I went to Iraq 3 times after 9/11, and
we had so much support
from back home.
I've got some letters that
I wanted to share with y'all.
These came from some kids,
and this is exactly the way they came
and I've gotten to wear
my glasses now because I can't read
without them.
I had to actually wear glasses
in the first grade,
even though my vision was perfect.
I went to the eye doctor
and he was very impatient
because he sat me in the chair
and asked me to
read that first letter on the bottom
and I got stuck on that 'E'.
(audience laughing)
He said, "Get him some glasses."
So I wore them for three years,
so it's one of the bad things
about stuttering there,
but these are exactly
the way they came
and some are funny.
Some are sweet.
Some are like what?
Because they're kids and
you just—you really never
know what kids are going to say,
but the first one
comes from Margaret
and Margaret says, I hope you have
good luck when you fight.
I don't have any brothers or sisters,
so I don't have anything to fight about.
(audience laughing)
If life were so simple.
Now here's Cody is very
inquisitive, young man
and here's a little
stuttering awareness for you.
I don't stutter when I read.
It's just one of the rare things
about stuttering,
so Cody asks,
"Do you have any kids?
"What do you eat?
"Are you a man or a woman?
"What do you, rank?
"Do you play football?
"Do you sleep in a tent?
"Does anyone have a Porsche?"
(audience laughing)
No Porsche's in Iraq.
Now, this comes from
Ryan who is a very
optimistic young man.
He says, we are so glad
we have such a good army.
I hope we win the war in Iraq.
If we don't it's okay,
because I know
we will win the next war.
(audience laughing)
Anybody in here
serve in the air force?
Any air force?
It's okay.
I mean, it's okay.
(audience laughing)
I get it, but it's okay.
Okay. Usually there's air force people,
so, I've been on the search.
These letters came in 2007,
so I've been on search for a long time.
This comes from
a young man named Corey.
Corey says, "I'm in the fifth grade.
"If you were in the air force,
"do you know
"my second cousin Bucko Jackson?"
(audience laughing)
The search continues.
(audience laughing)
Now, this is going to
make sense in the long run.
I need you to play along,
'cause I promise you,
it will make sense in the long run
so you play along, it will make sense,
so Jessica says, "Knock, knock."
- [Audience] Who's there?
- "Boo."
- [Audience] Boo who?
- "Why you crying?"
(audience laughing)
It's a kid it's going
to make sense, I promise,
so then Landon says, "What's up?
"How are you?
"My name's Landon Smith.
"I'm a boy.
"I hope you didn't think I was a girl."
(audience laughing)
I wrote him back and said,
My name's Jody.
(audience laughing)
He wrote me back, "Are you a girl?"
(audience laughing)
"Hi, Captain Fuller.
"My name is Brianna.
"What's yours?"
(audience laughing)
"Hi, Captain Fuller.
"Thank you for fighting in Iraq.
"What type of gun are you using?
"Captain Fuller, did you
"fight in World War 2?"
(audience laughing)
Then Nikki says, "Knock, knock."
- [Audience] Who's there?
- "Boo."
- [Audience] Boo who?
- "Why you crying?"
(audience laughing)
It's going to makes sense
and then Callie, you know
Callie's just a Southern
little sassy girl,
'cause she says,
"Well, I heard you were a comedian.
"Well, I have a crazy cat."
(audience laughing)
Yeah, one thing to write
to a soldier, 7,000 miles away,
but you know, I still appreciate it,
which let me tell you while I'm here,
'cause y'all are new people.
I got a crazy cat to a home
that I acquired a couple
of months ago and
she still free to a good home.
(audience laughing)
3 tours in Iraq
and I'm fine.
I had to ride in a car,
a half hour with that cat.
I likely lost my mind.
Ya'll ever been in a car with a cat?
It is the worst thing ever.
The cat, the whole time was like,
(cat meowing noises)
All frothy
at the mouth and
stinking and smelling,
so, I rolled the window down
as far as it would go.
I have an old car.
I rolled the window down as far
as it would go and it would still—
(cat meowing noises)
so then I turn the radio up
as loud as it will go,
but when I did
Taylor Swift was playing
so I turned it back off
and listened to the cat.
(audience laughing)
(audience cheers)
Why I gotta be so mean?
(audience laughing)
I think Taylor is awesome.
My 13 year old, she's made me
listen to it so many times,
so look what you made me do, so . . .
(audience laughing)
I know these things, right?
I love having girls.
I'm the only—
I'm the only guy so
it's fun sometimes.
So Cody says, "In science this week
"we're talking about the human body
"and I hope your human body
"doesn't get shot,
"but I got homework to do."
(audience laughing)
Then Seth says, "Knock, knock"
- [Audience] Who's there?
- "Boo."
- [Audience] Boo who?
- "Why you crying?"
(audience laughing)
"Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha.
"I made that up."
(audience laughing)
"Maybe you can use it
"in a show one day."
(audience laughing)
I did, right here in Provo, Utah.