Stars Salute The Military

• Chris Young recently raised over $35,000 for the Stars For Stripes organization, making good on a promise he made to members of his fan club over a year ago. He donated funds from his sold-out  Sept. 30 show at the Los Angeles House of Blues to the charity, which provides celebrity entertainment for U.S. troops overseas. The money raised from his campaign supplemented celebrity tours to the Pacific Rim, Europe and Afghanistan.

Young first became involved with Stars For Stripes in 2009 after touring military bases in Iraq and Kuwait with Craig Morgan on a trip that was filmed as a GAC special. The following year he joined the Board of Directors of the non-profit organization and went on a second overseas tour to Iraq and Kuwait in 2011.

• Tim McGraw will perform a special concert in Jacksonville, Fla. Thursday evening (Oct. 10) for military members and their families at the U.S. Naval Station Mayport in honor of Veterans Day. Fans worldwide can also enjoy the “Chase Presents Live From The HomeFront: Tim McGraw” concert as it is broadcast live on the Pentagon Channel and at TimMcgraw.com beginning at 8:45 p.m. EST. Naval Station Mayport is one of three Navy bases in the Jacksonville area and home to nearly 5,000 uniformed service members, their families, and 2,000 Department of Defense civilian employees. More than 1.5 million veterans also call Florida their home.

Since McGraw partnered with Chase and Operation Homefront over a year ago to create the HomeFront program, they have awarded more than 70 mortgage-free homes to wounded warriors and military members in need and will give another one to a deserving family on Nov. 10. With one million service members projected to transition out of the military by 2016, the HomeFront program helps returning veterans successfully transition back to civilian life. Chase has provided more than 600 mortgage-free homes to military families through its nonprofit partners.

“It’s easy for me to show up and play music to honor the men and women who have the really tough jobs,” said McGraw.  ”To me, it’s just one small thing I can do to help show how much we appreciate what they put on the line and what these families sacrifice every single day. Since we started this program 18 months ago, I have had the privilege of meeting many service members and their families and have heard many inspiring stories. It’s something I’m proud to do and want to take it as far as we can!”