Two days away from the Tribute to the Troops show and a handful of WWE personnel are literally constructing this arena from the ground up in the desert. 

WWE has commandeered an entire parking lot. They have moved tents into the back of this lot, serving as makeshift dressing rooms for the superstars and a makeshift TV production truck. This tent will house audio and video equipment as well as producers and directors come showtime. A huge flat bed truck is being used as the actual stage.  A plywood ramp is being constructed as well which will lead down to the ring.

It is such a surreal scene -- beautiful blue skies, pristine architecture in the background, a background often filled with Blackhawk helicopters or plumes of smoke reminding us this is an active war zone.

Cranes are moving large concrete blocks into the area, not only to add background and depth to the arena, but to be used as bunkers in case of attack. Dozens and dozens of soldiers have volunteered to help out, they are all part of the WWE Universe.  They are all huge fans!

Many of these service men and women are helping WWE officials Chad Patton and John Cone construct this actual wrestling ring in the middle of this arena. This is really a major highlight of the Tribute to the Troops tour each year. The volunteers this year are from the U.S. Army. They are stringing the new ring skirts along the apron with new colors and emblems this year and they are also setting up the ropes which are a bright red, white and blue.

But the fun begins after the ring is actually built. The soldiers are allowed some “fun time” to be a WWE Superstar. They get to feel the texture of the turnbuckles, run the ropes and get a feel for the actual mat. 

In fact, some of these soldiers took the opportunity to imitate their favorite Superstars. One young man did Batista’s “thumbs up and thumbs down” while posing for the cameras.  Another climbed to the second rope to do his best Randy Orton pose.  And a third got down in a crouch for the Shawn Michaels biceps pose in the middle of the ring!

One soldier telling me this is great, but nothing like seeing the superstars in person later in the week!

Tomorrow in my blog, a real interesting read.   I will talk with long-time WWE director Kerwin Silfies about this, his FIRST, Tribute to the Troops show and how excited he is to be here.

Editor's Note: The preceeding was relayed from e-mail reports from the WWE's Tribute to the Troops mission. Names of the areas visited have been omitted at the request of the U.S. Army, so as not to divulge WWE's location in Iraq.

For complete coverage of Tribute to the Troops, visit the Tribute section on WWE.com. Also, Leave your holiday messages for the troops in the Forums on WWE Universe.