Tito Ortiz to Visit Troops on USO Tour to Persian Gulf

Mixed martial arts champion Tito Ortiz, also known as “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy,” and Justin McCully, a member of Ortiz’ Team Punishment fight camp, will soon kick off their USO/Multi National Corps - Iraq entertainment tour with a trip to the Washington Metropolitan area. Ortiz and McCully will visit with wounded service members at both the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC and the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Following their visit, they will depart for the Persian Gulf to meet with service members and sign autographs.

A strong supporter of the U.S. military, Ortiz recently delivered a speech at an Armed Forces Day ceremony in California and met with soldiers of the California National Guard, Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion. Adamant on expressing his thanks, Ortiz also greeted families of fallen soldiers as well as families with loved ones on active duty.

“I am tremendously excited about going overseas with the USO,” says Ortiz. “The men and women on duty in the Persian Gulf are literally on the front lines and I’ll do whatever I can to show them how much their service means to everyone back home.”

A talented fighter and colorful showman, Ortiz began his martial arts career as a wrestler in high school and is now a highly regarded athlete who headlines Pay Per View championship fights. Appearing on the covers of such magazines as “Black Belt” and “Ultimate Grappling,” he has also been profiled in The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, Sports Illustrated and other news outlets. Ortiz heads a successful sportswear firm, Punishment Athletics (www.punishment.com), and has starred in several feature films and television series.

Ultimate Fighting Championship newcomer, Justin McCully, nicknamed “The Insane 1,” is an accomplished fighter and holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Far from an overnight success, McCully made his Mixed Martial Arts debut in 1997 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

The USO is the way for Americans to support their troops. The USO provides a bridge to home for the U.S. military, providing them and their families with entertainment and communication services that improve their lives and boost morale. In 2006, celebrity entertainers traveled more than two million miles on USO tours in 26 countries and 13 states, entertaining more than 184,000 service men and women and their families.

AT&T, Inc. is the official telecommunications sponsor of USO entertainment tours. For a list of recent and upcoming USO tours, visit www.uso.org/whatwedo/entertainment . To find out how to support the troops, visit www.uso.org.

Source: www.uso.org