USO News
USO Tour Takes Ex-NFL Pros Hoge, Millen, Muñoz to Middle East
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Former NFL stars Matt Millen (far right), Anthony Muñoz (middle in black t-shirt) and Merril Hoge (far left) have all done standout work on the field and have made post-playing careers of analyzing the sport they love. So it didn't take them long to find the words to describe their feelings after their week-long tour to visit the troops serving in Middle East.
The tour allowed the ex-players to offer greetings and thanks to our service men and women and reaffirmed the trio's admiration for our armed services.
"We couldn't have been more impressed by what we saw and the people we met," Millen wrote on his blog entry for ESPN.com. "I was so impressed by the dedication and professionalism of these young soldiers. They're excited about their jobs and their spirits are so high. I'm really looking forward to the next stop on our USO tour."
Hoge shared Millen's impressions.
"This experience has exceeded all expectations so far. I am incredibly grateful for the service of our men and women overseas, and seeing them in action over here only strengthens my appreciation."
Hoge was also interested to see how the troops stay connected to home while performing their patriotic duty.
"In the gyms here when they work out there are 10 TVs and eight or nine of them are tuned to either ESPN or CNN. It really helps them get through the time," Hoge said on Cincinnati.com. "They ask for our thoughts on [the labor situation] and they hope that there isn't one [a stoppage]. They love the games here. Regardless of the shift they're up watching it."
For Muñoz, the open arms extended by the troops humbled him.
"The most striking thing for me so far is the thanks and appreciation the troops have for our visit," Muñoz said. "I want to thank them, but they keep thanking me first."
Joining those showing their appreciation is USO President Sloan Gibson.
"I can't think of a better way to let our heroes know that they are in our thoughts than by bringing them face-to-face with their favorite NFL stars and legends. For 45 years the NFL and the USO have partnered to do just that and we are proud to continue that tradition with this tour."
The partnership between the USO and the NFL dates back to 1966 when players visited Vietnam and other regions in Asia to show their support and convey their thanks to our nation's service men and women. Past tours have seen gridiron legends like Terry Bradshaw, Larry Csonka, Howie Long and Johnny Unitas visit bases in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Iraq, Japan, Korea among others.
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