Lasorda, at home on any base, knows how to rally the troops

As you know, every man, woman and child in this country has heard, and probably heard again, every Tom Lasorda story.

But Lasorda is tireless, if not relentless.

He’s also dedicated, and while most folks at age 81 have to debate with their own body to get going every day, Lasorda was flying to Washington, D.C., on to Ireland, then Cairo, and Pakistan -- putting on helmet and flak jacket and switching to a helicopter for the rocky jaunt to Iraq and Afghanistan.

In addition to finding the mess hall open at 3 a.m., he found his audience -- men and women thrilled to see him and listen to whatever he had to say.

“For our folks serving in the military, I’ll go anywhere,” says Lasorda, who also stopped in Turkey, and while in Cairo hopped aboard a camel, which probably understands now what a load Lasorda can be at times.

Maybe he’s too much for some on occasion, but it’s hard to dismiss his lifetime commitment -- Lasorda agreeing to go anywhere to make it a better day for firemen, police officers, teachers, medical personnel and the military.

Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was the latest to call, asking Lasorda to make a grueling overseas trek at age 81, and join the USO “handshake tour” he was assembling.

The group also included former NBA player David Robinson; the son of a Parking Lot Attendant, Drew McCourt; and four cast members from the TV show “The Unit.”

OK, so that was the plan. Anyone who has watched “The Unit” knows those guys go places in a hurry, without passports, and must complete a mission in less than an hour, not counting commercials.

What a surprise for one cast member, obviously reading from his own script and showing up without a passport for the weeklong hike to Iraq and Afghanistan.

“He was knocked off the trip,” Lasorda said. “No passport, no go, the poor guy.”

Now consider a flight to Chicago, the return into the wind and it seems as if it will never end. How about Washington, D.C., to Shannon, Ireland, stopping for fuel and up again in the air for hours and hours, stopping in Cairo and then doing it all again to get to Pakistan.

“What’s so tough about sitting on an airplane and getting something to eat?” Lasorda said. “I was very happy to go.”

As the old joke might go, he’ll go anywhere where they might feed him, but truth be told, he has visited just about every Air Force base in this country to thank the troops for their contribution.

“It’s uplifting,” he said. “Tired? I swear I don’t get tired. You should see these kids and what they’re doing for our country. We’re doing what we’re doing here now because of them.”

His previous training as a manager and dealing with the media after losses served him well on the trip, especially when they asked for volunteers to meet with an attack dog.

If anyone knows something about taking a bite out of someone’s . . . well, let’s just say Lasorda and Thor seemed to really hit it off.

As for the camel, to listen to his description of his ride, he no doubt thinks of himself these days along the lines of Lasorda of Arabia.

When the entourage arrived in Pakistan at 2 in the morning, Lasorda was hungry. No reason 2 a.m. in Pakistan should be any different than anywhere else in the world.

But what’s a Marine if not prepared, so they were ready for Lasorda -- providing him with the run of the mess hall, Lasorda saying later, “If I could, I’d stay here another month.” It’s unclear whether he was referring to Pakistan or the mess hall.

When it was time to board the helicopters for the treacherous trip to Camp Eggers in Afghanistan, Forward Operating Base Airborne and Combat Outpost Deysie, “they said put these on,” Lasorda said.

“The jacket must weigh 20 pounds, and it was so hot. The helmet drops down to your nose until you get it fitted just right,” he said, and unfortunately there are no pictures available.

“I’ll tell you this, we were well-protected because we had the Joint Chief of Staff with us. We walked up the back ramp of the helicopter and they closed the gate behind us only halfway so someone could sit there with a big gun. We also had three helicopters flying around to keep us safe.”

Each time he landed, he was surrounded by men and women packing guns. Some -- Giants fans, as you might expect.

“But I think I converted them all,” Lasorda said, finishing every speech the same as always: “If you don’t pull for the Dodgers, you may not get into heaven.”

“They would laugh,” he said, still flying high from having so much fun with the troops. “Making those guys and girls enjoy themselves is the greatest feeling you can possibly get. You have no idea what it’s like until you have been there, and what these people are going through -- and with such great attitudes.”

He might sound corny at times, but after years of hearing it, it’s sincere corn -- his slobbering love of country making him the ideal ambassador as well as manager of the United States Olympic gold medal-winning baseball team in 2000.

“You talk about a team, you spend a day with these fine young people in Afghanistan or Iraq,” he said. “They’re all pulling for each other. And I don’t care if you’re Republican, Democrat, agree or disagree with what’s going on, these are the United States -- united, the word there.

“We have to pull for all these kids because they’re Americans.”

He signed autographs, some producing baseballs and bobbleheads, and now he says he will send copies of his book overseas. After all, it’s got to be tough to fall asleep over there.

“Those young people are heroes to me,” Lasorda said. “I can’t do much more now than be there for them, shake their hands and maybe talk to them.

“And you know what, maybe that’s why I was put on this Earth.”

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t.j.simers@latimes.com