Wrestlers Bring Yuletide Cheer to 'Forgotten' War
Dec. 18, 2005 — -- World Wrestling Entertainment wrestlers have made bringing Christmastime cheer to troops overseas an annual tradition, and this year they are dropkicking holiday greetings to soldiers serving in what they're calling a "forgotten" war.
Recently, WWE Superstars traveled to Afghanistan to visit the troops and put on a special show for them called "Tribute to the Troops." The show was taped for "WWE RAW" and will air on the USA Network on Dec. 19.
WWE -- formerly known as the World Wrestling Federation -- makes visits to military bases and the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., throughout the year. It also has put on "Tribute to the Troops" holiday specials for officers serving in Iraq and the Middle East the last two years.
This year, WWE, with the help of Armed Forces Entertainment, opted to visit troops in Afghanistan, where conflicts and reconstruction are often overshadowed by the ongoing war, body count and rebuilding efforts in Iraq.
"It is important to us that we reached as many of the troops as we can, to not only entertain them, but thank them for their service to our country," WWE Chairman Vince McMahon said in a statement. "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."
One of the WWE wrestlers who visited with and performed before troops was rising star Carlito. The trip was the former WWE United States and Intercontinental champion's first to Afghanistan and his first holiday show for the troops. He missed last year's TV special for "WWE Smackdown!" because of a shoulder injury.
Carlito said that his trip was unforgettable and that he drew inspiration just seeing what the soldiers did and how they lived their daily lives.
"It was a heck of an experience, a once-in-a-lifetime experience" Carlito said. "Hopefully next year, I'll be back. It was great to see the soldiers and see what they do, see what a great job they do over there."
Despite getting less attention than forces serving in Iraq, Carlito said, troops in Afghanistan he encountered did not complain about being forgotten. But retired WWE wrestler and former champion Mick Foley -- who participated in last year's show in the Middle East -- said other soldiers felt overlooked.
"Many people in our country don't care about what's going on in Afghanistan. It's off their radar screen, and their [soldiers'] efforts are trumped by what goes on in Iraq," Foley said. "But for that reason, they [the troops in Afghanistan] are so much more appreciative. I ran into some soldiers while visiting the hospital who only half-jokingly apologized for being wounded in the 'other war.'"
Besides taking away images of some troops' appreciation for the visit, Foley said his most lasting memory came from a visit to a base hospital.
There he encountered a boy named Midikula who was recuperating from burns suffered during a kerosene-heater explosion and an Afghan detainee who had lost his hands trying to set off an explosive device.
"The boy was crying and the translator said he didn't want to leave the hospital because that was the only place where people cared for him," Foley said. "The translator said the boy wanted to come home with me to the United States. On the other side was the detainee who had armed guards around him. He had blown off his hands trying to set off some kind of explosive device. I couldn't help but think here were two people hospitalized in the same [hospital] with polar opposite feelings about our country."
Carlito -- a 26-year-old second-generation grappler whose father is Puerto Rican wrestling legend Carlos Colon -- was stunned by how young some soldiers were.
"What surprised me was how many Latino soldiers are over there. Many of them were younger [than I]; some looked like they were 12 years old," he said. "It's a little scary; it's tough to see."
WWE started taping holiday wrestling shows after former WWE champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield" -- who has been a regular visitor to military bases in both the United States and abroad -- noticed that many of the troops decorated their tents and rooms with wrestling posters. He presented the idea of a program to McMahon.
Armed Forces Entertainment, which has provided free, live professional entertainment to troops and family members stationed overseas since 1951, organizes WWE's holiday visits. AFE officials field entertainment requests from service men and women, and invite various acts to visit. Military bases have been entertained by the Harlem Globetrotters, the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, and various other celebrities and performers. But wrestlers -- particularly WWE Superstars -- are among the most requested.
"Keeping troop morale high is one of the most important functions of Armed Forces Entertainment," said Art Meyers, the director of Air Force Services who oversees the entertainment group. "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."
Many troops were just grateful to visitors who reminded them of home. Carlito was surprised to find that many troops watched episodes of "RAW" and "Smackdown!" regularly and had in-ring tips for him.
"What surprised me is that they were up-to-date on RAW," Carlito said. "They had opinions about what was going on and feedback. They just told me: 'Carlito, go out there and win that [World Championship] belt.'"
On its holiday specials, WWE does not advance its regular ongoing storylines and dedicates the shows toward the troops. WWE producers give members of the military an opportunity to send Christmas and holiday messages with their family and friends.
Matches take place, but there are no heels (wrestling villains) or baby faces (heroes). The TV audience gets a behind-the scenes glimpse at the troops and to a lesser extent, WWE wrestlers, who put aside their in-ring personas and share their experiences.
Carlito, however, couldn't resist his in-ring character's heelish tendencies when it came to a jousting match with a female soldier.
"Carlito beat her three times," he said. "Carlito beat her good. … I was undefeated."
The war in Iraq has divided public sentiment, and that debate also continues in WWE locker rooms. But baby faces and heels put aside their differences when it comes to the real heroes serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and everywhere else.
"Now more than ever, when the war is brought into question, it's important to show the troops that we support them," Foley said. "It's easy to support something when public sentiment is going your way. Political viewpoints vary in the WWE locker room, but we can all agree that we support the guys and women serving our country."
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