12 village boys were trapped with soccer coach in cave in northern Thailand are ready to spread their wings

The 12 village boys who were trapped with their soccer coach in a cave in northern Thailand for almost three weeks are ready to spread their wings, heading out to meet fellow youth players in Argentina and do a brief tour of the United States.

The members of Wild Boars soccer team, whose ordeal came to a happy ending in early July when an international team of cave divers brought them out in a complicated rescue mission, were leaving late Wednesday night on their 17-day journey.

It had been planned for them to take six months out of the spotlight to ease any psychological trauma. But Thailand's military government, eager to share in their glory, has trotted them out for public appearances and interviews. Movie deals are being negotiated.