STAFF SGT. MONICA GARREAU, 17TH PUBLIC AFFAIRS DETACHMENT U.S. Army soldiers, including members of Hawaii's 25th Infantry Division, crowded into the Clamshell at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan yesterday to try to catch footballs thrown by retired NFL quarterback John Elway. Elway was among a corps of celebrities who paid a holiday visit to the base yesterday.

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Stars align in
show for troops

Comedian Robin Williams
and former NFL great John
Elway visit Afghanistan

BAGRAM, Afghanistan » As head of the joint chiefs of staff, Gen. Richard Myers usually doesn't have to take a back seat to anyone -- except when U.S. troops make up the audience and comedian Robin Williams is onstage.

American forces, including soldiers from Hawaii's 25th Infantry Division, at Bagram air base got a little early Christmas cheer yesterday as Myers and Williams -- along with football star John Elway, model/sports commentator Leann Tweeden and comedian Blake Clark -- stopped by on a tour of American servicemen serving far from home.

The activities got off to a somber start with a groundbreaking ceremony for a coffee shop to be named after Pat Tillman, who quit the NFL to be an Army Ranger and died in a friendly-fire incident April 22.

All except Williams wore white hard hats and fatigues as they jointly shoveled spadefuls of dirt with about 100 soldiers taking pictures.

Tillman gave up a million-dollar contract and his position as a starting safety for the Arizona Cardinals to enlist after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Elway said he did not know Tillman, but told the troops: "It had to be a huge thing for Pat to walk away to come over here and join forces with you. I'm totally humbled by the work that you do.

"In my mind he's a hero. You're all heroes."

STAFF SGT. MONICA GARREAU / 17TH PUBLIC AFFAIRS DETACHMENT Sgt. Ernie Lazos of Delonaga, Ga., got an autographed photo of John Elway yesterday at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. Lazos is a prop and rotor mechanic assigned to Company B, 214th Aviation Regiment, 25th Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, based in Hawaii.

The coffee shop "will probably be here some time, even though we may not be here in large numbers."

On the walk over to a tent for the day's entertainment, troops sought autographs on paper, hats, dollar bills -- anything that would hold ink -- and photos taken with the visiting celebrities.

Many clutched copies of FHM magazine with a scantily clad Tweeden on the cover. The wolf whistles shrieked as she served as the announcer.

Clark got a number of laughs, particularly with an imitation of "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin trying to track down Osama bin Laden.

That bit of political incorrectness set up Williams' typically X-rated standup act, which had the crowd of more than 1,000 roaring as he bounced around the stage. On an unseasonably warm winter day, he took off his jacket, revealing a Vince Lombardi High School T-shirt that he later tossed into the crowd, leaving himself briefly bare-chested.

It was Williams' second trip to Bagram, and he described how conditions have changed.

"It's a lot like Palm Springs, except for the mines and the small-weapons fire," he quipped in one of the few lines that can be quoted here.

All the guests then tossed footballs, T-shirts, caps and small U.S. flags into the crowd.

When it was over, Elway and Williams headed to opposite sides of the tent for more autographs and photos. Long lines quickly formed, with many soldiers getting one's autograph before switching to the queue for the other.