Eight Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are slated to make a USO-sponsored tour of four U.S. bases in South Korea, including two near the Demilitarized Zone. (Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders)
CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea — The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, continuing an NFL tradition 45 years old, will soon visit U.S. Army bases in South Korea to boost morale, give makeup tips and show support for troops serving overseas.
Eight of the Cowboys cheerleaders will make a USO-sponsored tour of four bases: Camp Walker in Daegu city; Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek city; and Camp Bonifas and Camp Casey, less than 15 miles from the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea.
“The entertainment mission at the USO is to connect with and uplift our service members and their families,” USO Global Entertainment Vice President Jennifer Wahlquist said in an email Tuesday.
The cheerleaders will have meals with soldiers, present cheer shows, hold meet-and-greet photo sessions, host a youth cheer clinic and put on makeup tutorials for spouses, Wahlquist said. The cheerleaders are also scheduled to partake in cultural events.
The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders organization has made 85 USO tours; members of the squad first visited military bases in South Korea in 1979, Wahlquist said.
NFL cheerleaders routinely visit U.S. military bases overseas just before and after the Super Bowl.
Cheerleaders from the Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings pose at Camp Zama, Japan, Feb. 12, 2024. (U.S. Army)
Cheerleaders from the Cincinnati Bengals, Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings hosted a cheerleading clinic at Camp Zama, Japan, Feb. 10. They also attended a Super Bowl party with service members on the day of the big game.
Other NFL cheerleader visits include Camp Kościuszko in Poland on Feb. 8 and the Pacific Missile Range Facility, also known as Barking Sands, in Hawaii on Feb. 2.
The NFL has raised more than $66 million for military service organizations, including the USO, the Wounded Warrior Project and the Pat Tillman Foundation, since 2011, according to its website.
“We are grateful for the men and women serving in our armed forces for the many sacrifices they make every day while defending our country,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a Nov. 1 news release. “Their courage and dedication assure us so many important freedoms, and the opportunity to enjoy a little football.”
