Another rewarding day in the Middle East as we move a step closer to the actual Tribute to the Troops show. I am staying in tents with a dozen WWE technical personnel a decent walk from where the venue is being constructed.
The unplanned wake-up call came at 5 a.m., when chants from a Muslim prayer rang throughout this entire region, blaring on speakers from the center of the city. This is a common occurrence in most Middle Eastern countries. The soldiers here tell us you learn to live with and respect the early morning revelries and will soon sleep through it.
The venue moves closer to completion, despite major power issues over the past few days, so a group of us took the opportunity to tour one of Saddam Hussein’s largest palaces. It is a gaudy, ornate three-story structure which is built on a number of man-made lakes. The late Hussein used this palace as his hunting and fishing lodge as he stocked the lakes with various fish and the nearby land with exotic animals. The entire set-up speaks volumes to Hussein’s intense paranoia, insecurity and sociopathic tendencies.
I was accompanied on this tour by veteran WWE television director Kerwin Silfies who is so excited to be a part of this tribute show. Kerwin has directed just about every WWE television broadcast over the past 26 years, including 22 WrestleManias. But the one show missing from his impressive resume was the Tribute to the Troops broadcast.
“I have absolutely wanted to do this since day one, but it seems every year something would happen and it just never worked out for me,” Silfies tells me. “But finally I am here.” Silfies says this is a wonderful trip for everyone in WWE, but an even better time for the troops.
Silfies is working with many of the soldiers who have volunteered to set up the “arena” and has nothing but high praise for them. “It is the happiest group of stagehands I have ever worked with. It is just a great opportunity for them to do something different which is so important and believe me we really need their help.”
Silfies says he is incredibly humbled by the whole experience of being here and he hopes that emotion will show through when he directs the sixth annual Tribute to the Troops show.
“As a human being it is always great to experience somewhere you haven’t visited before, but this is taking it to an entirely different level," Silfies said. "To be able to visually combine wrestling with a background which includes a mixture of Saddam’s palace, armed forces vehicles, and beautiful blue skies is a wonderful opportunity.”
But Siflies knows come show time the troops will be the stars of the show. “These kids have so much emotion, so much attitude, and will be having so much fun it will make my job much easier.”
I echo Kerwin’s sentiments on the enthusiasm of these wonderful servicemen and women, and they have all made our job easier during our time here in Iraq! We thank them for welcoming us into their home in the desert and for everything they are doing to protect our freedoms around the world.
Editor's Note: The preceeding was relayed from e-mail message reports from the WWE's Tribute to the Troops mission. Names of the bases visited have been omitted at the request of the U.S. Army, so as not to divulge WWE's location in Iraq.
Here are some thoughts from U.S. Army soldiers here in Iraq that we're visiting with, who are helping out WWE with the arena set-up for the Tribute to the Troops show:
Spc. Brandon David Schmidt Hanover, Pa. I am a mechanic. I get vehicles ready for patrol, get them ready to go outside the wire. I repair them if they get hit while on a mission. We keep the guys moving and keep them safe. I took a couple of days off to come out and volunteer and help the WWE set up the arena for the Tribute to the Troops show and it has been an amazing experience. This is great and gives us a chance to have some fun! Great to have a chance to enjoy ourselves. Only thing I am looking forward to more than this is finally going home. I can’t wait to see my wife and and one-year old daughter, I only got to see her for a month before I shipped out and it’s been real hard. I can’t wait to get home to see how she is walking and talking and having fun! I would simply like to tell my family I love you to death and I can’t wait to get home!
Sgt. Michael Green St. Louis, Missouri This is my fourth tour, two in Iraq and two in Afghanistan. Best thing about being here, on this tour, is the Internet. I chat with my family and always read WWE.COM. I have been in Iraq a year today and I still have a month and a half left! But the WWE is here and it is going to make getting through the next month a heck of a lot easier. I am a mechanic and gunner for our lead truck and our sgt. major ... We head out to outposts each and everyday to check on our soldiers out there. We are his security. But not this week! I am helping to set up the ring! I am the WWE’s biggest fan. I watch Raw, SmackDown and ECW on Armed Forces Network every week! I took a week off just for this detail! It’s a big experience because we are huge fans! The WWE coming here is a homecoming for us, it makes us feel like we are closer to home! It means a lot because WWE is willing to risk a lot to come over here! I have to get a picture of John Cena! My wife is in love with John Cena. She told me she would leave me for him, but I don’t know! I have bigger guns! I also like Jeff hardy, that dude is out of control! I just want to tell my wife, my kids, my brother, I love you guys, Happy Holidays, I will see you in a month!
Spc. Carlos Matos Rodriquez Puerto Rico This is great stuff! What a great opportunity to see the WWE here. We appreciate all the effort everyone has put into this venture, coming all the way over here for us. I am glad WWE came to celebrate the holidays with us, the holidays are a rough time over here. We often feel alone and wwe makes us feel great! This is my first holiday overseas and this is helping me get through it. I am a hardcore fan and I couldn’t wait to help out and actually help build this arena! I want to be a part of this! I can’t wait to see Batista and Rey Mysterio! Rey is a great inspiration to us all! I want to tell my wife and two daughters, who are 5 and 7, I love you! A big shout out and I can’t wait to see you in March! Keep praying for us. I am good and safe and I will be back soon!
Sgt. Jason Allen Clough Georgia I work for the Commanders’ Community Relief Program, we help rebuild Iraq. I am a huge WWE fan and that’s why I took time off to come down to the parking lot and help build this arena! I hope we make it look just like Monday Night Raw! I can’t wait to meet the Superstars, especially Randy Orton! Randy Orton has come such a long way! The favorite part of my day was helping to build the ring! It was awesome ... I got a chance to jump off the top rope! Thanks WWE for making one of my dreams come true! I have a 9-month old daughter at home and I can’t wait to get back home to see her and hold her! I will be home in February for her first birthday! And my wife I can’t wait to be with again! I love you guys! Happy Holidays and I will see you soon. Ditto to my mom and step dad!
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.
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.
Hello, this is Michael Cole, aboard a C-17 cargo jet, along with 62 WWE personnel, that includes technical crew and WWE Superstars at Andrews Air Force Base, ready to take off for our annual Tribute to the Troops.
This cargo plane (seen above) holds 110,000 lbs. of cargo. We have 80,000 pounds of equipment loaded for this trip. For the first time ever, the troops, when they see our show, will get the total WWE television TV experience. Because, for the first time ever, we are bringing a high-definition TitanTron and LED, or video board.
WWE personnel took months creating and engineering this very special TitanTron so that it would work in desert conditions, including in the sand in the desert. It is the first HD TitanTron that we’ve ever brought to Iraq – and the first-ever HD TitanTron that will ever be used in an entertainment show in a war zone.
Our main goal this year is to entertain the troops, to give them the full WWE experience. The troops this year will be entertained this year with video packages and entrance videos. They’ll feel like they really are at a Monday Night Raw or a WWE TV event, and really feel like there are part of the show that will air on NBC the Saturday before Christmas.
Of course, there’s the ring, the turnbuckles, the ropes, microphones, television equipment and cameras … everything that will make this experience the best it can be.
And we will actually set up this arena in the middle of a desert, to entertain our troops while we’re over there for our sixth-annual Tribute to the Troops.
Editor's Note: The preceeding was transcribed from audio dispatches from the WWE's Tribute to the Troops mission. 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.
