July 9, 2012
Story by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Terrance D. Rhodes
RC-East PAO
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – The NFL and the USO teamed up for its annual NFL-USO Coaches tour July 2-5. The tour visited servicemembers throughout Regional Command East.
The tour began in 1966, when then NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle conceived of the idea of sending NFL players on “goodwill” tours to visit U.S. troops, who were fighting in Vietnam. Four future Hall of Fame players Johnny Unitas, Willie Davis, Sam Huff and Frank Gifford participated in that first NFL-USO tour.
In the following years, many NFL stars including Bart Starr, Jack Kemp, Dick Butkus, Gene Upshaw, Archie Manning, Franco Harris, Rocky Bleier, Jerome Bettis, Warrick Dunn and Drew Brees have visited our fighting forces stationed in every corner of the globe.
This year’s coaches, Leslie Frazier, head coach of the Minnesota Vikings; Ben Kotwica assistant special teams coach of the New York Jets; Bill Cowher, former head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers; and Eric Mangini, former head coach of the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets uplifted troop’s morale with their visit.
“It’s a huge morale booster for us to see some of our favorite coaches in Afghanistan, out here with us,” said U.S. Army Sgt. Michael Dominick, a military policeman with the Headquarters and Headquarters Company 82nd Airborne Division and a native of Atlanta. “I appreciate them coming out here and spending their 4th of July weekend with us.”
The coaches were grateful for the opportunity to come and see how the troops are living.
“It’s an awesome experience to come out here and see the soldiers still enforcing the policy to standard,” Kotwica said.
Kotwica, served in the army for seven years after graduating from West Point Academy. During his time in the Army, Kotwica deployed to Iraq, he knows that this trip means a lot to the servicemembers.
“Just to be able to come out here and spend some time with the soldiers’ means a lot,” Kotwica said. “It’s an honor to be here with them [soldiers] to show our appreciation for what they do for America each day.
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – NFL-USO coaches tour arrives at Forward Operating Base Warrior to takes pictures with servicemembers July 3. The coach’s tour travelled throughout Afghanistan to spent time with servicemembers for the Fourth of July week. (Photo by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Terrance D. Rhodes, RC-East PAO)
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Head coach Leslie Frazier, of the Minnesota Vikings; former head coach Bill Cowher, of the Pittsburgh Steelers; Special teams coach Ben Kotwica, of the New York Jets; and Eric Mangini, former coach of the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets take pictures with a M777 lightweight 155mm howitzer at Forward Operating Base Warrior July 3. The coaches were a part of the NFL-USO coach’s tour to visit servicemembers in Afghanistan. (Photo by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Terrance D. Rhodes, RC-East PAO)
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Special teams coach Ben Kotwica, of the New York Jets and head coach Leslie Frazier, of the Minnesota Vikings pose with two servicemembers at Forward Operating Base Arian July 3. The coaches took some time out to come to Afghanistan as part of the NFL-USO coach’s tour. (Photo by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Terrance D. Rhodes, RC-East PAO)
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – NFL coaches Ben Kotwica, Leslie Frazier, and former coaches Bill Cowher and Eric Mangini sign autographs and talk to servicemembers at Forward Operating Base Arian July 3. The coach’s are part of the NFL-USO coach’s tour. (Photo by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Terrance D. Rhodes, RC-East PAO)