Our good friend, Dan Boever (REMAX Long Drive Champ, golf entertainer and all around good guy) shares his experiences in Iraq as he takes part in “Operation: FORE the Troops”. They say it’s a trip to “visit the troops” and “entertain”, but we know the governments real motive…it’s Dan’s ability to snipe at 380 yards with a Pinnacle Gold Distance.


I would have to say that most of the time I love seeing our troops in airports as I travel.  When you fly 120 times a year you tend to see a lot of military personnel.  I will usually silently pray for them and their families. It is always great to visit with one of them, especially when they are coming home. Man, are those wonderful sights to see as the entire crew gathers around to welcome home their hero.

Today was different though. Today I wasn’t so happy to see someone in uniform. Why? It goes like this. I was in the airport at Chicago O’Hare waiting on my flight to depart. I make the assumption that when some of you read the word O’Hare you winced. Any seasoned traveler knows that going through Chicago is not always the most pleasurable experience. My flight into Chicago today was pretty typical. We leave at 2:35 PM for what is to be a one hour flight. You land, taxi a bit and you are at the gate at 4PM. Right? Wrong.  Here is a tip for those of you who do not fly much. When you land and taxi away from the terminal you should get on your cell phone and check on your connecting flights. It is never good.

Here is how it usually plays out. First you here a clicking noise with the microphone and then the captain comes over the airways and says something to this effect.  Aaaaahh (there is always a bit of a stammer) ladies and gentlemen thanks for flying with us, (right out of a Zig Ziglar sales book) we know you have a choice when it comes to air travel (non of which are good) and we appreciate your business (read from a manual and very heartfelt). I am pleased to announce we were able to take a short cut and we got you here four minutes ahead of our scheduled arrival time (very impressive to everyone).  But, (Oh here it comes…you never want to hear the “but”) I am sorry to inform you that because of our early arrival the gate we are heading to is still occupied (listen to hear if the engines shut down, that will determine the level of your screwed-edness). I made the word up, which I know you figured out.  But you all know what I meant.  We are quite certain the plane is about to pushback and we will get you to the gate as soon as we can (the cockpit conversation is much different I’m sure). Thank you for your patience.

I can’t be the only one to ever hear those words.  My favorite was in Dallas when we arrived six minutes early (they made sure we knew) only to sit on the plane (small tube) for twenty six minutes waiting for the gate agent to come move the jet bridge up to the plane. TWENTY SIX MINUTES.  They actually told us over the loudspeaker the gate agents didn’t know we were coming. We were all too stunned to even make fun of them. Here’s an idea, next time pick up the phone and let them know we might be dropping by.

Back to gate B17.  I am just minding my own business eating a Big Mac, I mean a salad and fruit cup when out of out the corner of my eye I see a very small, very fast, brown thing run past my foot.  I initially think it is some motorized toy a nearby child is playing with. After all we are in one of the world’s most heavily traveled airports surely they don’t have varmints running around.  When it darted back past me at a very high rate of speed I realize it is no toy. It was a live freakin mouse.  Are you kidding me? I think he was after my Big Mac and that ain’t happening.  I grabbed my video camera and jumped up on the chair. That’s when soldier boy sees me and asks if everything is alright. You really had to hear the tone. I don’t think his words meant what he was asking. I told him I was looking for a good angle from up high to shoot video in case the mouse returned.  You know, it might be cool to have that footage. You don’t see a mouse doing wind sprints all that often in a major airport. His grin told me I was busted. Why couldn’t he have been off having a drink or doing some pushups somewhere?

I got a funny feeling I am not getting away with much over the next ten days.  Our troops seem to have a pretty keen sense of the “latrine level” someone is dishing out.

I’m actually praying for him as well. I am praying he was coming home. I can’t risk seeing him again over there…Stupid mouse.

Tomorrow is Walter Reed and the troops. Excited, nervous and I am sure, soon to be humbled.

Thanks for following along.

Learn more about Dan at his website DanBoever.com

Our good friend, Dan Boever (REMAX Long Drive Champ, golf entertainer and all around good guy) shares his experiences in Iraq as he takes part in “Operation: FORE the Troops”. They say it’s a trip to “visit the troops” and “entertain”, but we know the government’s real motive…it’s Dan’s ability to snipe at 380 yards with a Pinnacle golf ball.

“Dude, listen to me, you’re gonna want to take three things for sure on your trip.”

This bit of wisdom shot straight from the mouth of friend and two-time USO participant Brian Pavlet.

“Get you some good boots because there are rocks everywhere and if you have on tennis shoes you might break your neck. Make sure you take a good flashlight because in the middle of the night when you gotta use the bathroom, you ain’t gonna want to walk 20 feet from your warm, comfy bed to your master bathroom like you do back home. You are going to have to go outside to the latrine and there is a better than good chance it will be pitch black. So without a good flashlight you may end up someplace you don’t want to be.

“And lastly, you’re gonna want to take some baby wipes.”

Of course, he offered that last bit of advice with a big smile on his face. I guess deep down I knew what he might be insinuating but I thought I would make sure. “Why is that, O’ Great General from above?” I asked.

“You’re not going to find the facilities very Ritz Carlton-like, so just take it.”

“What if I just do a 10-day fast while I am over there?” I asked.

“Just do it,” Brian said. “You’ll thank me later.”

“Is there anything else I need to know, Lt. Hygiene?” I asked. “What if I took diapers, then I wouldn’t need the flashlights?”

“Yeah, but you would still need the baby wipes so just man up and quit whining,” he said. “You haven’t even spent your first night and you are already talking back to a superior officer.”

So with Brian’s advice in the front of my mind I took to the streets of Springfield, Mo., to buy the items I thought I might need. The first stop was our local army surplus store. I wandered the isles trying to decide whether the pants I had picked out were the kind of pants real soldiers would wear or the kind that would make me look totally out of place.

(Yeah, like the scared, confused look on my face won’t be enough.)

I settled on a cool passport holder to go around my neck, two belts – one camo and one black – some type of sniper mask/cap and seven flashlights. No way I wasn’t gonna have a good one.

Next stop, command central. You guessed it, Wal-Mart. I went straight to the boots section. Not being a guy who enjoys trying on 10 different boots, I opted for second pair I put on. Done! The $25 price tag may not qualify them as “good boots,” but I had to save up for baby wipes. I wear tennis shoes 365 days a year so I can’t be expected to make a good choice in boots. I will learn soon enough whether I made a good choice or not. I am quite sure the troops will let me know. It is a good thing my wife wasn’t there. I would have had to match colors with all my outfits.

Dan Boever packs for Iraq, creeps out wife.

I then grabbed 10 different things from the travel isle. I got portable plastic travel containers, a clothing suction bag, two toiletry bags, a rolling back pack with lots of cool pouches and an international electrical adapter. I also bought a DVD player along with assorted scan disc memory cards and six tubs of baby wipes. Hey, I don’t know what might be too much and I don’t know what might not be enough. I’m just following orders. What I don’t use, I will sell to pay for all the excess nonsense I have purchased for this trip.

My favorite part of the whole shopping experience came as I was checking out. After some young lad had scanned his fifteenth straight travel-related item he looked up at me and said, “Goin’ on a trip?” Immediately I had 50 can-you-be-that-stupid comebacks race into my mind. But I took the high road and instead.

“No, we still have an outhouse and with winter coming I want to be prepared.”

Without hesitating he looked at me and said, “Good thinking.”

I bet I could sell him a whole case of baby wipes!

I fly from Springfield, Mo., to Washington D.C., tomorrow as the clock speeds towards a Friday night liftoff to the Persian Gulf. It is now 48 hours and counting.

Thanks for following along.

Learn more about Dan at his website DanBoever.com

Our good friend, Dan Boever (REMAX Long Drive Champ, golf entertainer and all around good guy) shares his experiences in Iraq as he takes part in “Operation: FORE the Troops”. They say it’s a trip to “visit the troops” and “entertain”, but we know the government’s real motive…it’s Dan’s ability to snipe at 380 yards with a Pinnacle golf ball.

As I finalize my preparations to take part in “Operation Fore The Troops”, I am again reminded of the amazing sacrifice our troops make to be away from their families. I will be gone for 10 lousy days and I can’t imagine all the things I will miss out on during that time period. Ten days? When you compare that to a year of duty or two or possibly more, I am embarrassed to even see the words on paper.

It was about a month ago that I first learned through good friend and two-time USO participant Art Sellinger that I may have the chance to go on a trip to visit our troops in the Persian Gulf. I would not get confirmation until about two weeks later. It was during that time that I shared the news with my wife of almost 20 years, as well as our 17-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son. It would be a 10-day trip away over the Thanksgiving holiday from Nov. 19-29.

From the first moment I mentioned the news to my family they were adamant that I should go. They all have a great heart for others and they never even considered the possibility of saying no. Being on the road 150-175 days a year with my golf-entertainment business I knew that 10 days off in a distant land was something I really had to think about. As much as I love what I do, I detest being away for any amount of time. That sweet little 17- and 15-year-old were 5 and 3 “just last week” it seems.

Even as I thought of time lost with my family I knew in my heart I had to go. I remembered a few moments I shared with actor Gary Sinise. He visited with me about some of his many trips overseas and he told me that if I ever had the chance to go I needed to do it. He, like Art, said it would be a life changing experience.

How many countless troops will I meet that have their own sweet babies waiting for them back home?

Ten days . . . I don’t believe I could give 365 of them. What an amazing sacrifice.

Learn more about Dan at his website DanBoever.com