Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones and Arizona Cardinals tight end Elijah Higgins recently participated in an NFL-USO Tour, visiting U.S. service members stationed at military bases across Kuwait.
Each year, as part of the NFL's Salute to Service initiative, the league collaborates with its military charitable partner the USO to bring players overseas to meet and connect with U.S. service members. This unique opportunity provides a chance for NFL players to show appreciation to our nation's heroes and experience a day in their lives.
During this year's tour, Aaron Jones and Elijah Higgins visited multiple military bases throughout Kuwait, including Camp Arifjan and Camp Buehring. At each location, players participated in meet and greet opportunities with troops, fostering deep personal connections and gaining a better understanding of the experiences of military members stationed overseas. They also interacted with service members to learn more about their roles in the military and received briefs from senior leaders about their missions in Kuwait and the surrounding region.
Aaron and Elijah come from military backgrounds, with both players having parents who served in the Army and Air Force, respectively. Notably, Aaron's mother was previously deployed to Camp Arifjan in Kuwait, providing him with a unique personal connection to one of the bases visited on the tour.
"Connecting with our country's military community is a cornerstone of the NFL's Salute to Service initiative," said NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility Anna Isaacson. "Our longstanding partnership with the USO helps this mission come to life by bringing together players and our nation's heroes to show firsthand the NFL family's unwavering commitment to service members, veterans, and their families."
"USO tours are all about showing appreciation to our service members for their service and sacrifice," said Jennifer Wahlquist, Vice President of the USO's Global Entertainment division. "This tour was even more special because Aaron Jones and Elijah Higgins, who both grew up in military families, were able to relate easily with service members and provide that much-needed connection to home."
For nearly 60 years, the NFL and the USO have partnered to bring members of the NFL family to military bases around the world to engage with and honor the country's military community. In 1966, the NFL first teamed with the USO and became the first sports organization to send players on an overseas tour to meet with service members, visiting military personnel stationed in Vietnam and the surrounding region. Since then, more than 250 NFL players, coaches and executives – including legends like Drew Brees, Larry Fitzgerald and Terry Bradshaw – have participated in NFL-USO tours spanning close to 30 countries and involving hundreds of thousands U.S. service members.
Throughout the year, the NFL partners with the USO to express gratitude and thanks to our nation's armed forces. Leveraging the sport of football, the NFL and the USO work together to provide a piece of familiarity and joy to military members stationed away from home. Through the league's Salute to Service initiative and partnership with the USO, the NFL has recently supported the renovations and expansions of several USO centers at military bases across the globe. Additionally, the NFL recently collaborated with the USO on a special Super Bowl LIX baby shower event in New Orleans to celebrate military families with a newborn or expecting a baby. For more information on the USO, please visit uso.org.
Pictures from this year's tour can be found here.
