Megastar Toby Keith, in Blackwater Shirt, Entertains the Troops in Iraq

Megastar country singer Toby Keith, famous for his "American Soldier" song (among other huge hits), toured Iraq a while ago with the United Services Organization (USO) to entertain the troops. In a Memorial Day, 2006 performance in Fallujah with the Marines, the country superstar wore a Blackwater shirt.

I just discovered these videos on YouTube. Toby Keith does troop tours every Memorial Day. In the clip above, he is in Fallujah singing the "Taliban Song." Below are three more clips. The first is the "Camp Fallujah 2-Minute Report," produced by the Marines for the deployed military. Keith is shown with General Michael Hagee, Commandant of the Marine Corps, and with ordinary Marines during his performance.

"The Camp Fallujah 2-Minute Report," March 29, 2006.

In the next video, Keith appears in the same Fallujah performance singing "American Soldier" (this is a really great video, with all the troops singing along). The bottom clip is from a sing-along with the troops in Baghdad.

Don't be disappointed by the homemade quality of most of the videos. Keith and his crew visited the troops with the barest amount of gear, and the videos were made by American soldiers with their own cameras and laptops. Nevertheless, the performances are inspiring.


Above: Singing "American Soldier" in Fallujah. Great performance!


Sing-along in Baghdad.

Blackwater Helps USO Design Mobile Video Games for Troops

"The USO wants to entertain troops even to the ends of the Earth. So planners there have been working on ways to fit a portable projector and screen, and Xbox, DVDs, magazines, snacks and a global high-speed Internet hookup into a container about the size of an ammo box," Stars & Stripes reports. "They're still trying to figure out how to fit Guitar Hero controllers in there."

Blackwater, according to the troops' newspaper, is helping the United Services Organization (USO) design the mobile gaming system, dubbed "USO in a Box."

"We like to think we’ve become expeditionary with the military," USO President Edward Powell tells Stars & Stripes. "Instead of having a fixed base where we always work out of, now we have to go exactly where the servicemembers are when they need us."

The $5,000 systems, "developed with help from Blackwater," are designed to be dropped into small forward operating bases and other isolated posts with fewer than 50 troops. The first ones should be in the field by September or October.

USO plans to have mobile trailers jammed with TVs, computers, microwave ovens and gaming systems for larger places like Djibouti and Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Blackwater is a strategic partner with USO, in association with AT&T, Coca-Cola and other companies. The lead singer of a rock group has spoken about Blackwater flying them around to play for the troops.

Rocker Tells of Air Force, USO and Blackwater Tour with Troops

Members of the Boston punk rock band Lansdowne talk about playing for American troops in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the Middle East and Central Asia. The emerging band won an audition last year with Armed Forces Network and recently signed an arrangement with USO to tour the war theater in support of military personnel.

Blackwater - recently a USO partner - flew the rockers to forward operating bases in Afghanistan to entertain the troops.

"It's kind of a blur now," lead singer Jon Ricci tells the Boston Herald. "Being flown around on C-17s, which are like the biggest planes you can think of, and by Blackwater to and from bases, it was all pretty amazing."

Blackwater Aids USO

Blackwater Worldwide, the American private security contractor, has pledged $2 million to USO to support entertainment and service programs for US troops, WBTV reports.

Blackwater President Gary Jackson points out that Blackwater is staffed almost entirely by military veterans, and therefore understands the importance of USO's mission to support the troops.

Blackwater will provide the money over the next four years. In addition, seven other companies have made similar pledges.

Blackwater a 'Strategic Partner' with USO

The United Services Organization (USO) has announced that Blackwater Worldwide has joined AT&T, Coca-Cola and other companies as a strategic partner to fund morale-boosting support to American troops and their families.

According to a USO news release, "Blackwater Worldwide has joined the USO as its newest Worldwide Strategic Partner. Blackwater, a global leader in advanced law enforcement and military peacekeeping training, has committed $2 million over four years to support USO programs and services for the troops, including homecoming celebrations and logistical support for USO entertainment tours.

"'We welcome Blackwater Worldwide to the list of corporations who demonstrate their commitment to supporting American service members and their families by partnering with the USO,' said Edward A. Powell, USO president and CEO. 'This partnership will help the USO to continue its vital work Until Every One Comes Home.'

"'We are honored to partner with such a fine organization,' said Blackwater President Gary Jackson. 'Blackwater is a company that is owned, managed, and staffed almost entirely by military veterans, and we look forward to expanding the support we can offer to Americans serving overseas.'

"As a private, nonprofit organization, the work of the USO and its centers is made possible by the support of the American public. Corporate in-kind donations and sponsorships, along with volunteer hours and monetary donations, help the USO continue improving the lives of America’s men and women in uniform and their families. For more information on the USO’s programs and services, and how to help, visit www.uso.org."