Globetrotters, providing smiles for the troops

  • Published
  • By Airman Dymekre Allen
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany - --  Navy and Armed Forces Entertainment hosted a Harlem Globetrotters basketball game for the KMC at the Southside Fitness Center Dec. 5, 2013.

The world famous Harlem Globetrotters paid a visit to overseas U.S. military members and dependents to show off not only their skills but their support for the troops as well.

"It's a great feeling being here," said Joyce "Sweet J" Ekworoomadu, Harlem Globetrotter guard. "we want to show our appreciation for the troops by giving them a good show ... people take for granted what military members do, so we come out here and represent for the people back home just how much we treasure the sacrifices you guys make every day."

The Globetrotters military tour has taken them to more than 30 U.S. military locations including bases in Afghanistan, Belgium, South Korea, Spain, Iraq and the United Kingdom.

"They put on quite the show," said Jason Bakes, event attendee. "I remember seeing them as a kid in Chicago, then again in Belgium. They really do provide a service of entertainment to the people."

This year the team celebrates 88 years of performances, family entertainment and one-of-a-kind basketball artistry.

"We have a long history of being motivated and putting in the effort to entertain and amaze are fans," said Sweet J. "We are all professionals that want to give back to the people."

Since they were founded in 1927 as the Chicago Globetrotters, the team has used their talents with a ball to break down cultural and social barriers while providing them with their first taste of the game of basketball and showcasing their abilities in more than 122 countries and territories on six different continents to people foreign to the sport.

"You have to be a great person to do this job," said Eric "Hacksaw" Hall, Harlem Globetrotter forward. "We are ambassadors of goodwill, we travel the world to make people happy and bring joy from all walks of life, from America to china, all smiles are the same."

The Harlem Globetrotters may not defend our nation from all enemies foreign and domestic, but they do represent the red white and blue by providing outreach to those of other nations and help build camaraderie among different cultural backgrounds.