DVIDS – News – ESPN Interviews USAG Ansbach USO Center Manager for Pat Tillman’s Upcoming Feature

ANSBACH, Germany (November 4, 2022) – On November 3 at Katterbach Kaserne, The Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) interviewed United States Army Garrison (USAG) Ansbach United Service Organizations (USO) Center Manager Kimberly “Leigh” Steadman for her involvement in returning Pat Tillman’s jersey to the United States from the USO Pat Tillman Center at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan.

The team came to Germany from the US specifically for the special film, which will tell the story of Pat Tillman’s jersey and its journey back home from Afghanistan.

Stedman has served the USO for four and a half years and has been supporting the troops since 2018.

She is responsible for all aspects of operations at the USO Center at USAG Ansbach in Germany, including the day-to-day supervision of more than 35 volunteers.

“I was with the United States Peace Corps before I worked for the USO, and I just knew I wanted to be somewhere where I could work with soldiers,” Stedman said of what motivated her to join the USO. “While that jersey was on display at the Pat Tillman Center, you could feel the sense of service and sacrifice that he believed in and was committed to.”

While the U.S. was in the midst of withdrawing American forces from Afghanistan, Stedman did everything he could to make sure the jersey, along with other memorabilia, was safe and transported back home.

Stedman and other USO officials packed and secured Pat Tillman’s jersey along with other memorabilia in a bag to transport her back to the US, while carrying a second bag with all of her personal belongings.

“While we were waiting in line to weigh our bags before the flight, one of the staff came over and said we couldn’t take two bags and that I would have to leave one,” she said. “I didn’t have to think twice about it, I dropped my bag on the curb, called one of our volunteers and asked him to mail it if he could and if not, leave it.”

It’s an important story that needs to be told, to show what the jersey means to so many people in the USO and so many people in the armed forces,” said ESPN producer Joshua Worenski. “When I first heard about the story, I had to find out more and make sure others know about it.”

“He (Pat Tillman) answered his inner calling instead of taking the easy way out,” said Harry Hockings, associate producer II for ESPN. “For someone to give up millions of dollars and a life in the National Football League (NFL) to serve in the military is beyond comprehension.”

“What can the NFL do for you?” that’s what NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue asked me,” said Carly Harris, USO Area Four Director, telling the story of when the NFL committed $250,000 to the USO Center at Bagram Air Force Base. “I said how about a USO center in Afghanistan honoring Pat Tillman?”

Following the NFL’s donation to the USO in 2004, the Pat Tillman USO Center opened in April 2005 and was the first and last USO Center in Afghanistan where the Pat Tillman Jersey remained until May 2021.

After the interviews were completed, Lt. Col. Miguel Cisneros, one of the USO volunteers at the USO Center in Ansbach, was recognized as the USO Zone 4 Volunteer of the Year and will participate in the USO Europe, Middle East and Africa Volunteer of the Year competition ( EMEA).

Cisneros was a key player in getting the USO center in Ansbach and helped coordinate logistics for the ESPN interview.

“The other thing that makes today special is that the four area Volunteer of the Year was chosen and he’s from right here at USAG Ansbach,” Harris said.

“It’s a privilege to be recognized as a volunteer, the USO does this all the time, they really care about their volunteers,” Cisneros said of being recognized for his work at USAG Ansbach. “Thank you for recognizing the fact that we volunteer our time to serve others, especially soldiers and their families through the USO.”

Pat Tillman’s ESPN feature will air Nov. 13 on Sunday’s NFL Countdown.