Every USO Tour — the participants, the location, the moment in time — feels different from every other that came before it or will come after it. This tour, our first in the 43-year history of NFL-USO tours to feature coaches, was perhaps more distinct than others.

When the planning for this trip was in its early stages, one thing that was most important to us was having the opportunity to spend the Fourth of July holiday with our troops who are serving overseas in harm’s way. I think all five coaches on the tour would agree that July 4, 2009 was a day they will long remember.

So, what are the accommodations like on USO tours? We always stay in “DV” quarters, which are on-base accommodations for “Distinguished Visitors.” These quarters can range from having an extra pillow on a standard-issue Army cot in a barrack-style room to comfortable single rooms for each member of the tour.

The first full day in Iraq began with an early wake up call and included meet-and-greets with US troops Mosul and Kirkuk before wrapping up with a Q&A with hundreds of troops at a reception in Baghdad.

The trip to Iraq is never easy, and this tour is no exception. But we are looking forward to a number of full, exciting and meaningful days ahead.

The NFL is continuing this March its legacy of more than 40 years of sending players overseas to visit with U.S. military troops. Four NFL players — Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen, New York Giants linebacker Danny Clark, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, and St. Louis Rams linebacker Will Witherspoon — are on a week-long tour to U.S. military bases in Iraq and Kuwait. Clark took time to write about his experiences so far: