When self-appointed Garth Brooks "super fan" Bubba Strauss' wife couldn't attend a concert with him, he decided to bring along a veteran instead. He had no idea at the time that it would soon become his mission to bring as many vets to see the country superstar as possible.
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Strauss has been to see Brooks perform 37 times since 1990, and now, he's sharing that experience with veterans. The Cleveland-based fan has been traveling the country, following Brooks' tour. Each time he reaches a new city, he contacts a vet to treat to a dinner and a concert.
In Sioux Falls, he met retired Chief Master Sergeant Kevin Uthe. Uthe served his country for over 30 years, from 1977 to his retirement in 2013.
"It makes me feel good that there are folks out there that want to help the veterans or say thanks," Uthe told the Argus Leader.
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In Champaign, Ill., Strauss treated veteran Master Sergeant Jeff Crowe to one of these so-called "Brooks experiences." Crowe has seen a lot during his time in the Air Force.
"I was stationed up in Alaska, in a remote site in Alaska for a year," he said to WCIA. "I was stationed in Europe for 11 years. I went to the falling of the Berlin wall."
Crowe recalls Vietnam and how horrible many people were to vets. He is also grateful for people like Strauss, who don't let their sacrifices go unnoticed.
"It was just too good to be true. I mean, that somebody's doing this for veterans, and he does it all the time."
