By David Krichavsky

The NFL continued this March its legacy of more than 40 years of sending players overseas to visit with U.S. troops. The NFL's Director of Community Affairs, David Krichavsky, accompanied four NFL players -- Atlanta Falcons tight end Alge Crumpler, Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shelton Quarles, Kansas City Chiefs guard Will Shields, and New England Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson -- on a 12-day USO tour to U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan.

FINAL THOUGHTS (MARCH 15)

The final leg of the NFL-USO tour found us at Manas Air Force Base in the former Soviet Republic of Kyrgyzstan. Manas is a major staging point for troops and supplies heading into and out of Afghanistan.

Truth be told, we didn't just visit Manas AB; we made it our home. As a result of travel difficulties, we remained in Manas for three days, hoping for the weather to clear and a flight to materialize that would get us to Afghanistan, and in particular, to the Pat Tillman USO Center at Baghram Air Base. The Tillman Center was funded in part by the NFL and dedicated in 2005 during the NFL-USO trip with New England Patriots linebacker Larry Izzo and Atlanta Falcons running back Warrick Dunn.

While circumstances didn't align for us to make it to Afghanistan, the upside is that we became fully integrated into the daily routine of a GI at Manas. "Man, this place feels like home at this point," Ben Watson explained.

We lifted weights with the soldiers at the gym on base, we got to know the cooks at the DFAC, and we even learned which showers had the best water pressure. Most importantly, perhaps, the players formed real relationships with the troops on the base, with their interactions going far beyond just the usual handshakes and smiles. "We really got to know some of the men and women there," Alge Crumpler said. "It was disappointing that we didn't make it to the Tillman Center. But being in Kyrgyzstan for a bunch of days gave us the opportunity to learn what life is like on a base."

One of the "mission critical" locations on base -- at least for the troops stationed there -- is Pete's Tavern. Pete's is your typical bar, except that patrons are limited to no more than two alcoholic drinks in any 24-hour period. Despite the limitations put in place by the military, the troops at Manas consider themselves lucky. None of the soldiers stationed in the Persian Gulf have any access to alcohol at all due to the Islamic nature of those countries. The NFL players spent two consecutive nights at Pete's, although they never got around to having their two drinks per night due to all the "meeting and greeting" that they did.

We also got to do a number of different, interesting things at Manas, due to our extended time there. The players toured the flight line, where we got a demonstration of how KC-135s perform midair refueling missions.

The squadron that flies the KC-135s is based out of Fairchild, Washington, and includes a number of big Seattle Seahawks fans. In fact, the members of the squadron have demonstrated their support for the hometown team by adorning their planes with large Seahawks logos. Furthermore, some of the pilots in the squadron had been stationed at Manas at this time last year, when Seattle Seahawk Bryce Fisher visited as part of the 2006 NFL-USO tour.

Another stop we made on base was at the K9 center, where the Air Force trains attack dogs. Upon our arrival, the trainers at the K9 center told us that they intended to do a demonstration for us and asked for a volunteer to serve as a "decoy." I've never seen four guys drop their eyes to the floor faster than our "fearless" NFL stars. "I made it through Iraq and mortar attacks. I'm not messing around with attack dogs," Ben Watson said in response to why he was not willing to volunteer.

Shelton finally built up the nerve to "take one for the team" and participate in the demonstration. He put on a full body suit of protective clothing, as the attack dog barked and quivered at the thought of going after him. Needless to say, Will, Alge and Ben had great fun at Shelton's expense as he suited up, telling Shelton that the dog was going to "house" him. TSg Paille, who heads the K9 unit, had told the guys that it was called getting "housed" when the attack dog drops the "decoy" to the ground.

While Shelton may be used to colliding with ballcarriers on the football field, the force of the impact with Kisma, the attack dog, indeed "housed" him. Shelton hit the ground and Kisma began dragging him through the dirt with the grip of her teeth as the other NFL players cheered her on. "I used to be a dog lover," Shelton said when he finally made it to his feet. "But it is time for me to reevaluate that."

At every stop that the players made at Manas Airbase, they were greeted by appreciative troops who welcomed the "slice of home" that the players represented. As Sergeant Zach Palmer of the 376 Expeditionary Air Force Maintenance Squadron (or the "West Coast Tankers" as they have dubbed themselves) said, "These guys don't have to be here. It is their offseason, and I bet there are 1,000 other things they could be doing right now. This means a lot to us."

The thanks went both ways though, of course. Nearly every autograph that Shelton signed included the inscription, "Thanks for doing what you do to keep us safe." (Of course, he also often found the space to scrawl, "Go Bucs!").

The players had the final evening of the tour to themselves before departing for the airport at 3:30 AM on Thursday morning. Our long trip home would begin in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, travel through Moscow, and then on to points in the United States such as New York; Washington, D.C.; Atlanta; Tampa and Kansas City.

Just like a player who says it will take weeks, months, or perhaps longer to really assess what it means for him to win a Super Bowl, I don't think that any of us will be able to accurately assess the meaning of this trip until we have the benefit of time, distance and perspective. But I do think that it's safe to say that we are all changed individuals for having seen what we have seen, heard what we have heard, and experienced what we experienced.

There is no question that many images from the 2007 NFL-USO tour will remain in our memories for the rest of our lives. There is such a range of images to choose from, with so many memories to recall. After all, we traveled by C-130, C-17, Chinook and Sea Stallion Choppers, Humvee, tank, and even a fire truck.

The players signed thousands of autographs and took hundreds upon hundreds of pictures. Countless Patriots fans tried on Ben's Super Bowl ring, while nearly as many talked North Carolina hoops with Alge. Will took a picture with a soldier who had "KC" tattooed on his forearm and signed numerous pieces of University of Nebraska paraphernalia for fans of his alma mater in Lincoln. Shelton even met a group of airmen who had been at a Bucs preseason practice at MacDill Air Force base in Tampa this past season

The NFL-USO group stayed in relative luxury in Kuwait city, as well as relative squalor in some of the remote FOBs (Forward Operating Bases) in Iraq. We walked through the "moon dust" in Barwanah, and we listened as snipers described their craft to us in Al Qaim. We ate Iraqi food on the Syrian border at Waleed, barbequed with the soldiers at Camp Rawah, had steak in Kuwait City, and plenty of DFAC "chow." We witnessed a marine's reenlistment ceremony, as well as a memorial service for one of his comrades. We got "coined" by the commanding general in Baghdad, General Odierno.

The list of memories could go on forever…

The players sat on Saddam Hussein's throne (which was a gift from Yasser Arafat), and they sat on metal folding chairs in concrete airplane hangers. The players competed with soldiers in pool, ping-pong, basketball, poker, spades and chess; and in many cases, the NFL players came out on top. Shelton volunteered to take on an attack dog, and he most decidedly lost. Our travels were delayed as a result of weather and mechanical problems. (Hint: If you ever want a tour of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, ask Alge, Shelton, Will or Ben.)

But more than anything else, I think we will all remember the troops we visited and the smiles we brought to their faces. If only for a few minutes, we helped many troops forget that they were in a war zone. We brought a piece of home to the soldiers, and we made them realize that folks back home had not forgotten about them.

If is only fitting that one of the players has the last words in this blog, because without their commitment to this trip, none of our successes would have been possible. On behalf of all four players, Shelton reflects on the past 12 days:

As I reflect on our USO tour of Iraq, Kuwait and Kyrgyzstan, I realize there are only two words that accurately describe our time overseas: life changing. My life will be forever changed because of the things we witnessed. The troops' dedication is unparalleled. They make sacrifices every day to keep us free and provide freedom for others. They spend time away from family and friends, live in conditions that we wouldn't ask an enemy to brave, and eat just enough to make it to the next meal. I constantly found myself in awe at their commitment to each other and to our country.

There are many analogies made between football and our military. One in particular that sums it up the best centers on "gameday." As football players, we have one game a week that we must prepare for, but for our troops, every day is gameday. If they are not prepared as they enter the battlefield, lives will be lost.

I felt a closeness to a few of the solders I met that I didn't expect. We have already e-mailed each other several times since meeting, and we plan on connecting again once they get stateside. I believe that we are taken certain places and go through things in life for certain reasons. I know that the people that I bonded with overseas were put in my life for a reason -- life changing.

In closing, I greatly admire the courage and determination of our troops. We will pray for their safety and victory daily.

(Photo) Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Shelton Quarles (L) and New England Patriots' Benjamin Watson sign autographs on the flightline of Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, under the wing of a USAF KC-135 tanker with the logo of the Seattle Seahawks, who are near the home base of the KC-135s, Fairchild AFB, Washington, during a USO-sponsored visit to airmen, March 14.

(Photo) Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Shelton Quarles, bulked up in protective gear, is attacked by a USAF guard dog as SSgt Manny Garcia of El Paso, Texas, watches during a visit to the K-9 unit of the Security Forces of Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, during a USO-sponsored visit to airmen there, March 14.