USO Provides Unexpected Reunion for Deployed Marine

Meeting one of America’s most famous couples and getting front row seats at a concert might be considered a high point for some, but for Sgt. Doug Acero the real concert special at Ramstein Air Base May 5 was getting on stage with some true celebrities – his parents.

“I don’t feel like I deserve this to happen to me. I just consider myself really lucky. This was an awesome surprise,” said Acero.

Acero and his parents wave to the crowd at the taping of the USO concert special “Nick & Jessica’s Tour of Duty.” Acero deployed to Al Asad, Iraq, in November 2004, served with the ’Tomcats’ of VMA-311 and augmented C Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment.

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“I had no idea what was going on, but I realized something had been planned for me when I arrived at the concert,” said the Sugar Land, Texas, native.

At the show, Acero was met by a team of production assistants who wanted to make sure he wouldn’t see his parents until show time.

“I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere,” he said. “I always had someone watching me and not allowing me to do anything without an escort. They stuck me in the front row and told me to not move for the entire concert.”

"Acero wasn’t the only one chomping at the bit waiting for something to happen. His parents, Gloria and Jamie, were hidden away in the “green” room until the moment they would be allowed to finally hug their son again.

“I just wanted to see him so badly,” said Jamie Acero. “I saw him on the screen in the green room during the show because he was up front and I could barely hold in my excitement.”

Ninety minutes into the taping of the USO special concert and variety show, Acero began questioning if anything was going to happen. Not knowing that in a few minutes he would be hugging his mother on stage in front of the thousands on hand and millions of TV viewers.

“I was thinking that getting to sit up front was all that they would be doing,” Acero said. “Earlier they had said that I was going to get called on stage, but they never told me why so I just figured they ran out of time to do whatever they had planned for me.”

Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson hosted the USO concert special that reunited Acero and his parents May 5.

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Soon after thinking nothing was going to happen, he was called on stage with the show’s hosts, Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson. While on stage the three made small talk about what he missed most about home and what he wished he could do if he was home now.

“Of course I miss my family and friends the most,” said Acero.

Acero was then shown a video of his parents and younger sister wishing him safety and a quick return home played on stage. During the video his parents walked on stage and met him with open arms.

“When I hugged my mom I just didn’t want to let go,” he said. “I have been without them for so long. It was a cool moment that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

After the reunion, the Aceros spent the next couple of days sightseeing and catching up on news from home.

Within the coming weeks Aceros will return home from Iraq to continue the short reunion he experienced with his family in Germany.

The Acero’s family reunion aired May 23 on ABC, as part of the USO variety show, and included performances by Simpson, Lachey, Brian McKnight, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Kimmel and country duo Big and Rich.