Given his famously boisterous personality, it’s pretty common to see Joe Thomas’s face light up. But one memory makes it light up brighter than most.
It’s a story that took place an ocean away – and then some. Back in 2010, a then-25-year-old Thomas was part of an NFL-USO Tour in Afghanistan. And while the Blackhawk helicopter rides to and from remote military bases were memorable, it was the reactions of the troops that left a lasting impression.
“They hadn’t seen anybody but military members and local Afghans for six months,” Thomas said. “A lot of guys would tell us that it helps them get through their tour.