Entertaining the troops in Iraq & Afghanistan

vagabond

vagabond

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I am wondering about the feasibility of some pros like Jeanett Lee,Mike Massey or some one else with skills going to Iraq & Afghanistan to entertain our toops.

I do not know whether all those military bases have pool tables or not.I do not know whether any philanthropist from AZ billiards will come forward or not to take care of the expenses of the players.Just a thought...:cool:
 
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vagabond said:
I am wondering about the feasibility of some pros like Jeanett Lee,Mike Massey or some one else with skills going to Iraq & Afghanistan to entertain our toops.

I do not know whether all those military bases have pool tables.I do not know whether any philanthropist from AZ billiards will come forward to take care of the expenses of the players.Just a thought...:cool:
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I think they would get some attention, as long as it was at a big base and they have a good table. I don't think Jeanette or Mike would like the playing conditions out there very much.
 
easy-e said:
I think they would get some attention, as long as it was at a big base and they have a good table. I don't think Jeanette or Mike would like the playing conditions out there very much.
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Playing conditions may not be ideal but the purpose of the visit is to give a message to the troops that they are appreciated and were not for gotten by the American public:cool:
 
vagabond said:
Playing conditions may not be ideal but the purpose of the visit is to give a message to the troops that they are appreciated and were not for gotten by the American public:cool:
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And it is a great message! I just think they wouldn't get nearly as many people to come out and see them unless thay were going to shoot some trick shots or something.......well, Jeanette might:D
 
I think Hilliary should go vist the troops, and tell here personal War Stories, that would be real entertainment.
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CocoboloCowboy said:
I think Hilliary should go vist the troops, and tell here personal War Stories, that would be real entertainment.
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She knows better than to do that. She doesn't have many fans in the military.
 
vagabond said:
Hope Fatboy,AV84 and some other rich AZ posterswill consider this proposal.
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They should get in touch with the USO, they can go for free!
 
vagabond said:
I am wondering about the feasibility of some pros like Jeanett Lee,Mike Massey or some one else with skills going to Iraq & Afghanistan to entertain our toops.

I do not know whether all those military bases have pool tables or not.I do not know whether any philanthropist from AZ billiards will come forward or not to take care of the expenses of the players.Just a thought...:cool:
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Vagabond,
Though it was not well publicized; I do believe that last year Jeanette Lee spent several weeks touring naval bases throughout Asia and the Pacific, and also Guantanamo Bay in the Caribbean. I was told that the servicemen were wildly enthusiastic about the exhibitions and the challenge matches as well.

I do not believe that the financial reimbursement was significant (only a token); and celebrities (such as JL) who devote the time and energy to such tours cannot be commended highly enough. It is discouraging to note how little appreciation and attention was given to her efforts. Oh well, maybe Earl will get into a fistfight with a Girl Scout and pool will finally get some publicity.
 
Yeah I was just about to post this....

Williebetmore said:
Vagabond,
Though it was not well publicized; I do believe that last year Jeanette Lee spent several weeks touring naval bases throughout Asia and the Pacific, and also Guantanamo Bay in the Caribbean. I was told that the servicemen were wildly enthusiastic about the exhibitions and the challenge matches as well.

I do not believe that the financial reimbursement was significant (only a token); and celebrities (such as JL) who devote the time and energy to such tours cannot be commended highly enough. It is discouraging to note how little appreciation and attention was given to her efforts. Oh well, maybe Earl will get into a fistfight with a Girl Scout and pool will finally get some publicity.
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Jeneatte Lee has done many MWR and USO events and went to GTMO. I just wish that she had gone while I was there as there were no pool tables worth a crap to be found and her going would have forced them to improve the conditions as they have now. My brother would have been at gtmo when she was there if he hadn't volunteered to go to Iraq while he was there. He's already played her two challenge matches at another mwr event she went to though, so that would've been funny if he'd been at GTMO, she might've thought he was stalking her LOL..

Jaden
 
Players have done this.

I remember an article in P&B a few years back about Ewa and LJ entertaining the troops. And I also seem to recall that Mike Massey has done this as well. I will try to get some details. But I think they have to be invited to be able to do this. I could be wrong, but I do not believe you can call the USO and just schedule a trip. I have a friend who tried to donate a table to an Armed Forces weather station and after three years of red tape was unable to do so. Another friend has been attempting for at least that long to hold a tournament at a military base and has spoken to a lot of different brass but has as yet to be put in touch with someone who can actually make this happen. Of course, I know they're busy right now, and that may be a major reason that it is not as easy to help as it might seem.
 
Williebetmore said:
Vagabond,
Though it was not well publicized; I do believe that last year Jeanette Lee spent several weeks touring naval bases throughout Asia and the Pacific, and also Guantanamo Bay in the Caribbean. I was told that the servicemen were wildly enthusiastic about the exhibitions and the challenge matches as well.

I do not believe that the financial reimbursement was significant (only a token); and celebrities (such as JL) who devote the time and energy to such tours cannot be commended highly enough. It is discouraging to note how little appreciation and attention was given to her efforts. Oh well, maybe Earl will get into a fistfight with a Girl Scout and pool will finally get some publicity.
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williebetmore,
Glad that u put that information over here.
Were there any articles in Billiards Digest on the services renedred to our troops by Jeanette Lee? I did not know she gave her time for a worthy cause like that.:cool:
 
Jerry Forsyth said:
I remember an article in P&B a few years back about Ewa and LJ entertaining the troops. And I also seem to recall that Mike Massey has done this as well. I will try to get some details. But I think they have to be invited to be able to do this. I could be wrong, but I do not believe you can call the USO and just schedule a trip. I have a friend who tried to donate a table to an Armed Forces weather station and after three years of red tape was unable to do so. Another friend has been attempting for at least that long to hold a tournament at a military base and has spoken to a lot of different brass but has as yet to be put in touch with someone who can actually make this happen. Of course, I know they're busy right now, and that may be a major reason that it is not as easy to help as it might seem.
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I am not a military guy.What is USO?
 
Jerry Forsyth said:
I remember an article in P&B a few years back about Ewa and LJ entertaining the troops. And I also seem to recall that Mike Massey has done this as well. I will try to get some details. But I think they have to be invited to be able to do this. I could be wrong, but I do not believe you can call the USO and just schedule a trip. I have a friend who tried to donate a table to an Armed Forces weather station and after three years of red tape was unable to do so. Another friend has been attempting for at least that long to hold a tournament at a military base and has spoken to a lot of different brass but has as yet to be put in touch with someone who can actually make this happen. Of course, I know they're busy right now, and that may be a major reason that it is not as easy to help as it might seem.
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I've seen Mike Massey when stationed in Germany. He used to do quite a few bases.

As far as accepting a pool table, there is ALOT of red tape with accepting gifts. I don't know about the other services but with the Air Force, there are specific instructions covering this.

Making a pool tournament happen on base is really easy. If it's an Air Force base that is. Get a hold of the Services Squadron Commander and let them know what's going on or run it through the First Sergeant Council and they can for sure make it an event. The "brass" usually puts this kind of stuff on the Top III to put events together anyway.

I sit on the First Sergeant Council at Altus AFB if ya'll want to come here :D . Beautiful southwestern Oklahoma is a paradise, don't ya' know LOL!

Jim
 
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One of my mentors, Jack White, probably did more MWR and USO shows than any other poolplayer. I have done some of this kind of entertaining myself. For 20 years, throughout the 60's & 70's, he travelled all over the world. As was mentioned, there is no compensation for this kind of entertainment. What you do get, is to travel for free (staying in military quarters), under the auspices of the DOD. You can choose where you want to go, or just go where they want you. If you choose your place, you will likely have to wait until they schedule you (sometimes months).

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
vagabond said:
williebetmore,
Glad that u put that information over here.
Were there any articles in Billiards Digest on the services renedred to our troops by Jeanette Lee? I did not know she gave her time for a worthy cause like that.:cool:
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RV,
I can't recall any mention of this in the pool magazines. As you know, her back is still not well after 8 or 9 surgeries (the most recent in 2005). So to spend 3 weeks on airplanes (my understanding is that flying is a great stress on her back, and often quite painful), away from family, away from practice and exhibitions, for token reimbursement seems quite commendable to me.

Of note, I also heard little mention in the magazines of her significant contributions to the Scoliosis Foundation (national spokesperson, requiring significant amounts of time and energy; and mentor to countless kids with scoliosis), the Asian American Alliance (has local benefit tournaments for this org), and the Women's Sports Foundation (?boardmember?).

While self-promotion is a necessity for celebrity-athletes, I'm not sure that there are any other pool players who also make this much time for these types of personal sacrifice. Count me as being very impressed.
 
I am currently in Kuwait, we have 9' Brunswicks (not GCs) with 860. These tables are well used but in decent shape. There are some pretty good players (soldiers and contractors). I won't be specific as to how many personel are on base, but I will say it's a small city. A visit from a notable pro would be a big hit to these kids! little bubba
 
little bubba said:
I am currently in Kuwait, we have 9' Brunswicks (not GCs) with 860. These tables are well used but in decent shape. There are some pretty good players (soldiers and contractors). I won't be specific as to how many personel are on base, but I will say it's a small city. A visit from a notable pro would be a big hit to these kids! little bubba
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I'm guessing that you are at the Army base over there? I just got back from the AB over there about 2 months ago (4 month tour - yep, AF, lol). I made 1 trip to AJ while there and think I remember they had 3 (maybe 4) 9' over there. While the tables seemed to have rolled somewhat straight, there were chunks missing out of the balls and the sticks were atrocious. At the AB, they held pool tournaments (race to either 1 or 2) 2-4 times a month. No entry fee and prizes usually consisted of anything from cases of Red Bull, gift cards to the BX, thumb drives, etc. Nothing great but they definitely helped pass the time!

Ryan
 
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