Brian Dawkins knows how blessed he is. But he received another reminder this weekend.

Dawkins, along with NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, players association executive director Gene Upshaw, New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan and Hall of Famer Mike Haynes, visited injured American troops on Sunday at the Landsthul Region Medical Center in Germany.

The medical center cares for soldiers wounded in Iraq, Afghanistan and other bases in the vicinity or in Europe. They are transferred directly from the battlefield to Landstuhl within 48 hours of injury.

Dawkins was among the NFL ambassadors to visit injured troops

For Dawkins, who was asked to be an ambassador for the NFL on the weekend that the group attended the World Bowl among other functions, the trip provided an example of heroism. The term is often thrown around loosely, but when seeing soldiers in intensive care, it became easily apparent.

"Anytime you go through a facility that has the true heroes and going through things they have to go through, it makes you feel proud and blessed," Dawkins said. "And it's not just the soldiers. It's the medical people there, too, who have to go through their own trauma.

"It was a good thing that there weren't that many people there, though. A lot have been fixed up to go different places."

Those who were there were not in great condition, and images of heavily-injured bodies stuck with Dawkins while in the airport following the visit. He admired the soldiers' bravery, fighting in battles much tougher than third-and-long.

"When you look at that, you realized, I know how I blessed I am, but to have those soldiers who volunteered to get over there and fight, you have to feel blessed," Dawkins said. "A lot of them don't understand what they're fighting for, but still do it. As a fellow American, I feel proud."

Not all were able to recognize Dawkins. Some of the soldiers were heavily medicated and couldn't meet the star free safety. But there were others whom Dawkins was able to talk to, and while fans of different teams, they recognized his name.

It can be said Dawkins was recognizing Memorial Day in the holiday's intended fashion. Though the trip occurred on the holiday weekend, Dawkins insisted the timing wasn't what was important. It provided significance, but Dawkins said the recognition of the troops is deserved regardless whether it's a designated day.

"It's a simple fact, they're still over there," Dawkins said. "If it was 4th of July, they'd still be hurting. If it was the last day of school for their kids, they'd still be hurting. Memorial Day gives you a chance to celebrate, but it shouldn't just be Memorial Day."