Armed Forces Bowl
Photo illustration by PA3 Richard Brahm
The Armed Forces Bowl isn’t just a football game, the meaning behind the sports event goes much deeper. The game is held in honor of the men and women who serve their country.
Now the game itself was exciting, the Army Black Knights had not played a post season game since 1996 and it wasn’t just the Army having fun this December. The 2010 season marked the first time all three service academies participated in bowl games, the Navy in the Poinsettia Bowl and the Air Force in the Independence Bowl.
Not a bad year for the military teams and their fans. The Black Knights were able to accomplish a plethora of achievements with their 16-14 win over the Southern Methodist University Mustangs to include(facts provided by Army Knight’s game statistic book provided at the bowl):
- Giving the Black Knights seven wins for the first time since 1996
- End their two game losing streak
- End their two game losing streaks in bowl games
- Clinch their first winning season since 1996
- Mark the 2nd time all three service academies won seven games in the same season
- Snap a nine game losing streak in December
- Improve their all-time bowl record to 3-2
- Be the 649th win in the 121 seasons of Army football
Now besides a lot of sweating, screaming and cheering, what else happened at the AFB? A lot.
Members from Coast Guard Station Houston and Air Station Houston, along with multiple Auxiliarists and recruiters from Dallas all converged on the Armed Forces Adventure Zone.
Station Houston brought a 25-foot Response Boat Small and the Auxiliarists brought Coastie the Safety Boat and Officer Snook for the children.
Officer Snook had the privilege of getting on stage and dancing with Gary Sinese, guitarist for the Lt. Dan Band.
Capt. Marcus Woodring, the commanding officer of Sector Houston-Galveston, helped kick off the game by participating in the opening game coin toss.
During the half time festivities Capt. Woodring swore in more than 20 Coast Guard recruits on the field, in front of 32,000 screaming fans.
Right after the swearing in ceremony Woodring also joined with other branches of the armed forces to present a brand new custom built home to a veteran and his family.
This special holiday gift was presented by Bluegreen Communities to Army Specialist Hugo L. Gonzalez, his wife, Any, and their three daughters.
The Gonzalez family was flown in from Florida not knowing they were about receive a brand new house and they were completely caught by suprise. Dan Koscher, President and CEO of Bluegreen Communities, and Dan Wallrath, Founder of Operation Finally Home, presented the new home to the Gonzalez family.
Not only was the Gonzalez family given a brand new house, but the property taxes were paid for the first two years.
And to finish off all of the honors given to military members at the bowl was the Great American Patriot Award.
As reported by the Coast Guard Compass, retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen was presented the Great American Patriot Award by Col. Tom Dials, chairman of Armed Forces Insurance, during halftime.
The award honors an American patriot who has spent a career going above and beyond the call of duty to serve and protect our country. Allen now joins the ranks with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen and Army Gen. David Petraeus as a recipient of the award.
Allen was recognized for his 39 years of active duty service in the Coast Guard culminating with his selection as the 23rd Commandant of the Coast Guard, and his willingness to continue to serve his nation as the National Incident Commander in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill after his retirement in June 2010.
Story and photos by PA3 Richard Brahm
