Photo By Staff Sgt. Erik Warren | Maj. Gen. Michael Bills (left), 1st Cavalry Division’s commanding general, holds...... read more read more
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WACO, Texas- Traffic slowed to a stop just off of Interstate 35 as people flocked to exit 335B. With lights blaring at the nearby football stadium, four military aircraft soared overhead.
The 1st Cavalry Division Band marched to the 50-yard mark and played the national anthem.
Maj. Gen. Michael Bills, commanding general, 1st Cav. Div., walked onto the field escorted by 6-year-old Cora Pearcy and retired Lt. Gen. Pete Taylor to meet the quarterbacks of each opposing team and the referees.
They officiated the coin toss, and upon their exit off of the field, the crowd cheered in a loud, thunderous roar.
It was officially game time.
As part of Fort Hood’s Veterans Day celebration, the First Team showcased the Army’s capabilities at McLane Stadium here Nov. 14 during the Baylor versus Oklahoma University game.
The community relations mission helped link football fans in the area to Troopers from the First Team that they might not have met otherwise.
This effort commemorated veterans of past and present conflicts and marked the 50th anniversary of the division’s contributions in the Vietnam War.
“On Nov. 11, we just celebrated Veteran’s Day; this is a great opportunity for us to share with Baylor not only the holiday, but also to recognize all of the great Soldiers currently serving as well,” said Bills.
Parked at the front entrance of the stadium were two Strykers for any football-goer to step inside and envision life as a Trooper.
“This was the first time I saw a Stryker, other than on T.V.,” said Abigail Jamison, a Waco, Texas, native. “I’m really impressed by the capabilities of it.”
During the event, Troopers in attendance interacted with football fans of all ages.
“The Army personnel here didn’t just talk to me, they also spoke to my children; my kids absolutely loved talking to the Soldiers,” said Jamison. “They asked all kinds of questions about the military vehicles and even tried on some of the equipment
Sgt. Shadrack Cummings, an infantryman with Eagle Troop, Sabre Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, said interacting with the local citizens was a blast.
“I think that the civilians who came out here liked seeing the Strykers - especially the kids,” said Cummings. “I believe everyone had a good time getting in and out of the Strykers.”
Building a strong partnership with communities across Texas was the ultimate goal of First Team’s efforts, said Bills.
“Getting the message out beyond the 50-mile radius of Fort Hood itself is of the utmost importance,” Bills said. “We used this event as a great opportunity to share our experiences and build a lasting relationship with the central Texas area.”
| Date Taken: | 11.14.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 11.17.2015 15:07 |
| Story ID: | 182164 |
| Location: | WACO, TX, US |
| Hometown: | WACO, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 48 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, First Team shows off capabilities at Baylor, by SFC Tomora Nance, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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