MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Nothing brings smiles to the faces of men everywhere quite like a National Football League game, save for maybe the short skirts and glowing smiles of the lovely ladies raising fans’ spirits on the sidelines.
For many service members here, wiping those grins away became a difficult task as the Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders paid a special visit to the station Tuesday on the second stop of their “Dreams of the Crossroads of America” tour.
Marine Corps Community Services coordinated the trip in conjunction with Armed Forces Entertainment, who is sponsoring the tour. Kenneth J. Snook, MCCS entertainment coordinator and Iwakuni resident scheduled the visit to provide service members a break from their daily routines.
It’s basically to show the Marines if it weren’t for them, MCCS and all the civilians that work at the station wouldn’t be here, Snook said. I hope they feel we appreciate them.
The cheerleaders began their day with an appearance at Crossroads Mall. Station residents lined up for autographs and photo opportunities with the ladies who happily obliged.
Sgt. Litthideth Phansiri, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 12 aircraft maintenance administration specialist and Kansas City native, received a special surprise when several cheerleaders remembered his brother’s name from their previous stop in Okinawa. Phansiri said the ladies’ obvious interest in the Marines they were visiting was commendable, and the afternoon was definitely a morale-booster.
“The fact that they remembered his name just by reading my nametape is amazing,” Pansiri said. “It’s great to hear back from my brother, especially from these ladies.”
That evening, station residents filled the Sakura Theater for what unfolded to be a memorable night of entertainment. The cheerleaders’ 90-minute show was a spectacle of singing, dancing and audience participation. The women performed choreographed musical numbers spanning from the Pussycat Dolls to Tina Turner that featured many exotic costumes, much to the male viewers’ delight.
“It was entertaining and fun to watch,” said Lance Cpl. Jon M. Finney, Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron administrative clerk and St. Louis native. “Those little skirts and tube tops were good stuff. I’d love to see them come out again.”
The service members aren’t the only ones benefiting from the tour, said Jessica Long, Indianapolis Colts cheerleader and Indianapolis, Ind., native. The ladies will all take home memories of their time overseas.
“It’s different. We’re not used to being on military bases, but we’ve been treated very well,” Long said. “The best part has been going out and meeting the troops on a one-on-one basis, bringing some joy and having fun.”