Philadelphia Eagles Blog

Forever in Our Hearts and Minds

Hey Eagles fans,

Happy Wednesday! I just got home from the gym where I completed an awesome work out! How about those football games this past weekend? They were two incredibly close games and were so much fun to watch! I am anticipating the Super Bowl in two weeks, especially the commercials; they are often my favorite part! All right, time to wrap up my adventure to Kuwait. I have to admit, I am rather saddened to stop blogging about Kuwait as it made such an impact on my life and I absolutely love sharing my journey with others. I hope you have all enjoyed reading about our travels and hope you have gained even more of an appreciation for our Armed Forces.

We woke up early our last day in Kuwait and were told to meet in the lobby. The previous day, we were informed we needed to dress warmly and to make sure our arms and legs were completely covered. After meeting in the lobby, we loaded the van and made our way across Camp Arifjan. We pulled up to the helicopter pad and saw two helicopters flying toward us. MSG Gabriel then informed us that the Blackhawks flying toward us were our ride to Camp Virginia. We all screamed in excitement, as we were so anxious to fly in a helicopter. After a safety briefing about boarding and riding in the Blackhawk, we were ready to go. Danielle, Jess, and I boarded one Blackhawk, while Paige, Casey, and Lauren boarded the other. When boarding a Blackhawk, our security leader Marvin informed us that you always approach the helicopter straight on to ensure safety. The wind the propeller gives off is enormous and our hair was blowing all over the place. After being slightly blown away, we successfully boarded the helicopter and were in complete awe of our surroundings. When inside, our pilot and crew introduced themselves and made sure we were buckled in properly. Before we knew it, we were taxiing and getting ready for take-off. I wish I could explain the feeling in my chest and stomach when the Blackhawk took off and we were in the air. It was the most exhilarating feeling I have ever experienced. Once in the air, we were immediately looking from left to right to look out over the country of Kuwait. We saw an endless desert and camels roaming in the sand. Throughout the 45-minute flight to Camp Virginia, the doors of the Blackhawk were often left open so we could feel the air blowing as well as get a better view. There were so many moments where Jess, Danielle, and I would look at one another and smile, all realizing what an incredible journey we had been on.  Before we knew it, we could see Camp Virginia in the distance and we were ready to land. The take-off, landing, and flight were smoother than I ever anticipated.  Upon landing, our crew gave us a tour of the Blackhawk. The “Flying Monkey’s” were from the Kansas National Guard and they all offered us a flight patch which we able to keep. They informed us our Blackhawk was named “Black Betty” while the other helicopter was named “Yuck Yuck”.  After taking hundreds of photographs and asking the Soldiers hundreds of questions, we were off to our Commanders Call.

Our Black-hawk!

The 6 of us, ready for anything

Jess and I, ready to take off!

A view of Kuwait from the air!

"Yuck yuck"

Windows open - looking out over Kuwait

Black Betty!

At the Commanders Call, we met with more members of the Minnesota National Guard. This commander’s call was different than others because it was very laid back. The officers asked us questions about our NFL cheerleading careers and appeared impressed  we are either full time students or hold a full time job. We were awarded another certificate of appreciation and that’s when it really began to hit us that our trip was coming to an end. Following the meeting, we got ready for our final show in Kuwait. This show was extra special not only because it was our last, but we also needed to properly celebrate Paige’s birthday. The commanding officer came on stage and had the entire audience sing Happy Birthday to her and we could all tell how incredibly touched she was. Also, at the end of the show, we invited the Soldiers from the audience to do the “Cupid Shuffle” with us. It was such a great moment of the trip and a phenomenal way to end our last show. After performing for our final audience we had one final meet and greet and then it was time to make our way back to the helicopter pad to fly back to Camp Arifjan. Our flight home was just as exhilarating as the flight there, but this time we were flying in the dark and we got to see Kuwait lit up at night.

Camp Virginia from the air

After returning to Camp Arifjan, we had some free time to pack, shower, and get ready to head home. We decided to eat in the D-FAC one final time. During dinner we sat down with our security team and thanked them endlessly for their hard word. By this point in the trip, they had gotten to know us so well we had become like a family. They even memorized parts of our dance routines and introductions. What really stuck out to us was how much they thanked us for talking to them. They informed us that many entertainers they deal with refuse to talk to them and get to know them. We wouldn’t leave them alone. We wanted to know everything about them, their families, and their future. They are such an incredible group of Soldiers whom I am so incredibly grateful to have met. After dinner, we headed back to our rooms to gather our things and to say goodbye. We were all incredibly emotional and spent much of the ride to the airport crying. Little did we know the hardest goodbye was going to follow; saying goodbye to our security team at the airport was incredibly difficult. We each cried and said “goodbye” over and over again. Marvin, Melvyn, Oscar, Manny and Lawrence had become like family and it seemed like we had arrived only the day before and there we were at the end of our trip. After an emotional goodbye, we checked in at the airport and before we knew it we were boarding the plane back to the United States. 13.5 hours later, we landed in Washington DC and had to rush to our connecting flight to Philadelphia. In Washington DC, we said goodbye to Jody our tour director who was like a father to us and was absolutely incredible! It was such a bittersweet feeling to be home. Of course I had missed my family, but now I missed Kuwait.

Our security team doing our cheerleader pose

Our amazing security team

I knew before going on this trip, it would have an impact on my life, but I never could have anticipated how much it has changed me. The men and women of our armed forces are the most selfless, kind, and dedicated people I have ever met. They are the true heroes of America. I thank God and the Eagles organization for making this trip possible. Every moment since I have returned home I am thinking of our Soldiers not only in Kuwait, but also across the globe. I will NEVER forget the Soldiers I was so honored to meet, nor will I forget the honor, integrity, and loyalty each one of them possess as they continue to protect our freedom each and every day.

God Bless our troops!

Xo-Dani

ForExtra photos again – enjoy!

MSG Gaberiel

Farewell Kuwait

Bomb squad, a BBQ and a Bradley

Greetings Eagles fans,

Happy Wednesday to you all! I hope your week is off to a phenomenal start and you had a chance to watch some of the NFL play-off games over the weekend. There were quite some incredible wins over the weekend and I can’t wait to see which two teams will be playing in the super bowl!

Now, to continue telling you about my amazing journey to Kuwait…

Since we had been staying at Camp Arifjan for the duration of our trip, no travel time was necessary Thursday morning, so we decided to fill our time with a hobby very near and dear to all of our hearts – SHOPPING! At Camp Arifjan there is a huge PX where we were able to shop for T-shirts for our families and friends. There were also a few shops owned by locals who sold trinkets and souvenirs. Prior to shopping, our security team told us to “barter” with the shop owners to try and get a better price. I decided to take a whirl at it and was able to purchase glass camels for my family members as well as camel key chains for my squad members without burning a hole in my pocket. After our successful shopping trip, we took a ride to the other side of the base to visit the EOD or “bomb squad”. As I said in my previous blog, we met a member of the EOD squad at the 5k run and he kindly invited us to tour their facility. EOD stands for Explosive Ordnance Disposal. The EOD squad are specialists trained to defuse improvised explosive devices or IED’s which have been the largest cause of casualties during the Iraq war.

One of the EOD "bomb squad" robots

Upon our arrival, we were immediately welcomed with open arms by the EOD Soldiers and robots! The robots are utilized in defusing IED’s. They vary in size and are a mind-blowing piece of technology. We were given the opportunity to control the robots, which was sort of like playing a very realistic video game. Not only did we get to operate the robots, but they also allowed me to try on the bomb suit. This incredible suit protects Soldiers if an explosive was to detonate. I was informed Soldiers have 2 minutes to get out of the suit before their skin would be burned. They challenged me to get out of the suit in 2 minutes which I was able to complete, but I was down to the last few seconds. I was absolutely blown away by the knowledge and courage these soldiers possess and it is their heroic efforts, which has saved so many other Soldiers from injury or death. After trying on the bomb suit, Maggie (an EOD Specialist from Montgomery Alabama) invited us to the explosive room where they have a collection of deactivated explosives. They had everything from grenade launchers, to land mines, to everyday objects, which were made to be explosives. The room was fascinating and we all felt so lucky to have had the chance to see it. After touring the entire facility, the EOD squad informed us they had a barbecue waiting for us. They cooked us hamburgers, hotdogs, and had all kinds of snacks for us. Here we are in the middle of Kuwait and these soldiers went out of their way to cook for us. Another moment of the trip, when I was so touched I can’t even begin to describe it with words. During the barbecue, we were able to sit down and hear their stories. Maggie from Alabama had the 6 of us rolling on the floor laughing with both her stories and jokes. I will never forget her sense of humor and her incredible ability to make anyone laugh. While talking with the Soldiers, they all mentioned how different this deployment has been from others because for the first time, they had some “down time” as opposed to other deployments where they were constantly on missions in Iraq. Like the Soldiers in the command center, these Soldiers never had the opportunity to meet entertainment groups, so we felt incredibly honored and grateful to have the chance to perform for them. At the end of the barbecue they presented us with EOD “bomb squad” coins, which has become one of my most prized possessions. It is distinctly different from the other coins we had received and I feel SO incredibly lucky to have one!

Both of the EOD robots

How they control the robots

Suiting up

Ready to roll in the "bomb suit"

Holding a grenade launcher

Standing on a land mine

Immediately after our visit with the EOD squad, we drove to the other side of Camp Arifjan to the Armored Unit. Here we were able to see all of the equipment, which had been pulled out of Iraq. There were rows of MRAPS, Tanks, Trucks, and all other sorts of military equipment. This must have been our lucky day, because we were invited to not only tour some tanks, but RIDE in them. This was probably one of the most exciting experiences in my life! The 6 of us split up, 3 of us touring one tank and 3 of us touring another. Danielle, Jess, and I toured a Bradley. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle is a fully armored, fully tracked vehicle designed to carry Mechanized Infantry into close contact with the enemy. If that wasn’t exciting enough, the driver of our tank was a HUGE Eagles fan. Alexis was from NJ and was ecstatic to meet us! The three of us each took turns riding in the tank. They took the tank out onto a sand track, where we got to experience the speed of the Bradley. I have to admit, I thought it would be a rough ride, but it rode smoother than I ever could have anticipated. Danielle, Jess, and I joked that we need a Bradley to drive to and from practices to avoid dealing with aggressive drivers Touring the armored unit was amazing and I will never ever forget the exhilaration I got from riding in the tank!

Looking out at some of the equipment

Eagles fan Alexis and I

Riding in the tank!

The 6 of us with Alexis

Following our visit to the armored unit, we were taken to the C-FLACC where we met a 2 Star General and had a meet and greet with the Soldiers. This was another incredible opportunity, because we had to get special access passes to even step foot in the building. We felt incredibly privileged to have had the opportunity to visit. Later, we had another meet and greet but this meet and greet was very special because it was with a Philadelphia National Guard Unit. They were so excited to meet us and we were equally excited to meet them. It was such an incredible feeling to be surrounded by fellow Philadelphians thousands of miles away from home.

Before long, it was time for our show at Camp Arifjan. We headed over to Zone 6 to rehearse on the stage and get dressed and prepped for our show. We were incredibly excited for this show, because all of the Soldiers we had met over the week were going to be there. Again, we had an incredible show with an amazing turn out. Hundreds of Soldiers came out to see us and we had the time of our lives performing for them. As usual, immediately following the show, we had a meet and greet. Something about this meet and greet really hit me though. We had been at the meet and greet for almost an hour and had seen hundreds of Soldiers; we were probably 300 soldiers in, when a Solider walked up and said “I don’t have a camera to take a photograph with you, but I wanted to wait in line just to say Thank You”. This man had waited over an hour, just to come up and say thank you. This moment still brings tears to my eyes. I have had moments in my life before which were memorable, but this is a moment I will never ever forget. That one Soldier changed my life. I am forever moved by his simple, but life changing words. I never could have imagined the words “Thank You” having such an impact on me. Later that evening, our MWR tour personnel told us they projected about 800 soldiers came to see us that night. 800 soldiers, how amazing? Following our meet and greet we had a pizza party to celebrate another perfect ending to another perfect day.

Check back later this week for our final and incredibly exciting day in Kuwait.

E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!

X0-Dani

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE EXTRA PHOTOS!

788th EOD

My 788th EOD "bomb squad" coin

The 6 of us with the tank

Tears and cheers

Hey Eagles fans,

I hope you are all having a great week and are staying committed to your New Years Resolutions just as I am. As I told you in my previous blog, I started working hard at the gym and I recently did a training session with a personal trainer. He totally kicked my butt, and I was sore for days, but as they say “no pain, no gain” and I’m sure my hard work will pay off. Even though we are in the off-season, it is important we still do appearances and stay in tip top shape. I am looking forward to some of my upcoming appearances and having the opportunity to see the ladies. Over the past 2 years, these women have become like sisters and I already really miss seeing them. Speaking of the other women, I want to congratulate Jen on being selected as our 2011 Pro Bowl Cheerleader. Jen and I are both 2^nd year members of the squad and I couldn’t be more proud of her. I know she will represent our organization in an incredible way and I absolutely can’t wait to hear about her travels!

Speaking of travels, in my last blog I left off at the end of our second incredible day in Kuwait. Our third day started out with breakfast at the D-FAC where as usual we mingled with Soldiers while grabbing a bite to eat. Following breakfast, we departed for Camp Buehring located in Northern Kuwait. Camp Buehring is named after LTC Charles H. Buerhring who was killed in Baghdad in 2003. The base was most often used for military troops heading into Iraq. Camp Buehring is also home to the Udairi Range and Udairi Air Field. As we were driving onto the base, we immediately noticed the number of tanks and helicopters guarding the border of Iraq. During this time, the last few convoys were coming out of Iraq and we were also informed Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dempsey was visiting Camp Buehring to acknowledge the end of the war in Iraq, so as you can imagine, security was extra tight.  When we finally got on base, COL Rodgers and LTC Thomas warmly welcomed us.

Welcome to Camp Buehring

Looking out at Udairi Air Field

During our commander’s call meeting, COL Rodgers showed us a PowerPoint on Camp Buehring and also gave his rendition on the introduction of military coins. COL Rodgers told us one story, which really left an impact on the 6 of us. He explained to us he has fought many battles, traveled to many countries, and done many things in the military, but the one thing he truly remembers about his years of service are the people who took the time to visit. He told us that Jay Leno had come to visit the troops and it was a time when all of the Soldiers were in need of laughter. He said the impact that Jay Leno had on him was the same impact we would have on the Soldiers and they would remember this for the rest of their lives. We were so touched by his story and were beyond grateful he shared it with us. After the commanders call, we had to prep for our show. Rather than a nighttime show, we had a daytime show at Camp Buehring, which was a nice change of pace. Once again, the show went wonderfully. We had another amazing crowd and we were later told there were at least 800 Soldiers in attendance. I still have a hard time wrapping my head around the fact 800 Soldiers took the time out of their day to come and see our show. Following the show we had a meet and greet where we could individually thank all the Soldiers who came out to see our show. We ended up being a little later for our next visit because we wanted to make sure we got to meet each and every Soldier who came out to see us that day.

Warmly welcomed by Soldiers!

After the meet and greet, we changed and went directly to the Udairi Air Field where we were met by Apache Helicopter pilots from the North Carolina National Guard. Not only did we get to the meet the pilots, but also we actually got to sit in an Apache Helicopter. Apache’s are attack helicopters, which seat two soldiers. One is in charge of navigating the helicopter, while the other focuses on attacking the enemy when necessary. Touring the Apache was such a privilege and it was an experience I will never forget. After touring the Apache, we visited the Navy Medics who are in charge of transporting injured Soldiers. They usually don’t have the opportunity to meet entertainment groups because they are unable to leave the unit in case of emergencies. It was great to be able to make their day even if it was only for a short amount of time.

An Apache Helicopter

Jess and I sitting in the Apache

The 6 of us with the Apache Helicopter Pilots!

If visiting the Air Field wasn’t exciting enough, we also had the opportunity to visit the Udairi training village. The training village is where they train the Soldiers for upcoming missions. We had the opportunity to participate in an artillery simulation.  The simulator is set up so you can practice shooting at a large screen. They provide real life war like situations where you have to follow the rules of engagement ( ROE are set rules which state when and where a s Soldier may fire, return fire, etc.) as well as practicing your accuracy skills. This was my first time holding a firearm and even though it was a simulator, it was hard work. I was convinced I hit my target with brilliant accuracy, however it appeared I could really use some work. It was also extremely enlightening to try and grasp how difficult it is to make split second decisions under the rules of engagement – the wrong decision could cost you your life or that of your fellow Soldier or cause an international incident. Regardless, it was an amazing experience and it felt amazing to train just like the Soldiers do.

The artillery simulator

The simulator screen

After the training village, we were off to the command center. The command center was in charge of watching over all operations in Iraq. Before we were allowed to go into the command center, the room had to be “sanitized” meaning all confidential information had to be taken off the computers before we were allowed to tour the facility. Upon talking with the soldiers in the command center, we learned the Soldiers work 15-16 hour days and are not permitted to have visitors. Many of these Soldiers were on their 4^th or 5^th tour of the Middle East. All of these soldiers were subject matter specialists and I was surprised to learn many of them had volunteered or asked to be deployed over and over again. The six of us were so touched by these Soldiers that we decided to bring our entertainment to their control room. Due to working 15-16 hour days, not one of these soldiers had the opportunity to attend a show. As I previously said, this was the 4^th or 5^th deployment for some of these Soldiers and they never had a chance to see a show. This really struck a chord with us and we thought the least we could do was perform for them. They were so touched by our generosity and cheered wildly as we tried our best to perform our show in their small quarters. I will never forget as we were walking out of the command center, I turned to Paige who had tears rolling down her cheeks. She was so touched by the Soldiers and we all realized we really were making a difference in these Soldiers’ lives. What we didn’t take into account was how much the Soldiers would change our lives.

The control room

Following the command cell visit, we got dinner in the D-FAC where we had the incredible opportunity to briefly meet General Dempsey. After finishing dinner it was time to head home, but before we set off for Camp Arifjan we were graced with another amazing opportunity. It turned out that American Idol winner Jordin Sparks was at Camp Buehring and was willing to meet us. This was the perfect ending to another perfect day in Kuwait.

The 6 of us with Jordin Sparks

I absolutely can’t wait to share the rest of our journey with you and I hope you will check back again later this week.

E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!

Xo-Dani

Lots of MRAPS!

More inspiration from Kuwait

Hello Eagles Fans,

Happy Sunday to you all! I hope you have all enjoyed a relaxing weekend and perhaps you are watching some of the NFL playoff games just as I am this afternoon. This past week I really focused on my new years resolution by hitting the gym multiple times this week. There is no better feeling when your endorphins start kicking in during a great work out. Luckily, my husband and I go to the same gym, so he is really helpful in motivating me and keeping me on track. When I last blogged, I left off at the end of our first full day in Kuwait. We were all excited to see what the rest of our trip would have in store for us.

We started off our next day by waking up at 5 am to cheer on the soldiers at the National Guard’s Birthday 5K run. It was quite a chilly morning, but cheering on the troops had us warm in no time. It was really great to see how motivated and in shape all of the soldiers were. The soldiers were so in the “zone” during their run at one point Jess nearly got run over. Our security guard Marvin frantically ran after Jess to make sure she got out of the way safely. This was just another example of how our security team had our back 24/7 and thankfully Jess was perfectly fine and continuously apologized to the solider for getting in the way. All of the soldiers were so grateful to have us there cheering them on and it was another event in Kuwait we were so grateful to be a part of. While at the 5K run, we ran into a National Guard Unit based out of Philadelphia. Once again, it was so awesome to be surrounded by our Eagles fans. We had traveled half way across the world, but we were still in the presence of the most loyal fans in the NFL. Many of the soldiers in the unit said they had been anxiously awaiting our arrival because they had heard the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders were coming to Kuwait. It was such an incredible feeling knowing these soldiers had been looking forward to our trip just as much as we had. Another exciting event at the 5K run was meeting a member of the EOD or “bomb squad”. What was so fascinating was that he had run the entire 5K in the bomb suit. Having had the opportunity to try on the bomb suit, I can assure you running a 5K in it was no easy task. We were in absolute awe of his abilities and were so intrigued about learning more about the EOD squad. He was kind enough to invite us to tour their facilities, which I will blog about later on, so stay tuned

At the National Guard's Birthday 5k run

After, the 5k run we grabbed breakfast in the D-FAC where once again we sat down and mingled with soldiers. It was always such a highlight to sit down with them and hear about their families, friends, and to just have real conversations about their lives. Before we knew it, it was time to travel to LSA and Camp Morrelle. On our way to LSA/Camp Morrelle, we actually got in a fender bender. I thought drivers in the U.S drove aggressively, but I quickly realized they weren’t nearly as aggressive as other drivers in the world. Thankfully, we were all okay, just a little shaken up by the incident. Upon arriving at LSA we were met by Major Engle and Chief Hippler. We had a Commanders call meeting where they explained to us that LSA was a base used for transitioning soldiers who were going home for R&R. There was a National Guard unit stationed there who was in charge of keeping track of all the solider who would come and go from the base. On this base, many of the soldiers slept in tents which was different than some of the barracks we had seen at the other bases. After the commanders call, we were invited to go and observe a special mission called Blankets for Kabul. Kabul is the largest city in Afghanistan. The soldiers were taking blankets that were no longer being used from the war in Iraq and packing them to be sent to underprivileged families in Afghanistan who didn’t have blankets to keep them warm this winter. Our soldiers are already selfless individuals by dedicating their lives to keep our nation safe, and on top of that here they were doing something so kind for another country. We were all really touched by this mission and as a teacher it really made a huge impression. It was wonderful to see our troops doing such a kind thing for the people of Afghanistan.

Posing with a humvee

Soldiers at Ali Al Salem (LSA)

After observing such a wonderful mission we were off to a meet and greet at Camp Morrelle with the Navy Seabee’s. As we learned, the Navy Seabee’s are construction battalions who go into an area to construct  Forward Operating Bases  (FOB’s) for the soldiers to use. This meet and greet was so awesome, because we were able to sit down and talk to the Seabee’s for literally hours. I sat down with a woman named Cassandra and I truly got to know her and talk to her.  She thanked me over and over again for simply taking the time to have a conversation with her. Her appreciation brought tears to my eyes. It was such an honor to meet her and spend time with her. Another memorable moment at Camp Morelle was leaving a package for a fellow Philadelphian who was based at LSA/Camp Morrelle but was out on a mission that day. We wanted him to know that even though we were unable to meet him that we still cared about him and were so appreciative of his hard work.

Meet and Greet with the Navy Seabee's

Navy Seabee Cassandra and I

After our meet and greet, we had a few hours of free time where we walked around base and mingled with the soldiers. As we were travelling around the base, we had fun hiding in bunkers, and we even got to take pictures on an MRAP that was driving by. MRAP’s are heavily armored vehicles designed to withstand an IED The soldiers were nice enough to stop driving and let us take a look around on the MRAP since this was our first time seeing one on our trip!

Casey and I in a bunker

Posing on the MRAP

Since we had such an early wake up call that day, we headed to the Green Beans on base for some coffee. En route to the coffee shop, we met two Black Hawk Pilots who were on their way home for the holidays. Kevin and Darrel were such a joy to talk with and they even insisted on buying all of us our coffee. Again, this was another opportunity where we really got to get know the soldiers on a one on one basis. It was moments like this that I know all 6 of us are incredibly grateful to have experienced.

Following our coffee break, it was time to get ready for our show at Camp Morrelle. Once again, we had a phenomenal crowd and they absolutely blew our minds with their phenomenal model walks and cheering skills. What was particularly fun about this show was we had to do all of our costume changes in the van we travelled in. It certainly required a little more organization, but we conquered this challenge without any hiccups and it was actually quite fun. After the show, we had a meet and greet with hundreds of soldiers and were so touched by their kind words we never wanted to leave. Unfortunately, we had to and before knew it we were back at Camp Arifjan, singing more cards and preparing for the rest of the week. Our visit to LSA and Camp Morrelle was a huge success and it was a day that I will never forget.

Stop by later this week to read more about my journey to Kuwait!

Until next time, E-A-G-L-E-S  EAGLES!

Xo-Dani

Extra photos for you to enjoy!

In honor of our fallen . .

The Navy Seabee

An MRAP!

Show time at Camp Patriot . .

Greetings Eagles Fans,

Happy New Year! I can’t believe I am typing my first blog for the year 2012. It’s amazing how quickly the time passes. 2011 was such an incredible year for me and I have high hopes for the coming year. I hope you all had a wonderful New Year’s Eve. My New Years was rather quiet this year as I was in bed early to rest up for our last game against the Redskins. The game was the perfect way to end the season and it leaves me hopeful and excited for the 2012 season. I can’t wait to see what the 2012 season will have in store for the Eagles as well as myself. I have set resolutions for both my personal and professional life and I have promised myself I am going to stick to them.

Last time I blogged, I shared some of the amazing adventures of my trip to Kuwait. I left off half way through our first day after our first successful meet and greet. Immediately following our first meet and greet, we travelled via bus with military security to Camp Patriot. It was about a 45-minute drive from Camp Arifjan. Camp Patriot is both an American and Kuwaiti military base. Upon arriving, SGT Benson, SGT Eder, and SGT Almary also known as “Snake” greeted us with open arms. We had a commanders call meeting where they told us about Camp Patriot and answered any questions we had. During the meeting, they told us about the turtle they named “Brutus” which lived on base and for which they built a home and had been feeding. Unfortunately, Brutus was feeling shy that day and didn’t come out for us to meet him, but it was great to hear what a wonderful home they had made for him.

SGT Eder was kind enough to let me try on his gear!

Trying on a cavalier helmet.

Another interesting aspect of Camp Patriot is that it also serves as a Naval Base. During our visit, we were lucky enough to have a tour of the Robert Smalls. The Robert Smalls is a Logistics Support Vessel operated by the U.S Army. Prior to touring this boat, I was unaware the Army operated any boats. We were informed the primary mission of Army Watercraft is to provide maritime logistical and rescue support to U.S and allied forces. The Robert Smalls is capable of transporting the equipment and personnel of a brigade size unit. We learned the vessel was named after an African American slave who showed heroic efforts during the civil war. The Robert Smalls is a very unique ship and there is only one other watercraft like this which is Robert Small’s sister ship and it is located in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The ship is equipped with its very own hospital and kitchen. We even got to do a little cooking ourselves while we were on board Unfortunately, due to a top secret mission going on at Camp Patriot, we were unable to take photographs of the Robert Smalls, however we were so grateful for the opportunity to have toured it and to have met the crew. Chief Warrant Officer Mackinney was a great tour guide and we enjoyed learning so much about the vessel!

After touring the Robert Smalls, it was time for us to get ready for our first show! We were incredibly excited to put all of our hard work over the past few months into action. Prior to the show, we were all filled with feelings of excitements and high hopes the Soldiers would enjoy the show. Luckily for us, they absolutely loved it. They were an amazing crowd and it gave us all such a sense of confidence. During our show, we had a few different games where we would involve the soldiers. The push up competition was always a favorite because all of the soldiers are in such tip top shape. The competition they seemed to enjoy the most was the “model” walk competition. Don’t let those Soldiers fool you. Many of them are ready to be on the runway next spring for Fashion Week. Our first show was such a huge success and the 6 of us had more fun than we ever could have expected. Following the show, we had a meet and greet with the soldiers. Once again, I was in awe over the number of soldiers who came out to meet us. It was incredible being able to shake each one of their hands and to thank them for all of their hard work. At the end of the meet and greet, SGT Benson, SGT Eder, and SGT Almary presented us with certificates of appreciation. It was another moment where I looked around and thought to myself “Why are they thanking us? These men and woman are the people who need to be thanked”. Before we knew it, our first night in Kuwait had come to an end. We boarded our bus and headed back to camp Arifjan where we stayed up until nearly midnight signing autographs for soldiers who were anxious to meet us.

Showing off our certificates

I can’t wait to share the rest of my trip with you, so check back later this week for the remaining 6 days of my journey!

Until next time . .

E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!

Xo-Dani

A poster about our show hanging at Camp Patriot!

Dani: Celebrating in Philadelphia and more Kuwait inspiration . .

Greetings Eagles fans,

I hope you have your last minute shopping completed and you are enjoying this beautiful holiday weekend. This time of year is always extra busy for me. My husband Scott’s birthday is December 22^nd  (Happy Birthday, Scott!) and each year I struggle with what to get him since his birthday falls so close to the Christmas holiday. This year I decided to take him out to dinner in Philadelphia and to stay over and really enjoy the city. So, yesterday we ventured to Christmas Village at Love Park in downtown Philadelphia followed by dinner at Fogo de Chao and finally we walked around the city and enjoyed the holiday atmosphere. I hope he had as much fun as I did. Being in the city was the perfect way to get me in the holiday spirit. While in the city, we stopped at Macy’s where they have a station to write letters to Santa. I decided to write him a letter asking him to keep our armed forces overseas safe during this holiday season. Since visiting Kuwait, I constantly have our troops on my mind and I hope they all know how much we appreciate them this holiday season and always.

Speaking of Kuwait, I have so much to share about day two of my incredible journey to Kuwait. Our second day in Kuwait was December 13^th. We woke up around 6:30 am to get ready for the day. Our first stop for the day was the Colonel Robinson’s 325^th Combat Support Hospital. This trip was even more special for me because this is the atmosphere I grew up around. My mom was in the medical branch of the Army and it was incredible to be in a CSH in Kuwait.

Upon our arrival, LTC Medd greeted us and gave us a tour of the hospital. We were able to meet the entire hospital staff and most importantly, we were able to meet some patients. There was one patient in particular who was incredibly special to us because he was from West Philadelphia.  We spent some time talking with Fernando and it was such a joy being in his presence. A few days later we actually ran into Fernando when he was out of the hospital and feeling better and it was touching to hear how happy our visit had made him. Moments like this one are the ones I will cherish for the rest of my life.  Upon leaving the Combat Support Hospital, LTC Medd gave us each a coin, which we all accepted with gratitude and excitement.

Meeting the hospital staff

Learning about the 325th Combat Support Hospital

Meeting patients at the hospital

Following the hospital visit, we had a commander’s call where we meet with the commander and were informed about the different bases and, in addition, ask any questions we might have. This was our first commander’s call and it was incredibly informative and exciting. LTC Bauer explained to us the meaning behind the military coins and shared with us some incredible stories about his years of service.

LTC Bauer expressed how grateful he was for us taking the time to come over to Kuwait and in return we explained to him what an honor it was to be in his presence and to have such an incredible opportunity. He presented us with a certificate of appreciation, which I know all 6 of us will cherish forever. Immediately after the commander’s call it was time for our first meet and greet. We had been told to expect a large number of Soldiers at our meet and greets but nothing could have prepared me for the true number of soldiers who came out to meet us.

We met hundreds of Soldiers at our meet and greet. I was in absolute shock they all took time out of their day to come and meet us. There were many moments when fellow cheerleader Jessica and I would look at one another and express how incredible it was we were able to be in Kuwait and how every one of the soldiers we met day had changed our lives in some way. To all of the Soldiers, Airmen, Marines, and Sailors that came out to see us at Arifjan that day, thank you. It was truly an honor meeting each and every one of you.

After our meet and greet, it was off to Camp Patriot, but I am going to save that for my next blog because this one is much too long already. Please check back in a few days as the most incredible journey of my life continues. .

Eagles fans, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and let’s cross our fingers for a big Eagles victory against the Cowboys!

Xo-Dani

To our Armed Forces overseas and on the home front who read my blog may you know this holiday season I am so incredibly grateful for the gift of my freedom you fight to protect each and every day. Wish the 6 of us were there to celebrate with you, but you are in our hearts and minds!

Showing off our 325th CSH coins

Dani: An incredible journey . .

Greetings Eagles fans,

I apologize, as it has been a long time since my last blog. So much has happened over the past few months including an incredible victory over the Jets last night. I was ecstatic to see the team work together and have such a phenomenal outcome. The game was proof hard work truly does pay off. My fingers are crossed for two more victorious games this season.

As I mentioned in previous blogs, I come from a military family. Both of my grandfathers served in World War II, my grandmother was a Wave during WWII, my mother is a retired Colonel from the US Army and my brother is currently in ROTC while completing law school. In November, the squad received an email regarding a possible goodwill tour to Kuwait. I can still feel the sense of excitement, which came over me when I read this email. I literally had knots in my stomach for the entire week leading up to the next practice when they selected the lucky six women to participate in the tour. I will never forget the moment when they announced my name and informed me I had been selected to go overseas. This has been a dream of mine for many years. For years I have looked at photos of NFL cheerleaders who had this opportunity and I prayed one day I would have my chance. Paige, Lauren, Danielle, Jessica, Casey and I knew our lives were about to change, however, I never could have imagined the true impact this trip would have on my life.

So, please join me as I write about my seven day journey to Kuwait. I am going to split each day into one blog starting with the first day, Saturday December 10-Sunday December 11^th.

On Saturday morning I woke up at 6:30 AM filled with a sense of anticipation and excitement. I couldn’t believe the day was finally here. The six of us had been waiting for this day for over a month! My mom and husband took me to the Philadelphia airport where I met up with the other five cheerleaders. The six of us sat down to grab some food before our first flight. We all shared our excitement and were anxious for our journey to begin. After eating, we boarded our first flight to Washington DC. After arriving in Washington DC we met up with our tour director Jody and boarded our next flight to Kuwait. It was an 11 hour flight full of excitement. The 6 of us couldn’t wait to arrive in Kuwait to find out what the rest of the week had in store for us. After 11 long hours we had finally arrived in Kuwait! After receiving our visas and collecting our baggage, we met up with our security team and were ready to begin our journey. Our security team consisted of five Military Police Soldiers. Little did we know Marvin, Ramos, Oscar, Lawrence, and Manny would become like family to us over this 7-day journey. After meeting up with our security team we took a 45 minute bus ride to a giant US military base called Arifjan. Arifjan is about 5 miles by five miles in size and is home to thousands of Soldiers, Marines, Airmen, and Sailors. Upon arriving at Arifjan, we were shown our rooms. Each of us had our own room with a bed and desk in it. We were all extremely pleased with our accommodations and we spent some time getting settled in. After getting settled in we headed over to the D-FAC (dining facility) to get some food. Immediately upon entering we were greeted by hundreds of Soldiers who were kind enough to show us the ropes of getting around the dining facility. We sat down, ate some food and decided to split up and mingle with Soldiers. Within minutes, we were deep in conversation, singing happy birthday to Soldiers, and realizing what incredible men and women serve our country.

Jess, Casey, Paige, Lauren & I at the Philadelphia airport!

Jess and I had wandered over to a table in the D-FAC and sat down and started conversing with a group of Soldiers. After a few moments, a Soldier sat down next to me and began having a conversation with me. He talked to me about where he was from, his family, and about his years of experience in the military. 30 minutes into the conversation, I realized I was talking to a 1 Star General. I was in complete awe and disbelief he had taken the time to sit down and talk with me. To express his gratitude, he handed me a military coin (this would be the first of many we received on the trip) and explained I was already doing an excellent job of boosting the morale of the Soldiers. As he stood up to walk away, I remember tears filling my eyes. In the first 30 minutes of our tour, someone had already told us we were making an impact. The General continuously told me what an impact we would have on the lives of the Soldiers overseas, but I never could have imagined what an impact they would all have on me. An hour into our goodwill tour in Kuwait and my life had already been changed.

Singing Happy Birthday to a soldier!

The coin I received from the 1 star General

Please check back later this week as our week long journey in Kuwait continues .

Until next time – E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!

Xo-Dani

P.s – enjoy the extra photos!

A map on the plane showing how far we had traveled!

Kuwait

A view of the desert

Dani: Grateful for these moments

Hey Eagles fans,

Wow, what an action packed week it has been for me. I have bounced from one activity to the next; it’s almost hard to keep track. This past Tuesday and Wednesday the squad completed some demanding rehearsals to prepare for the home opener. When Thursday rolled around, it was time for Open House at my school. I have been working so hard for the past two weeks to prepare for open house, but the good news is I truly feel it all paid off. The parents were all complimentary of my work and I left feeling great about the event.

By Friday, I was exhausted and very in much in need of a night off. Since I barely saw my husband this week, he treated me to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory at the King of Prussia mall. After dinner, we were on the hunt for some new shoes Scott could wear to work. He recently got promoted at work, for which I am so proud but his hours are even more demanding which means we have to be even more creative with the time we get to spend together. I didn’t hesitate for a second when he suggested looking for shoes at the King of Prussia mall. I myself was on the hunt for a great pair of new boots for the fall and winter season and wasn’t about to turn down a prime shopping opportunity. Luckily for Scott and I, we both left with a new pair of shoes we were very pleased about.

My new purchase

On Saturday, I had an appearance in West Grove with cheerleader Janel. Janel was kind enough to pick me up so we could drive together to the appearance. This turned out to be quite the adventure. Unbeknownst to us, many of the roads we needed to travel on were closed due to flooding. I really must have bad luck with the road gods because I have been striking out lately. Janel and I were both unfamiliar with the area, so we were a little lost trying to reroute. Thankfully, we were able to find our way and attend the appearance. I am so glad we were finally able to make it because the appearance was so much fun. We met so many excited, enthusiastic fans who were anxiously anticipating our arrival. After the appearance Saturday, I got organized for the game on Sunday and got as much rest as possible. As I got organized, I stumbled across a photo of my squad at last years home opener which made me even more anxious for Sunday’s game.

When I woke up on Sunday morning, I was overwhelmed with a sense of excitement. On my drive to the stadium, I thought back to a year ago when I was attending my first home opener as a rookie and how truly blessed I am to be part of such an amazing squad. Janel and I had the opportunity to be on the Weather Channel before the game on Sunday, so I hope some of you caught a peek of us. As I stepped foot on the field on Sunday, I was overcome with emotions. How did I get so lucky? As I stood for the national anthem, tears fell from my face. Luckily I was not alone as I looked to my left and Tiff was also crying. It is always within that moment I have a chance to take a step back and realize what I have accomplished. Its those few moments of silence in the stadium, when I can look around and thank God for being a part of such an elite squad and be reminded as to how proud I am to be an American. I wish I could begin to put it into words, – it is truly breathtaking. Unfortunately, the end result of the game wasn’t what any Eagles fan was hoping for, but I have the upmost faith in our team and I know we will come back next week stronger than ever.

The flag at the game on Sunday.

Until next time Eagles fans . .

E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!

Xo-Dani

Dani: Down but not out

Hey Eagles Fans,

I hope you all had an enjoyable week and have been soaking up the beautiful fall weather like I have. My week flew by and I so overcome with anticipation for next week’s home opener against the New York Giants. I absolutely can’t wait to step out on the field and cheer on our team.

We had two major rehearsals this week for the upcoming game. On Tuesday night, we were at Nova Care really hammering out our formations and making sure we all have our yard markers down pat, while Wednesday night we really worked on perfecting choreography and working on our performance. I am so excited to debut our new pregame and hope all of you will enjoy it as much as the squad does. It is a different piece of choreography for us, but the music is so uplifting and really gets us all in the zone.

I was also very busy with school this week and one negative of being back to school in the fall is the return of all of the germs. Thursday morning I started to feel a bit under the weather and by Friday, I was really not feeling up to speed. Against my better judgment, I decided to attend an adult scavenger hunt on Friday night with Scott and some of our friends. Scott and I participated in one over the summer and had so much fun that we decided to do it again. You are given a list of clues and have to drive to all of the different locations throughout the community. You have to take a picture at each location and also pick up a flyer to prove you made it to all of the locations. All proceeds for this event went to the Kyle Pagerly memorial fund. In a previous post, I mentioned that Kyle was fatally wounded over the summer and my local community was struck very hard by the loss. I had the opportunity to meet Kyle and have been truly touched by his story over the past few months. At the event, I decided to buy tickets for the 50/50 raffle in which the proceeds would go to Kyle’s wife Alecia. When they called the winning ticket, I realized I was holding it. I was in absolute shock because I rarely win anything. I won $150 dollars, and without hesitation I handed it over to Kyle’s wife Alecia – it was the least I could do.

My brother-in-law, sister-in-law, Scott and I at the scavenger hunt this summer!

By Saturday morning, I was feeling awful, but I had an appearance to attend and I was determined to go and to not let my illness keep me down. I am so glad I attended because I got to meet so many young children who were ecstatic to meet Jamie and I. Even on a day when I wasn’t feeling my best, I was still able to make some one else’s day and that means the world to me. After the appearance, I went straight to the Urgent Care clinic near my apartment to see what was going on. The diagnosis was a severe sinus infection and the start of Step Throat. I left the office with antibiotics and specific instructions to get as much rest as possible. I immediately filled my prescription and went home and spent the rest of the day watching movies on the couch. I had another restful day today, but ventured out with Scott to the driving range. Scott is an avid golfer and is trying his best to get me on the course. With his guidance, I was actually able to hit the ball pretty well today, but I was extremely tired and quickly annoyed because I would have to stop to blow my nose every two minutes. Luckily, Scott was patient with me and spent the rest of the afternoon taking care of me.

Working on my swing and always showing off my Eagles pride Scott getting ready to swing