Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders v. the United States Military

Yahoo News
Nov 9, 2009

2009-dcc-action_3Football fans at this year’s Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl will have the opportunity to cheer on their favorites when the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders take on active duty soldiers in Iraq via webcam in a “Guitar Hero” Challenge, courtesy of Armed Forces Insurance (www.afi.org) and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. The battle will take place at the AFI booth in the Bowl’s Armed Forces Adventure Area from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on December 30.

Leavenworth, Kan. (Vocus) — Football fans at this year’s Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl will have the opportunity to cheer on their favorites when the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders take on active duty soldiers in Iraq via webcam in a “Guitar Hero” Challenge, courtesy of Armed Forces Insurance (www.afi.org) and the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. The battle will take place at the AFI booth in the Bowl’s Armed Forces Adventure Area from 3:00-5:00 p.m. on December 30.

“More than 10,000 fans are expected to attend the Adventure Area, so we plan on a spirited crowd to watch the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders take on the soldiers through cyberspace,” said Tom Dials, chairman of AFI. “It’s a great opportunity to let our troops know we support them while having some fun in the process.”

Families of competing soldiers will have reserved seating in the booth to view the competition. Donations will be accepted at the booth and used to create and send care packages to men and women serving overseas in active military duty through Give 2 The Troops, a nonprofit organization. In addition, fans also will have the opportunity to win prizes by competing in Guitar Hero contests, which will be ongoing in the AFI booth all weekend.

This is the second year AFI has served as the title partner for the Armed Forces Adventure Area, a festival designed specifically to celebrate military service. In addition to the Guitar Hero Challenge, the Adventure Area will feature booths from military branches and other corporate partners, along with military equipment and hardware on display. The festival is free of charge and will be located outside the main entrances of the Amon G. Carter stadium the day before the Bowl (December 30) from 3:00 – 8:00 p.m. and on game day, December 31, from 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. The Guitar Hero Challenge will be administered by Pro vs. GI Joe, a nonprofit organization that provides troops serving all over the world with opportunities to take on professional athletes or celebrities in heated head-to-head video game competitions—both online and in person.

About Armed Forces Insurance
AFI was founded in 1887 by military leaders with a single mission: to protect the people who protect our nation. The company provides premium quality, competitively-priced property and casualty insurance to military professionals throughout the United States and overseas. Headquartered in Leavenworth, Kansas, AFI understands that military members have unique circumstances and insurance needs, enabling the company to offer a level of personalized service that’s unequaled in the industry. For more information, visit the Web site at afi.org or call 1-800-495-8234.

About the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl
The Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television (ERT), will be televised live from Amon G. Carter Stadium on Thursday, December 31, at 11:00 a.m. (CST) on ESPN. The Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl will feature schools from Conference USA and the Mountain West Conference.

Ticket prices for the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl are $50 for sideline seats, $40 for upper deck seats and $20 for end-zone tickets. Military veterans receive half off any $50 or $40 seat and active-duty personnel get in free via the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl corporate military ticket underwriting program. A portion of local ticket sales will go to designated military charities. Tickets for this year’s game can be obtained by calling the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl office at 817-810-0012, or by going to the Web site for more information at www.ArmedForcesBowl.com.


This is completely unrelated, but you have got to check this out. It’s an electric guitar t-shirt. It’s a shirt, with a guitar on the front, and you can actually play the guitar. How freakin’ cool is that? Check it out on ThinkGeek.com.


electronic_rock_guitar_shirt

Rock ‘n roll!

Texans Cheerleaders Salute the Military

Last weekend, the Texans’ home game was also Military Appreciation Day. In honor of the occasion, the Texans Cheerleaders suited up as members of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps. One of your peers, Keith, was in the stands and sent us this link to his photos. Go check them out!

Thanks Keith!
(Have we mentioned lately how much we love it when you guys send us stuff? You all are the best!)

2009-htc_military-appreciation

NFL Cheerleaders Pep Up Marine Team in Afghanistan

Lance Cpl. John Hitesman
Dvidshub.net
10.16.2009

NIMRUZ PROVINCE, Afghanistan – With bright white smiles and cheery attitudes, five of the St. Louis Rams cheerleaders visited Forward Operating Base Delaram here recently to put on a show and help boost the morale of the Marines of 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.

2009-rams-afghanistan_4_crop
The cheerleaders arrived by helicopter at 9:30 a.m. and were greeted by Lt. Col. Patrick J. Cashman, 2/3’s battalion commander, Sgt. Maj. Jason E. Patrick, the battalion sergeant major, and Gunnery Sgt. Joshua T. Laverty, Headquarters and Service Co. gunnery sergeant.

Although the ladies were there to entertain, the Marines of 2/3 decided to do some entertaining of their own by putting on a couple of demonstrations for them and giving them a tour of the base.

Laverty was in charge of their security and showing them around along with making sure they had everything they needed while on site.

“They seemed very excited to be here and to do the things we had planned for them,” said Laverty. “They were also extremely receptive to everything we told them about, and they were filled with questions. The whole day was definitely a refreshing change of pace.”

While being shown around the base the cheerleaders talked and took pictures with Marines they met. They also gave out posters they had autographed.

“It really shows their character – being willing to come out here and do what they do,” added Laverty. “I’m really thankful for their generosity. What they do really helps boost morale.”

They were shown the mortar pits and given an exhibition on the unit’s adopted weapon system, the 120mm mortar, normally organic to the Army. During the exhibition of the 120mm system the cheerleaders had their photos taken with the mortarmen while holding some of the 120 mm rounds.

Weapons Co. scout snipers gave the cheerleaders a chance to look out over the city of Delaram through high powered rifle scopes and try on a Marine combat load – to give them an idea of the amount of weight Marines carry on their body when they are standing post or outside the wire.

Before breaking for lunch, the cheerleaders were introduced to the Improvised Explosive Device sniffing dogs. Charlie, the dog, and her handler Sgt. Andrew T. Ustaszewski showed them.

“This was all very amazing, and we got to see a lot of cool stuff,” said Marybeth, a five-year Rams cheerleader. “This experience really gave me a new appreciation for what the Marines do.”

The cheerleaders started their hour-long show promptly at 3 p.m. in their Rams’ cheerleading uniforms. Part of the show was a question and answer portion where the Marines competed for calendars. Marines also earned prizes in the best “touchdown dance” competition.

“I really loved the opportunity to come out here and see what you guys do and how you live,” added Marybeth, who is also a registered nurse. “Coming out here is an honor for us and we really support everything that our military does.”

“This was awesome!” said Megan, the cheerleaders’ captain. “I came out last year, and I by far think that this was a much better experience.

[Hi-res 1] [Hi-res 2]

Eagles cheerleaders not just for football

del-coBy Amy Brisson
September 20, 2009
Del Co Times

The minute Krystle Campbell stepped off a military plane in Kuwait, she was hit with an intense blast of hot, dry air and nearly 125-degree heat.

“It was like a blow dryer blowing on you, it was so hot,” she said.

In Campbell’s five years as a cheerleader for the Philadelphia Eagles, the 23-year-old Glen Mills resident has traveled the world performing and modeling.

But going on a goodwill mission to Kuwait and Iraq this July was a completely different experience, she said.

It wasn’t glamorous, like the calendar shoot they did in Aruba this May. Or quite as upbeat as performing in a parade in Hong Kong.

In fact, Campbell said the six cheerleaders on the trip got a taste of real life on a military base, from wearing combat gear to sleeping in “The Can.”

“We were treated really well, they took really good care of us, but we were right in there in the mix,” she said. “Whenever there was a pretty severe sandstorm we were grounded and couldn’t move to the next place. And that’s when we really got to know the soldiers.”

Campbell described it as one of the most amazing experiences she has ever had, especially getting to see the day-to-day life of a soldier on the ground.

“They’re so brave for being over there. Some of them said they had been there for eight months and we were the first entertainment group to come over there,” she said.

An opportunity to go to Iraq was certainly not what Campbell expected when she first signed up for Eagles cheerleaders auditions.

A second-grade teacher at Nottingham Elementary in the Oxford School District, Campbell grew up dancing.

She was a member of the Parkside Academy of Music and Dance throughout high school, but stopped dancing when she began college.

But she remembered her dance teacher talking about trying out for a spot on the Eagles cheerleading squad, and after graduation the memory inspired her to get back into it.

“Dancing my whole life, it was just a next step for me,” she said. “It’s been a whole string of opportunities I would have never experienced without the Eagles. I’ve traveled all over the world.”

Campbell is not the only alum of Parkside Academy to join the squad.

A few years after she was picked, she convinced her friend, Kim Mellon, to give it a shot as well.

A Media resident, Mellon is a graduate of Sun Valley High School and currently works as a landscape architect at a company in Berwyn.

Mellon also stopped dancing when she began attending Penn State, but after hearing about Campbell’s experience, she decided to begin practicing again.

She attended tryouts on the sly, leading her college friends to think she was driving home for job interviews. Then she surprised them with news she had been accepted to the team.

“I surprised myself trying out for this. I knew it was a very busy schedule, and it would require a lot of time and effort,” she said.

But the biggest shock, she said, was when she realized just how famous she had suddenly become.

“I didn’t know that it had such a celebrity status with it,” said Mellon. She still keeps her cheerleader identity quiet when she goes out, so she can enjoy a “low-key” evening without requests for impromptu performances.

And even on the field, she was surprised that the cheerleaders get almost as much attention as the team.

“You can’t be too shy or timid, because there are definitely a lot of people out there watching from every angle,” she said.

But she said the scrutiny, and some very grueling workouts, are worth it to for the chance to perform at that level.

“Every game before we go out you get the butterflies in your stomach, but once you get out there it’s better,” she said. “Game days, there’s just so much excitement, I love going out there and performing for everybody.”

Army Reserve Children Surprised by Orlando Magic Dancers During Workshop

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Mark Bell
81st Regional Support Command
DVIDShub.net
08.13.2009

ORLANDO, Fla. – Nails, hair and boys.

It seemed like typical girl talk for nearly a dozen teenagers attending a weekend workshop with their parents during an Army Reserve Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program held Aug. 7- 9 here.

But like most events sponsored by the 81st Regional Support Command, nothing ever seems typical, and this weekend was no exception.

More than 75 sons and daughters of Soldiers who recently returned from combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan were signed up for the child care program designed to entertain the Army Reserve youth as their parents were busy learning how to reintegrate back into their families and communities after a deployment overseas.

For one young girl, the workshop agenda was a surprise to her and her friends.

“I thought I was just coming here for a meeting,” said 11-year-old Samantha Smith, from Lake City, Fla. “I never knew this was going to be so much fun for an Army meeting.”

As Smith and her friend, Brittany Hobby, performed sporadic cheerleading routines in the hallways and spoke coded conservations only young girls could grasp, one could only assume a daytime slumber party was the logical answer.

meganclementiusa2010_smInstead, it was the appearance of three Orlando Magic Dancers, one of whom was newly crowned Miss Florida USA, that made teenage boys blush and girls shake with excitement during their unannounced visit.

As the older boys were gathered around an air hockey table battling to be the best of a white plastic puck, the arrival of Erin Gomersall and Kelly Rose Resciniti in their Orlando Magic dance uniforms ended any hopes of concentration.

The sound of a puck bouncing off the rails and slowly coming to a halt and the faint hum of air rushing through the hockey table was a sure sign the five youth were definitely caught off guard.

“So who’s winning here,” asked Megan Clementi, the current Miss Florida USA and captain of the Magic Dancers. “Come on; let’s see who’s going to win.”

The game abruptly ended and their focus shifted to the newest air hockey fans.

Like a deer staring into the headlights of oncoming traffic, the visible disbelief took several minutes to disappear as the dancers attempted to make new friends from a younger generation.

One older boy quickly turned around and ran his fingers through his hair and straightened up his shirt before turning back around with a large grin. Behind the dancers, several other boys could be seen texting on their cell phones – admitting later they were bragging to their friends back home about their new girlfriends.

“I was surprised they spent their time to come see us here,” said 11-year old Hobby, who aspires to someday be a University of Florida cheerleader. “I really liked them a lot. They were very spiritual and sweet. It makes me want to be a cheerleader even more.”

Within minutes, word spread throughout the hallway and other rooms that the dancers were there to see the younger participants of the post-deployment workshop.

Leaning up against a sliding door, several girls focused through the glass using their hands to get a glimpse of National Basketball Association professional dancers. As the door opened, the boys were quickly pushed aside and the mob-like atmosphere brought huge smiles to the energetic dancers.

“Wow, are you really a cheerleader,” asked one six-year-old girl.

“Close, but we are the Orlando Magic Dancers, not cheerleaders,” Gomersall said smiling as she gave the girl a hug.
meganerinkelly
“I can’t believe this,” another girl said over and over. “I have to go tell my mom and dad. Can I go get my mom? She won’t ever believe me.”

The boys slowly returned to their air hockey game as the dancers and the newest fans of the Orlando Magic slowly made their way to the hallway.

Gomersall, a four-year veteran of the Magic Dancers, said taking time on a Saturday morning to visit with Soldiers and families is an honor as a member of the community and an Orlando Magic Dancer.

“I think it’s important to connect with the military because they do so much for us whether we are at war or not,” she said. “We just want to continue our support for the military family. They deserve it, and sometimes I don’t even think they even realize how important they are in our communities.”

Answering a barrage of questions ranging from caring for their nails to being a professional dancer, the girls and the dancers fell into a noticeable routine like they were reunited friends.

As the girls asked permission to touch Clementi’s pageant sash, the noticeable wide-eye reaction meant a little more to Clementi than the average appearance, and said she hopes the boys and girls had fun and were able to take away a little more than just a visit from professional basketball dancers.

“I don’t think they get to see NBA dancers or Miss Florida USA,” she said. “I hope they remember us as being positive role models and just really nice girls. One day, they can be a Magic Dancer or be Miss Florida USA.”

As two girls were showing off their latest cheerleading routines, others were shaking the bluish metallic pom pons.

A young girl ran her fingers through Resciniti’s hair as she turned to her friend and giggled like she just had a brush with a movie star.

Resciniti, a veteran of Armed Forces Entertainment overseas tours, said she never forgets about the Soldiers and families that sacrifice so much during deployments while on and off the NBA court.

“Although we are over here entertaining and in the spotlight, we know what’s going on over there too, and we are very thankful and appreciative of what the troops and their families go through during this difficult time,” she said.

As Soldiers and families are separated for long periods of time during scheduled deployments, Resciniti said it’s just as important to take care of family members left behind.

“The girls here today are doing the same things we did while growing up,” she said. “They are trying to be regular girls doing things like dancing and getting involved in sports, and they did it without their dad or mother here. I can’t imagine how tough it could be during that time.”

With the last of the promotional Orlando Magic Dancer posters signed, Clementi, Gomersall and Resciniti quietly left the area to visit more heroes of the day– the Soldiers and spouses of the children.

As Hobby and Smith unsuccessfully begged to keep the three dancers around for a few more minutes, Gomersall reassured the girls that they would be visiting another Yellow Ribbon workshop in the near future.

“We have to come back again,” Smith told Hobby. “This is just too cool. Our friends are never going to believe us.”

After it was all done, Smith said making new friends was the best thing about the whole event – minus the early Saturday morning surprise. “Hopefully I will see them again and make more friends the next time,” she said.

As the new friends departed, Clementi said the 90-minute meeting was absolutely amazing and hopes the children truly understand how much Americans respect and honor their parents.

“Soldiers are overseas every single day fighting for our country,” she said. “I don’t think they really know how much we appreciate them.”

Clementi said they wanted to come here to just say thank you as ambassadors of the Orlando Magic organization and the state of Florida.

“It’s something little, but I think it makes a big difference,” she said.

USO trip a life-changer for Raiderette

2009-ashlee-in-baghdadBy Jason Anderson
Staff Writer
Recordnet.com
August 08, 2009

STOCKTON – Some new emotions swirled inside Ashlee Marks as she descended into Baghdad aboard a C-130 Hercules military transport plane carrying American soldiers and four other Oakland Raiderettes.

The 23-year-old St. Mary’s High School graduate donned a Kevlar vest and looked into the eyes of troops who were being deployed for the first time that day. She thought about her appreciation for the American way of life, the sacrifices U.S. troops make in the name of freedom and the incredible bravery of the mothers, fathers, sons and daughters who risk their lives to protect it.

“It was a life-changing experience,” said Marks, a Raiderette for four seasons who works for an insurance brokerage firm in Concord. “I got to see firsthand what the men and women of our country are fighting for on a daily basis, and it made me feel so much gratitude and a newfound respect for people in the armed forces.”

The Raiderettes, who made an appearance Friday on Raider Nation Night at Stockton Ballpark, visited more than 40 bases in Kuwait and Iraq during a two-week USO tour from May 25 to June 6. Marks said they flew 17 hours to reach the Middle East. The temperature when they arrived in Baghdad was 130 degrees.

The Raiderettes toured Saddam Hussein’s former palace and the surrounding palaces where his wives and grandchildren once lived. They greeted troops, visited wounded soldiers and performed hour-long shows each night.

They traveled in Blackhawk helicopters with two pilots and two door gunners. One pilot asked them to autograph the inside hood of a Blackhawk that has been in use since Operation Iraqi Freedom began in 2003. They signed right next to the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders.

“It was nothing short of an honor to be selected and to go over there representing the Raiderettes and Raider fans, but more importantly all the Americans who support America’s heroes,” said Emily Compagno, a Raiderette who works as a criminal defense attorney in Burlingame. “For us it was an honor to meet them, but it was reciprocated tenfold in their response to us.”

Compagno said Marks did her part to boost the troops’ morale.

“What Ashlee brought to Iraq was such a warm spirit and joy and connection she’s able to make with literally every person she ever comes in contact with,” Compagno said. “I saw firsthand the effect she had on so many soldiers, men and women, who appreciated her sincerity, genuineness, care and passion for everyone over there.”

Marks met one woman who lost her leg in a mortar attack two days earlier and other troops who have been killed or injured since the Raiderettes returned from the trip. She said each of the American soldiers she met made a lasting impression on her.

“They would give their lives for anybody,” Marks said. “These men and women – I can’t even tell you – I just have so much respect for them and everything they do.”

Redskins Cheerleaders entertain sailors, families for USS Harry S. Truman

Jessica Andrews
The Examiner
July 25, 2009

When it comes to entertaining our Armed Forces, the Redskins Cheerleaders are tops. Their smiling faces are not just seen about town, visiting the troops at Walter Reed and Bethesda naval hospital, but they are all over the world, having performed over 30 Military Appreciation Tours since 1999. They’ve also been a regular staple at Fleet Week New York City since 2003.

Last week the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) in Norfolk Virginia, had a family day cruise. They are deploying soon and this is a way they give back to the sailors and their families. The cheerleaders were invited for the weekend, performing several dances and signing photos for the sailors and their families.

Melanie Coburn, Director of Marketing for the Washington Redskins Cheerleaders says “We are so grateful for our service men and women and are honored to be able to give back to them throughout the year.”

They book about one or two overseas visits a year for the troops and have a special variety show, dancing to the always popular “Proud to be an American,” and wearing patriotic costumes.

wrc-harry-truman-2009

(Photo courtesy of cheerleader Sabrina: left to right – Talmesha, Sabrina, Christi, Melanie, Chelsea, and Dawn enjoy watching the planes take off from the flight deck.)

Don’t miss their calendar release party this Thursday, at Public Bar in Washington D.C.