My Trip Over Seas
With it being 7 months since Meaghan Smith has seen her boyfriend, who is in the
United States Army and is stationed over in Iraq, she will see him for the first time as she
is now a member of the U.S.O performance squad on the Baltimore Ravens Cheerleading
team.
Meaghan will be departing the United States at the end of June to do a 3 week long
performance tour for the soldiers fighting the war over in Iraq. The tour will be visiting
many major Iraq cities where there is a large amount of American soldiers including
Mosul, Basrah and Baghdad, where her boyfriend is currently stationed.
“It has been over 7 months since I have seen Rob,” said Meaghan Smith, 23, current
Baltimore Ravens Cheerleader. “It is such an exciting experience to be able to see him for
the first time as I am performing for a good cause, not to mention this is the first time he
will see me as a Baltimore Ravens Cheerleader.”
The U.S.O performing tour group for the Ravens will consist of 12 current team
members. There will be 4 female members of the stunt team, 4 male members of the stunt
team and 4 female members of the dance squad. All members going have been on the
team for 3 plus years and have devoted much of their time and lives to the Ravens
organization. The members will have routines to be performed, items from the Ravens
organization to hand to the soldiers and letters from the other members of the team
wishing their safe return to the United States, along with autographed pictures and
calendars.
This opportunity is one that Meaghan has dreamed about her whole life. She has
given countless volunteer hours doing charity appearances for the Ravens and it seems to
have paid off. Not only does she get to travel to a country she has never been too who is in
need of some “cheering up”, but she gets to do it when her boyfriend of 3 years is stationed
over there.
“ My coaches are aware of the situation I am going into,” Meaghan says. “They realize
it’s going to be very emotional for me but they trust in my professionalism and
mannerisms to handle my self.”
Other team members from the Baltimore Ravens, whom have known Meaghan for
years, know how anxious she is to get over to Iraq to see her boyfriend.
“I can’t wait to see the joy on her face when she first sees her boyfriend,” says Tina
G., directory of the Baltimore Ravens Cheerleading team. “The fact that I can be apart of
something that special makes my job all the more enjoyable.”
The team will be wearing purple, white and black camouflage-like cheerleading
uniforms, representing their own NFL teams colors, but keeping with the pride of the
Army. They will be sleeping in Sadam’s old palace, and visiting Iraq food markets and
getting a chance to interact with their citizens. The girls will be highly guarded by troops
as well as wearing bullet vests and helmets while walking around the towns.
It has been more than 5 years since the Ravens have been able to send over
cheerleaders for the U.S.O performance, and many other NFL teams such as the Eagles,
Cowboys and Dolphins do a similar tour to our soldiers in many other countries as well.
After the 3 week tour, Meaghan will get to greet her boyfriend at the Baltimore
Washing International Airport as he returns back to the United States after serving his 9
months of duty.
Having a group of dedicated males and females, who already do such a great job of
representing one of the best NFL teams in the country, perform for our dedicated males
and females in the armed forces, “Is an honor,” said Meaghan, “That I am fortunate and
grateful enough to get a chance to do so.”
