Back from Kuwait

Hello, everyone. Finally had a spare moment to write about my whirlwind trip around the world last weekend.

After leaving LA on Thursday for our transfer in Dulles, our plane touches down in Kuwait City sixteen hours later. We sneak in a quick nap before heading straight to Camp Beuhring on the Kuwait/Iraq border by way of a Blackhawk helicopter. After a 90-minute meet & greet with around 400 troops, we jump back on the Blackhawk and arrive back at the hotel. In bed around 2am.

Next morning, we drive to Camp Arifjan for two more meet & greets with about another 800 troops.

We perform our sound check at 4, eat dinner at 5, then take the stage at 6 pm for another fantastic show for our troops. I am told it was one of the best ever at Arifjan. The crowd was so excited and appreciative. No one sat, everyone crowded the stage. We played our full set list and took a bow for our second encore a little after 8 pm.

After that, a quick shower before returning to the airport at 10:30 pm. We're back in D.C. around 6 am and on the ground in Los Angeles at 11 am on Sunday.

In 36 hours, we traveled 18,000 miles, shook hundreds of hands and performed more than two hours on stage for thousands of troops. Yes, it was exhausting. But it still pales in comparison to the commitment and sacrifices made, day-in and day-out, by every single one of the men and women stationed there. And I'd do it all again in a heartbeat, just to show them how much they're appreciated.

Once more, I have to offer my sincerest thank you to the tour's producer and my friend, Judy Seale. She's outdone herself once again in making this tour possible. Check out her website. She's an incredible individual.

As always, thanks for reading. God bless you all.

Your pal,
Gary

Photo credits: James Bemus