This was posted on the Hugh Hewitt web log.
>
>
>
>From a USMC Captain stationed near Fallujah, on the modern-day
>successors to Bob Hope's USO tours:
>
>"All,
>
>I've finally experienced something of interest that I can write
>about with no concern for breaching our operational security.
>Recently, Ted Nugent and Toby Keith came out to Camp Fallujah
>as part of their multi-stop, month long USO tour.
>
>Yes, you heard it right: Ted Nugent, Mr. Cat Scratch Fever himself,
>and Toby Keith, America's post-9/11 Leading Country Man played to
>a packed house of Marines and sailors at Camp Fallujah from 2330
>until 0100 the next morning.
>
>Their schedule was rigorous; before their late night arrival, they
>spent the last night in Afghanistan, stopped over in Baghdad,
>played a show at another base, and then came out to Camp Fallujah
>before leaving for yet another show. When they arrived at our base,
>they had only slept briefly on an airplane for the past 36 hours. >
>In this environment overseas, it's difficult to understand what
>would motivate someone to travel thousands of miles and risk their
>lives simply to entertain. Being a natural skeptic, I figured it
>was mostly a publicity stunt. Now, having experienced it from the
>end of someone involved in the backstage planning, and having seen
>these guys up close and personal, I've got a different and very
>positive perspective.
>
>Most of the crowd out here was interested in an opportunity to see
>and meet Toby Keith. It may sound funny, but sometimes I forget a
>bit what it's like to be a young Marine... half of these kids out
>here were just heading off to boot camp when Keith penned his ode
>to patriotism and playback "Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue"
>that received so much airplay after 9/11. For my part, I've long
>respected Nugent's ardent pro American and pro environment stances.
>A lover of the outdoors, Nugent has passionately lived and expressed
>the ideal that every human being has a moral responsibility to
>live their lives in order to "be the best they can be". He is often
>quoted saying that he expects his friends, his associates, and even
>his children to "live their lives like Marines." His vision of the
>American dream combined with his opinions and lifestyle choices
>made him uncommon among the Hollywood crowd over the years.
>
>Because of his recent popularity with the younger Marines, the MEF
>Headquarters Group had a long list of volunteers willing to escort
>Toby Keith. However, only a handful of Marines - mostly the "30 or
>over" crowd - had ever even heard of the guy we began simply calling
>"The Nuge". Since I had an interest, I became a liaison officer
>assisting the entourage and escorting Ted while he was onboard the Camp. >
>Typical of all matters involving any military operation, nothing
>happened according to plan. The helicopters landed in the Landing Zone
>(LZ) right at 2215. One problem: they were the wrong helos... the
>VIPs had been delayed, and nobody knew when, or if, they were coming
>in. One show had already been canceled that day, and the original
>schedule had placed the VIP party at their overnight site by 2200.
>I figured they probably wouldn't show up; after all, these guys were
>celebrities who needed to be taken care of, right? Certainly their
>handlers would force them to get their beauty sleep, wouldn't they? >
>Around 2330, we heard the distinctive whirring of inbound helicopters,
>and a pair of Army Blackhawks screamed down into the LZ. In the
>glow of a nearly full moon, I approached the LZ hoping these were
>our guys... I knew there were a couple thousand people back at one
>of our buildings whose morale had skyrocketed at the thought of
>watching the pair perform. After the LZ landed, a figure in a pair
>of baggy trousers, a T-shirt, and a scruffy beard jumped out of the
>Blackhawk and wondered out in the general direction. Even though the
>man wore civilian clothes, I wasn't sure if we had our team... this
>guy could have been a reporter, or had any number of reasons for
>his style of clothing. Besides, he seemed to be the only one walking
>off the bird. Celebrities wouldn't just stroll around in a war zone...
>would they? It had to be a stagehand or something.
>
>The figure approached me in the dark and pumped my hand; in the
>shadows, I still couldn't see his face. "Hey man, I'm Toby Keith."
>Roger that. Welcome to Camp Fallujah, Mr. Keith.
>
>Keith looked over his shoulder and gave a thumbs-up to the rest of
>the posse, along with the international hand-and-arm signal for
>"follow me"... clearly he was a driving force in the entire operation.
>The entourage moved off the bird and over to our escort party. The
>Nuge was a little further back in the crowd; we shook hands and both
>he and Toby immediately began engaging the Marines in photo-ops,
>handshakes, and we're-so-damn-proud-of-yous to the Marines standing
>by for security. Nobody was here to see this. There was no red carpet,
>no news reporters, and the Public Affairs Office hadn't started
>snapping their photos yet. These guys weren't looking for a photo op;
>they were out here standing around in shorts and T-shirts and jeans
>high-fiving Marines on a dusty LZ for only one reason: they cared. >And it showed.
>
>Once things settled down and we were ready to drive from the LZ to
>the concert area, Nugent took a seat in a Humvee and I sat down next
>to him. We chatted briefly about a few things, but I had a bigger
>concern: after inquiring about the state of his hunger, it turned
>out The Nuge hadn't had any chow for several hours. I knew refreshments
>were set up at the backstage area, but I also realized these guys
>would be mobbed. The thing of it is... they expected it. And they
>really didn't care. They wouldn't sleep until 0300 at the earliest,
>and they knew they'd be back onstage at 0800 the next day. So, I did
>what any Marine of any rank would have done in the same situation:
>I ripped open a couple of MREs, rifled through them, and grabbed
>the items that were easiest to eat in a hurry.
>
>The Nuge was impressed: "Yeah man! Improvise, adapt, and overcome, >baby!!"
>
>As a Marine, I couldn't help but enjoy being around someone whose wild
>side is well advertised, but who takes such unabashed pride in pouring
>their heart and soul into their life. One of the doors on the Humvee
>kept slipping ajar, and in a move reminiscent of any Lance Corporal,
>Ted whipped out his Gerber multi-tool and jimmied with the hinge until
>it was fixed to his satisfaction. Furthermore, Ted kept telling me
>that if we took incoming, "my Glock 10 is loaded and I'm ready to rock
>and roll!" Being well inside the perimeter of our base; Nugent and his
>Glock 10 probably wouldn't do much against a mortar or rocket attack.
>I made a mental note that if anything happened, I would have to dive
>on top of The Nuge and pin him down, if for no other reason than to
>keep him from endangering my Marines or himself (rock star or not,
>Marines don't react well to weapons pointed in their direction).
>
>The show itself was a huge success. Toby and "Uncle Ted" obviously
>enjoyed being together and playing together; Nugent wisecracked they
>were "just like Lennon and McCartney, only with guns!" It was amazing
>to see: two major stars accustomed to performing in ornate stadiums
>and with sound systems that would blow the ears off a dozen jumbo
>elephants, standing around on a bare stage with nothing but two acoustic
>guitars and two microphones. They hadn't showered in about three days.
>There was no manager, no make-up person, and no costume changes. It
>was clear that these two entertainers were saying thanks not only by
>playing for Marines, but by playing for Marines on Marine terms. They
> were tired, hungry, and dirty. But they were enjoying every minute
>of it. And so were we.
>
>Ted and I chatted more after the show, and I got a picture snapped with
>him before he and Toby Keith jumped back onto the Blackhawk at 0145.
>Nugent isn't a man who is shy about his opinion, and even in the times
>when I found myself generally agreeing with his points, I could see
>how people who pride themselves on being refined or intellectual would
>be put off by his brash and aggressive nature. For me... well, Marines
>are aggressive by nature, and Ted fit in with our crowd just fine. >
>As I waved goodbye and reflected on my time with The Nuge, I realized
>I didn't remember much of his music. I'm sure most of his songs were
>grand odes to wine, women, and song. I don't know if he ever sang
>anything that exuded nobility. But I know this: Ted Nugent and Toby
>Keith earned my respect as men tonight. The pair of entertainers, their
>assistants, and two USO workers set foot in a war zone where anything
>could happen; they knew they could be attacked at any time. For these
>civilians, that risk was worth the reward of expressing the gratitude
>of America towards those sent into harm's way. They did it because >they cared.
>
>Thanks guys. You can rock and roll with us any time. But, Ted, if you
>plan to come back, bring a rifle instead of a Glock and stay a couple
>of days. It sounds to me like we need to work you into the watch
>rotation
>out on the perimeter.
>
>Semper fi,
>Capt Dave
"A vote for Kerry is a de facto vote for bin Laden." Strider