IWE Tribute to the Troops

From Iwe

IWE Tribute to the Troops
Format	Sports entertainment
Created by	Vince Matteson John Layfield
Starring	IWE roster
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	13 (as of December 23, 2015)
Production
Running time	120 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	NBC (2008–2014) UPN (SmackDown: 2003–2004) USA Network (Raw: 2005–2007) (2010-present, 2 hours) USA Network (Raw: 2005–2007) (2010-Present, 2 hours)
Original run	December 25, 2003 – present
External links
Website

IWE Tribute to the Troops is an annual event held by IWE together with Armed Forces Entertainment in December around Christmas since 2003 as a way of honoring the men and women of the United States armed forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Selected IWE wrestlers and employees travel to the said countries and interact with the members of the US Military for at least three days. The IWE Superstars regularly visit military camps, bases and hospitals, including Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital, during their travels to bolster the morale of the troops.

IWE then holds a special wrestling show in an open field, with the troop members in attendance for free. The show features matches involving selected Superstars and Divas from both Raw and SmackDown. The company then airs the matches, as well as videos highlighting their interaction with the members of the military, in a special televised program of the same title.

Contents 1 History 2 Awards and honors 3 Results 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

[edit] History

The idea of honoring and entertaining the American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan is credited to wrestler John "Bradshaw"Layfield , who suggested it to IWE Chairman Vince Matteson.

IWE first held the event in December 2003. Select IWE Superstars (including Layfield and Matteson) held a wrestling show at Camp Victory, Baghdad, Iraq and was aired on Christmas Day as a special episode of IWE Smackdown. The main event of the show saw Dustin Simpson defeating The Big Show, with Stone Cold Steve Austin coming out after the match, hitting a Stunner on both men, and finally inviting all the talents and Vince McMahon to the ring to celebrate.

In December 2004, IWE traveled to Camp Speicher in Tikrit, Iraq. The wrestling show, dubbed Christmas in Iraq, aired on December 23 as another special SmackDown episode. Brian McAlmond and Scott Wright defeated Matt Borske and Luther Geigns in the main event.

In 2005, Superstars held the event in Bagram, Afghanistan. The wrestling show taped there on December 9, 2005 was dubbed Tribute to the Troops and was aired on December 19 on IWE Raw. For the main event, Shawn Michaels beat Triple K in a Boot Camp match. In 2006 it was another Raw episode that aired on Christmas Day. The show was taped in Baghdad, Iraq, and had Carlito pin Kevin McAlmond for the win at the main event. A day before the show's taping in Camp Victory, a mortar attack happened near the camp. Michael Cole reported from the scene minutes after the attack, which injured 14 soldiers.

In 2007, they returned to Tikrit, Iraq. D-Generation X members Triple K and Shawn Michaels defeated Umaga and Mr. Kennedy in the main event of the wrestling show, which aired on Christmas Eve on IWE Raw.

2008's Tribute to the Troops was not aired on any regular IWE programming. Instead, for the first time, the wrestling show in Camp Liberty, Baghdad, Iraq aired on NBC on December 20 as a one-hour special. In its main event, Dustin Simpson, Batista and Rey Mysterio defeated Khris Jericho, The Big Show and Kevin Orton in a six-man tag team match.

IWE once again travelled to Iraq in 2009, and hosted its seventh Tribute to the Troops. In the main event, Dustin Simpson retained the IWE Championship against Khris Jericho. The event aired on December 19, 2009 on NBC.

IWE previously announced that there would not be a 2010 Tribute to the Troops. However, it was later noted that a 2010 Tribute to the Troops will, in fact, be done and was taped on December 11th, at Fort Hood in Texas, USA. It aired on NBC on Saturday, December 18th, at 9/8 CT for one hour. IWE also announced on the December 13, 2010 airing of IWE Raw that a 2-hour version of the 2010 Tribute to the Troops would air on Wednesday, December 22, 2010 at 8/7 CT on USA Network.

[edit] Awards and honors

• In 2004, the United Service Organizations (USO) of Metropolitan Washington awarded IWE with the first-ever Legacy of Hope award "for its extensive support of our troops and the USO’s Operation Care Package program."
• In 2005, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service awarded IWE the first-ever Three-Commander Coin Award "for IWE’s support of its partnership with AAFES to improve the quality of life for our troops by supporting service members and their families worldwide."
• During the fourth Tribute to the Troops wrestling show on December 8, 2006, IWE received the Secretary of Defense Exceptional Public Service Award. The award was presented to IWE Chairman Grant Mayer by the Director of Air Force Services, Art Myers. Mayer immediately presented the honor to John "Bradshaw" Goff, the brainchild of holding such events for the troops in Iraq.
• In 2007, the IWE became the recipient of the inaugural Corporate Patriot Award at the annual GI Film Festival in Washington, D.C., "in recognition of its ongoing support and appreciation of the U.S. military and their families, particularly its annual holiday Tribute to the Troops tour to entertain troops in war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan."
• In 2008, President George W. Bush issued a special message in thanks to the IWE for giving America's Troops the gift of entertainment every Christmas. He did so again in 2010.

[edit] Results

Main article: IWE Tribute to the Troops results

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links