Replies

By K.L. Vantran
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19, 2003 - Military men and women and
their families will have front-row seats to a free concert
to kick off the 2003 National Football League season here
Sept. 4.

The event, formally promoted as "NFL Kickoff Live 2003 From
the National Mall Presented by Pepsi Vanilla," will salute
America's service members and Department of Defense
civilians. It will begin 6 p.m. EDT Sept. 4 and feature
musical performers Mary J. Blige, Britney Spears and
Aerosmith. Aretha Franklin will conclude the concert with
the national anthem. The location will be in roughly the
same place as the annual Fourth of July concert near the
U.S. Capitol.

The rain-or-shine event is open to the public, but is
designed to honor America's military forces, especially
those who have participated in the global war on terrorism.

Service members, who are encouraged to wear open-collar
dress uniforms, may register at the U.S. Army Installation Management
Agency Web site [www.ima.army.mil] by clicking on the Operation Tribute to
Freedom icon. As of Aug. 18, 4,000 service members had
signed up.

Beginning 2:30 p.m. Sept. 4, service members in uniform
with ID, can pick up wristbands at one of four Operation
Tribute to Freedom tents set up on the mall. Wristbands,
given on a first-come, first-serve basis, allow recipients
access to the front sections of the concert area. Before
entering the concert area, all guests will go through a
security screening area.

This is a great opportunity for soldiers, sailors, airmen,
Marines, Coast Guardsmen and their civilian counterparts to
get out, relax and get some entertainment, said Army Col.
Daniel Wolfe, executive officer, Operation Tribute to
Freedom Task Force.

"It's a really wonderful event," he added. "It's terrific
for the NFL to recognize the troops and what better place
to do that than on the mall in our nation's capital."

There will be large video display screens throughout the
concert area. Following the concert, the screens will
broadcast the season opener between the Washington Redskins
and the New York Jets at FedEx Field, located in nearby
suburbs.

"We had a spectacular first-ever kickoff event last year in
New York City to celebrate the resilient spirit of the city
and America," NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said in an
NFL news release. "We are looking forward to this season's
opening game in the nation's capital, which presents a
unique opportunity to salute the military and other public
servants."

Part of the concert event will be televised live before the
game, from 8 to 9 p.m. EDT on ABC. The one-hour show will
be shown after the game on the West Coast. It will also be
broadcast on American Forces Radio and Television Service.

Updates on the event will be posted on the IMA Web site. [www.ima.army.mil]

_______________________________________________________
NOTE: This is a plain text version of a web page. If your e-mail program
did not properly format this information, you may view the story at
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/Aug2003/n08192003_200308191.html
Any photos, graphics or other imagery included in the article may also