Performing for the Troops

A big thank you to all our veterans this Memorial Weekend for their service to our country! I am sharing a flashback picture from several years ago, when I went overseas to perform for the troops. I traveled with my bandmates at the time: Jorgen Ingmar on drums (who will be playing with me this Friday!), Bart Davis on lead guitar (who now plays with Jorgen in L.A.vation, the world's greatest tribute to U2), and Mike Quinn on bass (who now rocks out in St. Louis). We moved from base to base to perform concerts for the soldiers in Bosnia, Kosovo, and Macedonia. It was pretty exciting flying on the C17 aircraft (built in Long Beach!) and sometimes we went by bus, with Hummer escorts. It was such a rewarding experience to be able to give the gift of music to the troops while they were away from home! We first took a commercial flight to Germany where we stayed for one night, and I didn't get the memo about packing an extra travel bag, so I only had the clothes on my back. My bandmates still make fun of me for walking the streets of Germany with a Lufthansa blanket I snagged from the plane, my only source of warmth. I reunited with my luggage on Eagle Base, and it was there in the D-Fac (Dining Facility) I met Blackhawk Helicopter pilot Charlotte. (to be continued)

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