D.C. United announced details of four players participating in a 14-day Armed Forces Entertainment tour. Nick Addlery, Marc Burch, Jeff Carroll and Justin Moose departed today for a tour of several Pacific military bases where they will conduct soccer clinics for children and adults. Visit dcunited.com for periodic updates from the players during the tour.
The tour will take the players to military bases in Hawaii, Guam, Japan and Kwajalein. The trip includes stops at Pearl Harbor for a tour of the USS Arizona Memorial and Japan's Camp Foster. The group left for Okinawa, Japan today and will return to the U.S. on December 19. In addition to meeting with servicemen and women and signing autographs, the players will also distribute soccer balls to children at each of the bases they visit.
The official Department of Defense agency for providing entertainment to overseas U.S. military personnel, Armed Forces Entertainment hosts over 1,200 shows around the world each year, reaching over 500,000 troops at 270 military installations. Members of previous AFE tours include the Harlem Globetrotters, Kid Rock and World Wrestling Entertainment.
The full itinerary for D.C. United's Armed Forces Entertainment tour is as follows:
Dec. 5-6: Depart Washington for Okinawa, Japan
Dec. 7: Clinic at Gunner's Gym
Dec. 8: Visit at Camp Schwab and clinics at Kadena AB Soccer Field
Dec. 9: Depart for Guam
Dec. 10: Depart for Kwajalein
Dec. 11-12: Clinics at Kwajalein
Dec. 14: Depart Kwajalein, Arrive Honolulu
Dec. 15-17: Clinics at Kaneohe Marine Corps Base
Dec. 18: VIP tour of USS Arizona Memorial
Dec. 19-20: Depart Honolulu, Arrive in Washington
United signed Addlery on April 24 after the forward put forth an impressive effort during a trial with the first team. Addlery made 11 total appearances (four starts) during the regular season and scored his first career goal and assist against the Colorado Rapids on 6/28. For his performance, he was named MLS Player of the Week. The Bronx, NY native finished the season with a goal and two assists in 456 minutes on the field. He was also a fixture with the reserve squad, notching three goals and two assists in all 12 Reserve Division games (10 starts).
After starting the season with Columbus Crew, Burch was obtained by United on April 4 in a trade for a 2008 third round Supplemental Draft pick. The trade was the steal of the year as Burch stepped into United's defense in July did not give it up the rest of the year. The converted forward made 18 appearances (15 starts) and was a constant threat to whip driven balls into the opponent's box. Burch collected three assists and scored his first career goal in a 4-1 victory over Toronto on 9/29.
The younger Carroll brother, Jeff remained a key figure of the club's reserves in 2007, seeing time in nine reserve games (eight starts). He played a total of 710 minutes and tallied two assists in the Reserve Division. Though he did not see the field with the first team, he was named to the 18-man roster on several occasions.
After making just one first team appearance during his rookie season, Moose factored in seven games (four starts) in his second year, totaling 319 minutes. He played in each of United's 12 reserve matches (11 starts), notching two goals and an assist.
