Dust-up at COB Speicher

Dec. 19, 2007 -- The Chairman's USO Holiday Show has a grueling schedule, and it's at the mercy of the weather. Today was a good example. The performers woke up in Taqqadum, moved to Ramadi for a show, then to Contingency Operating Base Speicher, and were scheduled to perform at night at Contingency Operating Base Liberty near Baghdad.

Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen broke off form the group to tour downtown Ramadi to see progress with his own eyes and then flew to Baghdad for meetings with Multinational Force Iraq Commander Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker and Army Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, Multinational Corps Iraq commander.

The USO performers made it to Contingency Operating Base Speicher and performed, but a sandstorm moved in and grounded all aircraft.

At the same time, more than 750 servicemembers had gathered at Camp Liberty to see the show. Once it became clear that the troupe could not make it to Baghdad, Mullen rushed to the stage to deliver the news personally.

He broke the bad news, conveyed the performers' regrets and stayed to pass out his chairman's coin to every one of the young men and women who came. His staff also distributed gifts that the USO had collected -- movies, video games, etc. -- from companies and individuals. No one went away empty-handed.

The next morning, the weather cleared, and the troupe reunited at Balad Air Base, northeast of Baghdad. Robin Williams went up to Mullen and thanked him for standing in for the performers. "I tried to convey to them how disappointed you were to not be there and how much they mean to all of you," Mullen told Williams.