Servicemembers spin wheel on TV game show

It's Armed Forces Week on "Wheel of Fortune."

Four Airmen are among the 15 servicemembers featured on one of the world's most popular television game shows in this week's competition.

The episodes, taped in February in Culver City, Calif., are a way for the show to express its appreciation for the military, said Amy Prenner, the senior unit publicist for Sony Pictures, which produces the show.

These episodes should make the host Pat Sajak feel right at home. Mr. Sajak was an Army broadcaster in Vietnam. He continued Airman Adrian Cronauer's "Good Morning, Vietnam" greeting from 1968 through 1970.

"This is a tough time for our men and women, and they are doing some tough work, and not always with universal appreciation for what they are doing," Mr. Sajak said. "This is our way of reminding Americans of the great work they do and our way of showing a little appreciation and, hopefully, spreading a little money their way."

Harry Friedman, the show's producer, said he appreciates the sacrifices U.S. servicemembers make.

"We're a game show; we're all about having fun," Friedman said. "But we also have great respect for our armed forces, the men and women who serve in every single branch."

The Airmen appearing on the show are:

-- Airman 1st Class Mindy Freeman, March Air Reserve Base, Calif.

-- 1st Lt. Charri Witucki, Hurlburt Field, Fla.

-- Senior Airman Victoria Dougherty, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

-- Maj. Shawn Purvis, Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo.