Photo By Sgt. Adrian Muehe | Blonde hair flies as the Arizona Cardinal Cheerleaders dance thier finale during a...... read more read more
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IRAQ - The Arizona Cardinal Cheerleaders stopped by Joint Base Balad, Iraq, on Sept. 17, to meet, greet and perform for service members.
This was their second stop of their 2010 tour of Kuwait and Iraq and while at JBB they met with troops at the outdoor pool and then later performed at the east Morale, Welfare and Recreation Center.
“We really feel that it’s an important part of our job to raise morale and give the troops a little piece of home while they’re here,” said Marcie, one of the captains for the Arizona Cardinal Cheerleaders.
This is the first time many of them have traveled to a combat zone to perform for deployed service members. Arizona Cheerleaders have been here in the past with a different line up, said Amy, a senior member of the cheer squad.
“The Arizona Cardinals were here in 2005, but I missed that tour,” said Amy. “They came back to the Baghdad area, and I got to jump on that one.”
“We expected to be sleeping in tents when we got here, but the accommodations are really impressive,” said Marcie. “We don’t know how you guys feel about it, but we think the food is really good and we feel very safe being on this base.”
After signing autographs beside the pool, they toured the base before getting ready to put on a show at the MWR. The performance consisted of a number of dance routines that took on different themes as the cheerleaders ‘toured’ different areas of the United States and paid tribute to service members.
“I really appreciate that they took time out of their day to come support us,” said Spc. Bobby Silvestri, a human resources specialist with the 3rd Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), and an Orlando, Fla., native. “I’m a Dallas Cowboys fan at heart, but at the moment I’m a Cardinals fan.”
For some service members, being able to come to these shows is a way to mentally go back home for a short time.
“I try to go to as many events like this as I can,” said Silvestri. “It helps keep my mind off things like work and being deployed.”
From here the cheerleaders moved on to see servicemembers at other bases throughout Iraq.
“We have 4 to 5 stops here before we head home,” said Amy. “We just want to thank everyone and let them know how much we appreciate you guys being here and it means a ton to us to be able to perform here.”
| Date Taken: | 09.17.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 09.26.2010 05:21 |
| Story ID: | 56986 |
| Location: | IQ |
| Web Views: | 149 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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