Courtesy Photo | Atlanta Falcons cornerback Isaiah Oliver poses with a group of Georgia National...... read more read more
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The Atlanta Falcons Military Day training camp kicked off Aug. 4, with service members and cheering fans entering the gates early Saturday morning at the Falcons training facility in Flowery Branch, Ga. The event marks the 14th consecutive year the Falcons have shown appreciation for military members and their families.
The Rolling Thunder Band of Fort Benning, Georgia provided live music, which helped set a spirited mood as guests arrived. The event opened with the Marietta High School ROTC presenting the colors and U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Richard Scarlett singing the national anthem.
Vendors and veteran support organizations were spread throughout the grounds and some even raffled off prizes such as sports jerseys. A special seating section was also available for service members and their families to observe the practice first-hand.
Some Georgia Guardsmen volunteered to provide community support at the event and to meet the fans.
“For me coming here today, I understand and appreciate how much the people appreciate us for what we do,” said Spc. Nicco Ruiz, a Guardsman with the 201st Regional Support Group. “People here are very supportive of the military. They were very nice. They came around and asked us questions. They figured out what we did, where we were stationed and were very friendly.”
NFL training camps allow coaches to evaluate their players heading into the preseason schedule. Attendees had the opportunity to watch players go through a series of stretches, warm-ups, and break out into special teams to work on their key skill-sets.
After the practiced concluded, players presented camouflage jerseys to 24 military families that were a part of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. These families lost a loved one in service to our country.
“It was a great way for us to pay tribute back to them,” said Dan Quinn, Atlanta Falcons’ head coach. “We did a lot of situational work. We basically played a second half of a game... it was an excellent day. Much love and respect to all the military service men and women that joined us today.”
Several Guardsmen attended the event and shared their enthusiasm about attending the event.
“It was a good experience,” said Spc. Flavia Butts, a Logistics Specialist with the 277th Maintenance Company. ‘It was nice to see the Falcons honor our service and allow us to be at their training camp.
| Date Taken: | 08.04.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 08.05.2018 15:33 |
| Story ID: | 287320 |
| Location: | FLOWERY BRANCH, GA, US |
| Web Views: | 272 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Georgia Guard at Falcons Military Day, by CPT Bertrice Smith, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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