Tim McGraw and Live Your Voice Artists Entertain the Troops

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Uniformed service members and their families spent their Father's Day as honored guests of the Tug McGraw Foundation.

The Tug McGraw Foundation was established by former Mets/Phillies pitcher, Tug McGraw, in 2003 to raise funds to enhance the quality of life of children and adults with brain tumors and their families by stimulating and facilitating research that addresses the physical, social, emotional, cognitive, and spiritual impact of the disease.  He later died of a malignant brain tumor. 

Tug McGraw served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam era.  Tim McGraw, Tug's son and a Grammy Award-winning musician, is the McGraw Foundation's Honorary Chairman and a strong supporter of the military and of the military's efforts in brain injury research and patient care. 

The Foundation is also working in collaboration with the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine to advance military medical research, and as a result of that tie, the McGraw Foundation donated tickets to a number of Uniformed Services University (USU) medical students, along with wounded soldiers recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and their families, to attend Tim McGraw's concert at Nissan Pavilion in northern Virginia. 

The Foundation later requested volunteers from USU to help assist the soldiers during a private concert given by Tim McGraw. 

Earlier in the day, Mr. McGraw's band, the Dancehall Doctors, accompanied by country artists Lance Miller and Catherine Raney, and Brad and Brett Warren, recording artists and songwriters, visited with soldiers and their families and performed for them during a barbecue held at the Mologne House on the Walter Reed Army Medical Center compound. 

 The Warren Brothers sang several of their hits, including their blockbuster "If You're Reading This," which was recorded by Tim McGraw, as well as a new, not-yet-released, song about the troops, "Crazy Being Home."    

Afterwards, one of the injured service members in attendance remarked, "I gave my leg to defend our country; all I ask in return from the American people is the occasional acknowledgment and 'thank you.' That's all." 

At the end of their visit, General John MacDonald presented, Jennifer Brusstar, CEO and President of the Tug McGraw Foundation an award of honor for her efforts in bringing together civilian and military medicine.

The troops were later bussed to Nissan Pavilion where they were given a private concert by Mr. McGraw.  Miller and Raney opened the performance, after which Mr. McGraw invited the soldiers and students to meet with him privately to express his gratitude for their service to the nation.

The pivotal moment of the day followed Mr. McGraw's tribute during the concert to service members in general, and the Walter Reed wounded warriors in attendance in particular, prompting the audience of about 18,000 to erupt into a thunderous and lengthy standing ovation.