Courtesy Photo | Soldiers from Fort Hood gathered at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo in Fort Worth,...... read more read more
By Staff Sgt. Tony Foster, Division West Public Affairs
FORT WORTH, Texas - Over 20 First Army Division West Soldiers attended the 119th Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo here Feb. 2 for Military Appreciation Day.
“Every year, we declare one day as military appreciation day,” said Clayton Melton, Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo director and a retired U.S. Army brigadier general. “We worked the Joint Readiness Base here and with Fort Hood to open this up to as many personnel as possible.”
The Longhorn troops counted among 300 Soldiers invited from Fort Hood to the event.
Upon arrival at the Will Rogers Memorial Center, Soldiers were given time to explore the grounds before lunch. The morning’s affair included a long list of vendors, livestock showing, horse barrel races and tons of exhibits.
“It was a great opportunity to see something that we don’t have locally at Fort Hood,” said Capt. Maria Orozco, 166th Aviation Brigade headquarters and headquarters company commander. “The food and festivities were awesome. It was a great experience.”
As the Soldiers dined, the event directors and organizers gave words of admiration for the nation’s heroes.
“This is a great reunion for me seeing these great Soldiers here,” said Melton. “It brings me joy knowing that I was a part of that group at one time.”
Music and mounds of great food filled the room, as the Soldiers laughed and conversed with a few of the riders and participants of the upcoming rodeo.
Riders drifted through the crowd, speaking to the troops and showing gratitude for their selfless service on their behalf. There was a mutual sense of enthusiasm in both the riders’ and Soldiers’ words as they spoke.
“Those guys do what they do, so we have the freedom to do what we do as Americans,” said Ardie Maier, professional bull rider with the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. “With the military here, it gives us incentive to do better and entertain them.”
The World’s Original Indoor rodeo began with a thunderous roar from the civilian crowd welcoming the legion of Soldiers attending.
The few hours following that welcome were filled with calf-roping, chuck wagon racing, bull riding and jesting rodeo clowns.
The Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Coast Guardsmen, veterans and retirees were all in awe of the tremendous effort put forth on their behalf.
“I thought it was entertaining and something that helps boost the morale of the Fort Hood Soldiers,” said Sgt. Nicholas Sencey, Division West human resources noncommissioned officer. “Being involved in all that made me feel like someone was looking out for the benefits of the Soldiers without expecting anything in return.”
| Date Taken: | 02.06.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 02.06.2015 17:28 |
| Story ID: | 153851 |
| Location: | FORT WORTH, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Division West Soldiers attend Fort Worth Stock Show, Rodeo, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT