Each USA player has been adopted by a wounded warrior from their home town, university or NHL city. They were informed that "you are not just playing for your country, but for your warrior as well". A personal package was provided containing a letter of encouragement and various other items, even bullets taken from the soldier's bodies to be placed in the player's locker.

Brian Burke (Team USA General Manager) summed it up by saying that "the real heroes in America don't wear hockey uniforms, they wear camo".