Being the Best - Landstuhl Regional Medical Center

Germany- Being the best in the world is something that ESPN X Games athletes; Mike Schultz and Levi LaVallee know a thing or two about, between the two men nearly a dozen ESPN X Games Gold and Silver Medals have been awarded. Over the past two days in the small towns of Landstuhl, Sembach and Ramstein -Miesenbach, Germany the two gravity defying geniuses of winter snowmobile racing and freestyle competition have been introduced to America's finest, our US Armed Forces!

'K Town' also known at Ramstein Air Base has for years served as the launch and recovery site for many of America's wounded heroes. With Air Force transport planes coming and going on a daily basis, teams of mechanics, weathercasters, medical staff and flight crews along with so many others all work in harmony to ensure that one very special group of servicemen get the best possible treatment, care and handling that can be provided.

Once US Air Force transport planes are loaded with wounded, supplies and joint service medical providers, they literally launch into the airspace above this peaceful agricultural region located in the central western part of Germany with destinations ranging from Andrews Air Base in Maryland to Lackland Air Base in Texas.

"We've got some weather out over the Atlantic and it's a little nasty at Andrews AB," reported the commander of a wounded warrior laden C17. Words that weren't lost on the special guests. LaVallee's crew chief and co-owner, Glen Kafka, recalled how the commander at Sembach Weather Station, LTC Wall and his team had given a comprehensive behind the scenes look at all that goes into weather casting for the region. "I knew full well where the information had come from and who had delivered it to this Mississippi Air National Guard team of flyers," said Kafka.

Providing information as to where the 'smooth air' can best be found is something that our US Military weathercasters take to heart. "The average traveler doesn't mind a little turbulence here and there, but we're not dealing with flights full of 'average anything', our travelers need as smooth a ride back to the U.S.A. as possible," stated one weather station airman.

As the X Games greats thanked everyone from United Services Organization volunteers to joint service medical care providers, it wasn't until Mike Schultz, of Pillager MN, found himself bedside next to a young US Army soldier that the mission he'd volunteered for really struck home. "I met a young man today, that like myself, was looking at life from in front of a mirror that now only included one leg," said Schultz. "I knew exactly how he was feeling, what was going on inside his head, what I didn't know was that my being there next to him and placing one of my X Games Gold Adaptive SnoX Medals on his chest, showing him my MotoKnee prostetic would cause his eyes to get so huge," recalled the 3x Adaptive above knee amputee of his time spent next to one of our recently amputated warriors. "I had no idea that being next to this young man showing him what I'm now capable of doing in sport would have such a positive impact," he added.

"We get a lot of visitors here at LRMC, but Mike, being able to show our wounded how he has continued to live and charge forward is something very special that doesn't happen everyday," said LTC Lisa Toven, USAF LMRC.

Between Schultz sharing his MotoKnee prostetic and Levi LaVallee comparing surgical scars, the two days at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center have been a mixture of one part Rocky and one part Jaws (the scene where marine biologist and ship's captain get into a 'oh ya...'), but in the end the final product has been one of resiliency, mixed carefully and nurtured gently, something that American300's Robi Powers has little doubt will be the case here at this World Class region of US Joint Service Military Bases for months to come.

For more information on Armed Forces Entertainment the presenters of 'XHEAVY Medal Tour' please visit: www.armedforcesentertainment.com

To follow the tour in Facebook, Photo's and Videos please visit: www.American300.org

Cowboys Hit the Coalition High Country In Afghanistan

'We are cleared for take off Cowboys" could be heard across all 68+ feet of the cargo area this morning on a US Air Force C17 as the four mighty Pratt and Whitney engines, each delivering over 40 thousand pounds of thrust came to full power. With a tail that towers 55' off the runway and the amazing power of those engines it, was only a matter of seconds before the 'Globemaster' lifted off and rocketed into the night sky. "Now that's what I call a Cowboy Cadillac" said Annie Bianco Ellett on her headset, as she witnessed first hand up in the cockpits jump seat the pure elegance of this state-of-art US Air Force heavy lifter.

Hours later with the sun peaking up over a rugged mountain range, the US Air Force had the Cowboys and Girls back on the ground in another country, another time zone, but with the same mission; find US Armed Forces Members and Rope in Resiliency. After stacking the teams protective body Armour, organizing the mounds of Wrangler give-a-ways and squaring away each others personal kits it was obvious to our military hosts at this Air Field that the Wrangler Team was a well organized touring group that worked as a team. "If it hadn't been for the Wrangler clothes logo'd up with Armed Forces Entertainment patches and Cowboy hats I would have sworn I was watching a infantry chalk PAX/TRANX" said a Army corporal, who like so many of America's young men and women was on his second deployment to this mountainous region.

"Accomplishing more before breakfast, then most people get done in a day" said Jeff Chadwick, manager of western events for the Wrangler Corporation while walking down a rocky path on the way to breakfast at a small tent that was chuck full of US Army Soldiers "Heck I'd say in a week is more like it." he added.

Today, there was a get up'n go in the teams movements and for good reason, in less then an hour... they'd be whisked up into these formidable mountains that surround this undisclosed forward operating base to a camp like so many that found it's name the, story of one of America's fallen heroes.

If he were to have spoken the words they would have been simple: grab and go gang, it's time to fly, but instead Wrangler National Patriot Tour team leader Robi Powers, who organized the team from both this year and last and who volunteers to lead these trips through his nonprofit American300 for Armed Forces Entertainment each month simply nodded his head, the Wrangler Cowboys, Girls and Country Music Star were no longer a loosely wrangled group of Americans, they'd become a band of brothers and sisters, they'd become family.

"I'm excited mixed with a little scared" said Maegan Ridley, Ms Wrangler National Patriot and former Ms Rodeo America to veteran tour goer and endorsee of the Wrangler National Patriot line Pro Kaycee Feild "look at what we're gonna fly over" she added to his ear as the two lead the team to the Blackhawks that would be their next ride. "I'm with ya on those mountains being big' said Kaycee, they look like all of the Wasatch's back home in Utah and then some, but these Army Blackhawk crews are amazing, last year we were in these things 3-4 times a day, for days on end and I've seen what they can do... you're gonna love it" he added with the soft reassurance that you'd expect to hear from a big brother.

With a safety briefing that lasted a minute and saddling up which took about the same it was the Army's turn to carry the 'cowboy hats' to their days final destination, but not without taking advantage of a live fire exercises for their door gunners along the way. "I wouldn't mess with us" said Master Sergeant Roach the teams public affairs temporary duty assignment videographer from the Pennsylvania Air National Guard as the UH60's eased off the power and made clear their intention to land.

"That was just beautiful" said Lucas Hoge as he helped unload the teams gear and move away from the pad. Once clear of the rotorwash he opened the lid to his custom AcePro Medal of Honor guitar to ensure that it had made another journey unscathed and more importantly was ready to receive the tender loving care of pick and fingers, later this day on another small operating camp, in a land so far from his home of Nashville, TN " she's ready to sing and so am I" he added with the smile of a care giver, who knows the day will bring happiness to so many.

The Armed Forces Entertainment Wrangler National Patriot Tour has left its prints in so many countries, to be doing so in yet another foreign land should come as no surprise to our followers, what might however, is that for the first time the teams one and only World Champion would get her crack at learning exactly what goes into addressing a target, not with her usual custom pearl grip inlaid pistol, but through the high tech scope of a US Army issue M4. Outlaw Annie Bianco was to experience what hundreds of thousands of Army soldiers have; zeroing her weapon at close range and then engaging paper targets.

"Sgt Lamb was was such a great coach" said Annie, who, while a Champion with pistols, is a relative new comer to the world of military rifle marksmanship, despite having a brother who has been in the US Army for the majority of his adult life " I wish my brother could have seen Sgt Lamb take me through the drills this afternoon, I know he would have been proud... of both of us."

As sunset approached Sgt Lamb, a member of the Cav Scouts, commented on the sandblasting winds coming down onto the plateau "These mountains create their own weather... sunny and pleasant one hour, cloudy and 50 mph winds the next...it's the norm here."

With a Camp elevation that would make the city of Denver, Colorado smile, the Cowboys once again made ready their ropes, Wrangler 'thank you' gifts and one Medal of Honor Guitar for an evening of mile high country fun. "Look at who's here tonight" breathed Powers to the team as he pointed out to mountain warfare capable specialists from Italy, Spain and Slovenia, who were all drifting in on the various paths to the Camps newly finished commons area. "Heck there's even to British Army Specialists with us tonight, get ready for a NATO Coalition Forces Cowboy Coral gang"

And as if on cue, Lucas Hoge grab'd Medal of Honor the custom painted AcePro guitar and let her fill the thin air "they might not understand the lyrics completely, but I know they'll feel it in their hearts he whispered to Kaycee, and that they did!

Reach out to a friend and have them saddle up with us as the tour continues... from all of us 'over here' Good Nite

The Tour Continues.....

For more information on American300 please visit: www.American300.org

To learn more about the Department of Defense Armed Forces Entertainment office go
to: ArmedForcesEntertainment.com

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