Mark Wills Plans Special Holiday Performance for U.S. Troops

This holiday season would have been Mark Wills' tenth trip overseas to visit the troops in Iraq. Due to recent emergency surgery to repair his ruptured large intestine, Mark has been sidelined and will remain in the states since he's not able to wear the necessary protective armor.

"For people who know me, they know that entertaining our troops is the most special thing that I get to do every year," Mark tells The Boot.

However, the men and women who are overseas during the holidays will be with Mark in spirit as he performs at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., December 10 - 12, along with the 60-piece United States Army Orchestra and Concert Band. Mark's performances will be filmed for Armed Forces Entertainment (AFE) and will be the basis of a Christmas special designed to offer our country's heroes a little piece of holiday cheer while separated from their loved ones.

"Even though I'm not able to go overseas this year, I'm getting to do something for the troops," Mark says. "I'm getting to entertain them that way. I'll still have my health issues going into that, but I'm going to entertain men and women who have been blown up and have lost limbs or have gunshot wounds."

After his performances in D.C., Mark will head back home to Georgia where he'll have a follow-up surgery to "get everything reattached," as well as have his appendix removed as a precaution.

Once he's back on his feet, Mark says he'll head into the studio to finish work on a new album.