WWE Tribute to the Troops

WWE Tribute to the Troops is a former annual American professional wrestling event that was held and produced by WWE and Armed Forces Entertainment. The show aired as a television special during the month of December (specifically during the holiday season), with the exception of the 2019 event, which was a special non-televised show, and the 2021 event, which aired in mid-November.

As its name implied, the show honored and entertained United States Armed Forces members; the first eight editions of Tribute to the Troops were held at U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan, with performers and employees traveling to these countries and interacting with troops, as well as visiting military camps, bases, and hospitals. From 2010 onward, the show was held at either a domestic military base or a venue near one, as well as visiting sites such as Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Hospital.^[1] Aside from 2020 (which was filmed at Amway Center due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the WWE ThunderDome), the 2021 event was the first not to be held at or near a military base.

From 2003 to 2007, Tribute to the Troops was broadcast as a special episode of either Raw or SmackDown!; beginning 2008, Tribute to the Troops became a standalone special, airing on NBC or, later on, USA Network. In 2020, after Tribute to the Troops was held as a non-televised event in 2019, the special moved to Fox as part of its rights to SmackDown. The 2023 Tribute to the Troops was held as a special episode of SmackDown; the special was quietly cancelled afterward.

The idea of the event is credited to wrestler John "Bradshaw" Layfield, who suggested it to WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.^[2][3]

أقامت WWE هذا الحدث لأول مرة في ديسمبر 2003، من معسكر النصر في بغداد، العراق ، وبثته في يوم عيد الميلاد كحلقة خاصة من سماكداون! [ ^{4 ] [ 5 ] [ 6 ] في} النزال الرئيسي، هزم جون سينا ​​بيغ شو ، وبعد المباراة، ظهر ستون كولد ستيف أوستن ، ونفذ حركة ستانر على كلا المصارعين، ثم دعا جميع المصارعين إلى الكواليس للاحتفال. ^{[ 7 ]} في هذا الحدث، الذي يُكرّم القوات، وفي جميع الأحداث الأخرى حتى عام 2011، تم تسجيل التعليق في مقر WWE الرئيسي في ستامفورد، كونيتيكت ، لعدم وجود معلقين بجانب الحلبة.

في ديسمبر 2004، سافرت WWE إلى قاعدة سبايشر في تكريت، العراق . عُرض البرنامج التلفزيوني " عيد الميلاد في العراق " في 23 ديسمبر كحلقة خاصة أخرى من سماكداون!. فاز إيدي غيريرو وري ميستيريو على كيرت أنجل ولوثر رينز في النزال الرئيسي. ^{[ 7 ]}

في التاسع من ديسمبر عام ٢٠٠٥، أقامت WWE الحدث في قاعدة باغرام الجوية في باغرام، أفغانستان . وبُثّ الحدث في التاسع عشر من ديسمبر، هذه المرة على شبكة USA Network كحلقة خاصة من برنامج WWE Raw . وفي النزال الرئيسي، فاز شون مايكلز على تربل إتش في نزال تدريبي . ^{[ ٧ ] [ ٨ ]}

في عام ٢٠٠٦، تم تسجيل العرض في معسكر النصر ببغداد، وعُرض على برنامج "راو" يوم عيد الميلاد، وشهد الحدث الرئيسي فوز كارليتو على راندي أورتن . قبل يوم من التسجيل، وقع هجوم بقذائف الهاون بالقرب من المعسكر، مما أسفر عن إصابة ١٤ جنديًا. وقدّم مايكل كول تفاصيل من موقع الحادث بعد دقائق. ^{[ ٧ ] [ ٩ ]}

في عام 2007، عادت WWE إلى تكريت. فاز عضوا فريق دي-جينيريشن إكس، تريبل إتش وشون مايكلز، على أوماغا ومستر كينيدي في الحدث الرئيسي، الذي عُرض ليلة عيد الميلاد على برنامج WWE Raw . ^{[ 7 ] [ 10 ]}

2008's show from Camp Liberty, Baghdad was the first to air in a non-standard WWE timeslot, a one-hour December 20 special on NBC. In its main event, John Cena, Batista and Rey Mysterio defeated Chris Jericho, Big Show and Randy Orton in a six-man tag team match.^[7][11]

WWE again traveled to Iraq in 2009. In the main event from Joint Base Balad, John Cena retained his WWE Championship against Chris Jericho. It aired on December 19, 2009 on NBC.^[12]

In 2010, WWE held its first domestically hosted Tribute to the Troops, from Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas on December 11. It aired on NBC December 18 for one hour, with a message from former president George W. Bush.^[13] A two-hour version of the show aired December 22 on USA Network.

The 2019 edition marked the first and so far only time that the event was not aired on television.^[14][15]

The 2020 edition returned to television, this time being broadcast from Orlando's Amway Center, by way of the WWE ThunderDomebio-secure bubble. The one-hour special aired on Fox on December 6, adjunct to NFL coverage.^[16]

The 2023 edition was broadcast live as a special episode of SmackDown on December 8, 2023, from Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rhode Island.^[17] To cross promote the Army–Navy Game occurring the following day at Gillette Stadium, CBS college football commentator Brad Nessler made a guest appearance.^[18]

The Tribute to the Troops event was not held for 2024 with no tapings held. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported on December 24, 2024, that Tribute to the Troops was done, "for the time being". Following the ousting of McMahon in January 2024 amidst the ongoing sex scandal, Meltzer said that a WWE source confirmed it to him without the company's acknowledgment.^[19]

• In 2004, the United Service Organizations (USO) of Metropolitan Washington awarded WWE with the first-ever Legacy of Hope award "for its extensive support of our troops and the USO's Operation Care Package program".^[1]
• In 2005, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) awarded WWE the first-ever Three-Commander Coin Award "for WWE's support of its partnership with AAFES to improve the quality of life for our troops by supporting service members and their families worldwide".^[1]
• During the 2006 show, Director of Air Force Morale, Welfare and Recreation Art Myers presented WWE Chairman Vince McMahon with the Secretary of Defense Exceptional Public Service Award. McMahon immediately presented the award to John Bradshaw Layfield, who had the idea for the show.^[1][20]
• In 2007, WWE received the first Corporate Patriot Award at the annual GI Film Festival in Washington, D.C., "in recognition of its ongoing support and appreciation of the U.S. military and their families, particularly its annual holiday Tribute to the Troops tour to entertain troops in war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan".^[1]
• In 2008, then President George W. Bush aired a message during the show, thanking WWE for giving US troops the gift of entertainment every Christmas. He did so again in 2010.^[21]
• In 2011 and 2012, WWE aired messages from President Barack Obama during the broadcasts, expressing his gratitude for the Armed Forces for their service in Iraq and Afghanistan.^[22][23]
• In 2015, WWE themselves began presenting a custom WWE Championship belt to the servicemen and women who had helped in hosting the event and for their continued service to the country. The custom belt featured side plates that commemorated the year's event.^[24] They subsequently presented custom belts at every event thereafter.^[25]

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