WWE bringing 'Tribute to the Troops' to D.C. in December

The WWE's annual military appreciation event will make its first-ever stop in the nation's capital Dec. 13, the sports-entertainment company announced Tuesday.

"Tribute to the Troops," which began in 2003 with a show taped at Iraq's Camp Victory, will be held in the Verizon Center, home of the Washington Wizards and Capitals, the day before it airs on the USA Network, per the release. As with past shows, free tickets will be available to military personnel and their families serving on nearby bases; details on those offerings were not immediately available.

"The National Capital Region is ... an ideal location for the upcoming 'Tribute to the Troops' because of the large number of military personnel and their families that live and work in the DC-Metro area," Maj. Gen. Bradley Becker, head of Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region and the Army Military District of Washington, said in the release. "I know that our service members are big fans of WWE and are excited to participate in this wonderful event."
The promotion's "Smackdown Live" TV show also will originate from Verizon Center on Dec. 13.

WWE stars will appear at events on military bases and visit area hospitals in the run-up to the event, the release states.

The tribute shows were held at multiple locations in Iraq and Afghanistan through 2009, then moved stateside in 2010 with an outdoor performance at Fort Hood, Texas. While the shows haven't been recorded in combat zones in recent years, WWE talent has continued to visit troops overseas.

Last year's event was held in Jacksonville, Florida.

"Our servicemen and women work tirelessly and selflessly for our freedom, and it is an honor to continue the 'Tribute to the Troops' tradition for them this year in our nation’s capital," WWE CEO Vince McMahon said in the release.