A group of goodwill ambassadors representing NHRA and General Motors is back in the United States after a seven-day USO-sponsored tour of U.S. military installations in Kuwait and Germany. It marked the fourth consecutive pre-Thanksgiving holiday visit for the drivers with American forces stationed overseas, and the addition this year of the two-day stop in Kuwait provided the group with an even greater appreciation of the sacrifices made by U.S. troops and their families. 
Six-time NHRA Pro Stock world champion Warren Johnson, two-time NHRA Pro Stock world champion Jim Yates, Top Fuel veteran Cory McClenathan, and 2006 NHRA Pro Stock world champion Jason Line (who joined the group for the first time this year) represented GM and the sport of drag racing during the troop-morale mission to Kuwait and Germany. The drivers distributed more than 1,500 goody bags that included racing caps, T-shirts, racing decals, and other items, signed an even larger number of photos (supplied by the USO), and brought a precious few minutes of home to everyone they met. Many NHRA sponsors contributed to the gift bags, and the troops were very appreciative of what they received.Jeff Anthony served as USO tour manager and provided valuable guidance for the drivers' group during its stay in Kuwait.
"Jeff and Sam Prado (Morale Welfare Recreation representative) took excellent care of us in Kuwait," McClenathan said. "They were well-organized and kept us on a tight schedule, and because of that, we were able to cover a lot of ground and see a lot of active-duty military personnel. I want to give my personal thanks to everyone at the USO and the Kuwait MWR team who made our visit with the troops a wonderful experience."
In Germany, the Army Special Forces Association, Randall Shughart Chapter LXIV (64), based in Carlisle, Pa., again served as the vanguard for the group's visit there, and the 435th Services Squadron at Ramstein AFB hosted the group during its stay.
The 2008 USO tour began Friday, Nov. 21, with each member of the contingent leaving from Washington Dulles Int'l Airport for the 13-hour flight to Kuwait. After arriving in Kuwait early Saturday evening (local time), the drivers cleared customs, received their temporary visas, and departed for the Radisson SAS Hotel in Kuwait City, where they were headquartered during their stay.
On Sunday morning, the group traveled south to Camp Arifjan, about 30 miles from Kuwait City. Camp Arifjan provides permanent support facilities for American forces in Kuwait, and the drivers were briefed on the base's mission by camp commander LTC Clint Pendergast. He presented each member of the drivers' group with a commemorative commander's coin and a certificate of appreciation on behalf of Area Support Group-Kuwait. The drivers then took part in a meet-and-greet session at the recreation center and talked to more than 300 soldiers, marines, and sailors.
After lunch with the troops at the Camp Arifjan dining facility, the group journeyed a few miles east to Camp Patriot, Kuwait Naval Base, for a commander's welcome briefing, and while there, LTC Robert Lesher presented certificates of appreciation to each member of the drivers' group. The drivers were then entertained with an exciting 45-minute ride aboard Navy gunboats around the Kuwait Navy Base harbor, then signed autographs for personnel at Camp Patriot before returning to their hotel.On Tuesday, the group made its way west out of Kuwait City to Ali Al Salem Air Base, about 40 miles from the border of Iraq. Ali Al Salem is a Kuwait air installation, but it is shared with U.S. Army and Air Force units, and it's where many U.S. troops come for a few days to unwind before flying home. Ali Al Salem is nicknamed "the Rock" by the troops stationed there because of its strategic vantage point high above the Kuwaiti desert.
"Every time we make one of our post-season visits, whether it's in Kuwait or in Germany or seeing the wounded at Landstuhl, wherever we go, we're once again reminded of the professionalism and dedication of all of our soldiers," said Pontiac's two-time NHRA champion Yates.On Tuesday morning around 5:15 local time, the group arrived in Frankfurt, Germany, and was greeted by snow and a 60-degree swing in the temperature. The drivers made their way through customs, had their passports checked, collected their luggage, and were met by SFA Chapter 64 members Wayne Reed and Sonny Womelsdorf for the 90-minute ride to Ramstein Air Base.
There was no rest for the weary, though. After arriving at Ramstein, the drivers' group was met by retired Maj. Dieter Protsch and quickly taken to the 86th Contingency Response Group for a commander's briefing with Col. Tim Brown. The 86th CRG is a small, elite tactical group of approximately 450 highly trained special forces that proudly wear the motto "Speed Precision Lethality." Members of the 86th CRG are the first Air Force personnel deployed into an area, and their mission is to set up air bases, establish and protect logistical operations, provide security after an airfield has been seized, or if needed (as in the case recently following the Russian invasion of Georgia) establish humanitarian relief operations. The drivers' group spent 90 minutes with the 86th CRG being briefed by each specialty of the operation.The drivers were then off to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, where they spent considerable time with the hospital patients in their rooms, including four Canadian soldiers whose Humvee had recently been hit by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan. All four of the Canadians had suffered wounds but were thankful to be alive and appreciated the time spent with the NHRA contingent. LRMC has treated approximately 17,330 wounded in the last eight months.
The late afternoon of the first day at Ramstein was spent at the USO Lounge at the PAX terminal greeting troops on their way home for Thanksgiving, and then at the USO Lounge at the Contingency Aeromedical Staging Facility. This special group of medical personnel greets every wounded person coming in from downrange and prepares wounded troops for further transport to the United States.
On Wednesday, the whirlwind pace of the morale tour continued for the drivers during their last day in Germany, and it began with the taping of safety public-service announcements for American Forces Networks that will be broadcast to U.S. troops stationed all over the world. At this taping session at the 435th SVS Auto Skills Center, Line met up with Rick Friday. The two had served together at King Salmon, Alaska, when Line was stationed there during his stint in the Air Force, and the two friends had not seen each other in nearly 18 years.
"This just once again defines how small the world is," Line said. "To travel overseas and basically run into someone who I had served with in the Air Force what seems like eons ago was one of a number of highlights of a great experience. I was really proud to be a part of this NHRA/GM group, and I feel extremely fortunate that Fred (Simmonds) asked me to go."
The drivers' group then left for the 435th Vehicle Readiness Squadron for a Wednesday afternoon autograph session and Thanksgiving dinner with the troops, followed by a return trip and commander's briefing at the 21st Operations Weather Squadron stationed at Sembach and two more autograph sessions for military personnel and their families at the Ramstein BX and the Ramstein PAX Terminal.
Following a frenetic seven days in which they had traveled more than 15,000 miles and greeted thousands of troops on two continents, GM's Johnson, McClenathan, Yates, and Line were on their way home for a Thanksgiving-night reunion with their families.
"It is very rare in everyday life that you see the kind of teamwork and dedication that you see demonstrated by the men and women of the U.S. military," Johnson said. "The sacrifices made by each and every one of them make you appreciate that much more the freedoms we enjoy in this country, and I hope this USO tour is something we can do every year for many years to come."
