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World Wrestling
Entertainment Superstars and Chairman Vince McMahon take Monday Night RAW
to U.S. troops stationed in Afghanistan, December 7-9. Hosted by Armed Forces
Entertainment, the tour marks the third holiday Tribute to the Troops WWE
has produced since 2003. The tour and a live-to-tape performance of RAW
in Afghanistan will be presented as a WWE RAW holiday special to air on
USA Network on December 19 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT).
In 2003 and
2004 Armed Forces Entertainment hosted WWE SmackDown® Superstars on
tours and performances for troops in Iraq. This years tour marks the first
time that Superstars from RAW will conduct a holiday tour, meeting and performing
before thousands of men and women of the U.S. military in Afghanistan.
The WWE Superstars will visit, sleep and eat with military personnel through a series of appearances with the troops. The tour culminates with a live performance of Monday Night RAW featuring WWE Champion John Cena®, Triple H®, Ric Flair®, JBL™, Mick Foley™, Big Show®, Carlito™, Shelton Benjamin™, Snitsky™, Women’s Champion Trish Stratus®, Ashley™, Candice Michelle™, Maria™, Coach™, and Lilian Garcia™.
Keeping troop
morale high is one of the most important functions of Armed Forces Entertainment,
said Art Myers, Director of Air Force Services, who oversees Armed Forces
Entertainment. The continued support from Vince McMahon and World Wrestling
Entertainment, especially the live shows during the holidays, gives our
military personnel serving overseas something to look forward to, taking
their mind off combat duties,said Myers.
The WWE Tribute
to the Troops tour marks the largest celebrity production to visit troops
in Afghanistan, with WWE RAW Superstars visiting several bases throughout
the country.
It is important
to us that we reach as many of the troops as we can, not only to entertain
them, but thank them for their service to our country, said McMahon. Going
back on tour with Armed Forces Entertainment means we have another opportunity
to tell the stories of the significant sacrifices our men and women in uniform
are making for our freedom and the freedom of others. In particular, we
are excited to be visiting and performing for the first time for our forgotten
heroes in Afghanistan who continue to risk their lives in the effort to
establish a strong, free Afghanistan.
The Tribute
to the Troops broadcast will mark USA Networks first television special
event of the highly rated WWE Monday Night RAW weekly series since its debut
on the network this fall. The special program will feature exciting matches
from the live performance, as well as taped features that will share with
the American public the experience of daily life for U.S. service men and
women in Afghanistan as they continue to fight in the name of freedom.
National media
outlet MSNBC is scheduled to provide news coverage of the AFE WWE tour.
MSNBCs Rita Cosby has announced plans to broadcast Rita Cosby: Live and
Direct live from Afghanistan on Wednesday, December 7, and Thursday, December
8, at 9 p.m. EST, to provide viewers a look into life on active duty for
U.S. troops in Afghanistan and to chronicle WWEs tour.
Armed Forces Entertainment is the lead Department of Defense agency for providing entertainment to US military personnel serving overseas, with priority given to those in contingency operations and remote and isolated locations. The Department of the Air Force is the executive agent of Armed Forces Entertainment.
Founded in 1951 Armed Forces Entertainment brings a touch of home to more than 500,000 troops annually, embracing the best of Americana that stretches across all genres of entertainment. Visit www.armedforcesentertainment.com for more information.
For more information
on WWEs activities with U.S. troops, visit troops.wwe.com.
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Trademarks: The names of all World Wrestling Entertainment televised and live programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans and wrestling moves and all World Wrestling Entertainment logos are trademarks, which are the exclusive property of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Additional media contacts:
SFC Rick Scavetta, CJTF-76 Media Relations, Afghan Cell: 079-492-485, Outside Afghanistan: +93-79-492-485
VP, Corporate Comm., Gary Davis, WWE, 203-353-5066
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