TOBY KEITH SUPPORTS OUR TROOPS!

Country Star Toby Keith Marks Decade of USO, Troop Support With 12-Day Tour

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Award-winning singer and songwriter Toby Keith celebrates a decade of touring the globe, performing shows and visiting troops with the USO during a five-country, 12-day USO tour. Traveling to the Middle East to lift the spirits of troops and their families, the megastar will continue his long-standing tradition of visiting remote forward operating bases and delivering a much-appreciated touch of home.
Through his many appearances on behalf of the USO, Keith has quickly become synonymous with spreading smiles and cheer to troops stationed both abroad and stateside through live concerts and interactions. For Keith, 10 years have flown by, in the best way possible.
"I can't believe it has already been a decade, it feels like just yesterday when I first started working with the USO," Keith said in a press release. "I've met so many great, brave servicemen and women over the years and had so many wonderful experiences, that I can barely remember them all. One thing is for sure, I enjoy working with the USO, I love our nation's troops and I won’t ever stop doing my part to extend my thanks."
"The USO considers it a real privilege to have worked with Toby Keith over the last ten years," said USO President and CEO Sloan Gibson. "He has such a genuine interest in enhancing the lives of our nation's troops and is truly among our biggest and most recognized supporters. We can't thank him enough for all of the support he has shown us over the last decade and we look forward to many more years together."

	Country music superstar Toby Keith learns about the flight deck from Lt. Cmdr. Clemente V. Gattano while touring Flight Deck Control aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Abraham Lincoln is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.
	Keith talks with Quartermaster Seaman John Mendez while touring the bridge of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). In his ten years of teaming with the USO, Keith has lifted the spirits of more than 178,500 service members during 211 USO shows and meet and greets.
	Keith goes topside to see how a different type of air traffic is controlled on the Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Since his first USO tour in 2002, Keith has traveled to more than 14 countries and participated in nine USO tours. Among the countries visited are Afghanistan, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia, Cuba, Djibouti, Germany, Iraq, Italy, South Korea, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan and Macedonia.

* Check back later for more photos and an interview with Toby Keith.