FORT BELVOIR, Va. -- The NBA Washington Wizards basketball team may have some big name players, but on Oct. 21, the athletes took time to recognize the stars who make up the military.
Forty Soldiers and family members from Belvoir's Warrior Transition Unit attended the Wizards' "Salute to the Stars" at Morton's The Steakhouse in downtown Washington. The event hosted nearly 200 servicemembers from all branches of the military.
Guests were treated to entrees including lamb chops, sea scallops and beef tenderloin, then sampled desserts such as mini key lime tarts and carrot cakes.
Even more exciting was the fact that Wizards front office staffers and seven players were the ones dishing out the goods.
"The military is so important to us as a nation," said Judy Holland, Wizards senior vice president of community relations. "We thought it would be a neat way to tip off the season and say thank you, and offer our military some hospitality."
Wizards players and staff showed that hospitality not only by serving food to servicemembers, but offering conversation, autographs and photo opportunities.
Staff Sgt. Michael Vacanti of Walter Reed was grateful for the experience, something he said didn't happen often at his last duty station. "It's nice to have a chance to do this," he said. "I was out at Fort Riley [Kansas], and believe me, there aren't many opportunities like this out there."
Sgt. 1st Class Tommie Johnson of Walter Reed said he was completely surprised by the extent of the event. Initially, he said, he signed up expecting to attend an exhibition game, but he then learned the event was a dinner and the players would be serving. "It was surprising to see, but welcoming to see them doing that," Johnson said. "I appreciate their warmth and the fact they welcomed us with open arms. It seems like they enjoy it, too."
Wizards forward Caron Butler affirmed Johnson's sentiment. "It's special. We get a lot out of it," he said. "These people sacrifice for us. The least we can do is serve them for a day. It means a lot to be a part of this. It's an honor to do it, and to know it means so much to them."
Center Brendan Haywood said he tries to participate in as many of the Wizards' service events as possible, and each one means just as much as the one before. "It never gets old for me," he said. "It's great to see those who support us and love the game. It feels good to come out and do something for the troops."
Belvoir Spc. Garyland Moore said the event was a beautiful thing. "It's a big morale booster for us. I want to see more things like this, with local celebrities supporting the troops."
Marnie Sell, wife of Capt. Leonard Sell of Belvoir's WTU, said the event was a great chance to see both servicemembers and their families recognized. "There's so much they give up, and so do we as families," she said. "It's moving to see so many people here. It's just been amazing."
Capt. Sell agreed. He said he appreciated the work the Wizards did not only with the military, but in the overall community. "I did a little bit of homework, and before the event, I wasn't even aware of the community efforts of the Wizards at large," he said. "It's not just for the services. The outreach is pretty huge. It's great, because selfless service begets selfless service. The efforts just continue to grow."
Some of those efforts, Holland said, include community movie nights, free home game tickets to injured servicemembers and the 12 Days of Holiday Cheer, in which the Wizards perform 12 acts of kindness during the holidays.
The all-service event, Capt. Sell said, allowed servicemembers to see one another and learn about other branches of the armed forces. "This gives us an opportunity to mingle with the other services, to learn about their jobs and specialties and what they do," he said. "You're not always aware of what everyone else does around the services. This makes you realize how much it's a joint effort."
Walter Reed's Staff Sgt. Arbra Williams said it meant a lot for a professional team to put something together like this, especially because organizations aren't obligated to do so. "A lot of teams don't necessarily give back," he said. "We're blessed here in DC to have a team that really supports the military."
For the Wizards, Holland said, community outreach is like second nature, and the organization is happy to help where it can.
"The military is amazing because they do so much," Holland said. "It just breaks your heart you can't do more."
On this day, however, the Wizards were able to offer plenty to those who deserved it most.
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