guitar because it has been handed down in my family, my dad to me. It’s definitely cool to have Tippin’s autograph on it,” he added.
Later in the evening, Tippin picked up his own guitar and performed many of his biggest hits for troops at Bagram’s clamshell. The singer was met with hundreds of wildly clapping, shouting and tapping troops throughout his one-and-a-half hour performance.
“My appreciation for what you people do is what brings me here. I wanted to make sure you all know that the vast majority of Americans reciate what you are doing and stand behind you,” Tippin told the troops.
Mick said he feels troops appreciate the support performers like Tippin provide. Aaron is so patriotic, what better way to boost our morale than with a concert?” Mick said.
Thank You Aaron Tippon, and other performers. The Country/Western artists, with both their patriotic songs and personal appearances, have especially done well for our troops.
Tom, I just love it.
I had never heard of the name Aaron Tippin and then when I was looking for a video of him and found this one there was another one of a song I recognized. I am so bad about that sutff, I loves songs and forget to pay attention to who is singing them.