Hooters girls bring troops music, laughs

Photo By Staff Sgt. Francis Horton | Hooters girls greet troops on the USO tour visit to Contingency Outpost Base Adder.  

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, IRAQ

04.23.2010

Story by Staff Sgt. Cody Harding 

1st Infantry Division

COB ADDER, Iraq – Service members on Contingency Operating Base Adder were treated to a show with the Hooters Girls, the country and western band Brokedown Cadillac and comedian Andy Lauer at a free show April 23.

The show was brought to the Soldiers by the restaurant chain's Operation: Let Freedom Wing tour, a goodwill tour to Soldiers in Iraq and Kuwait Hooters has been conducting since the first tour in 2004. The tour routinely brings over musicians and comedians as well as the top waitresses from the chain.

Ashley, an Atlanta native, Wendy from Rock Hill, S.C., and Rachel from St. Louis signed autographs, handed out T-shirts and calendars, and spoke with Soldiers on COB Adder. During the concert, they invited Soldiers onto the stage with the band and danced with Soldiers and Airmen in the front rows.

"We're very excited because we personally get to tell the men and women who fight for our country and fight for our freedoms and give up their time for us, 'thank you,'" Rachel said. "And it's kind of awesome because we came over here to tell them thank you, and they're telling us thank you."

Andy Lauer, an actor, comedian and director, served as the emcee for the event, starting off with a comedy set before welcoming the band to the stage. Brokedown Cadillac played songs and handed out CDs of their debut album "Somewhere in America."

The band's lead singer, Corri English, said that her family's military history influenced her choice to come overseas.

"I have an extended family in the military," said Corri, who was born in Atlanta but lives in Los Angeles. "Almost every male in my family is a serviceman or veteran, so it's something that, from the beginning of the band, that we wanted to do."

The show on COB Adder is the last in this tour, culminating 10 days of travel for the entertainers, covering bases in both Iraq and Kuwait.

• Date Taken: 04.23.2010
• Date Posted: 05.01.2010 08:54
• Story ID: 48978
• Location: CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE ADDER, IQ