Photo By Chief Petty Officer Diana Quinlan | 231212-N-WF272-1027 NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLA, Italy (Dec. 12, 2023) Mass...... read more read more
NAVAL AIR STATION SIGONELLA, Italy (Dec. 13, 2023) During their European Greats of the Gridiron tour, retired National Football League (NFL) players visited service members and families at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Dec. 12.
“We’re coming here to show our appreciation and love for the troops, and what they do for us,” said Amobi Okoye. “You guys are the real MVPs.”
Okoye, along with Prince Amukamara and Brandon Bostick, met with service members, dependents and aspiring youth flag football players to show their support to deployed U.S. forces.
The Armed Forces Entertainment tour is part of a football-themed interactive goodwill military program to provide a morale-boosting and memorable experience for service members stationed overseas.
“My dad served in the military when he came to America from Nigeria, my brother and sister in-law served in the Marines as well,” said Amukamara. “That, combined with me being educated by the NFL on how the military should be celebrated every day, really compelled me to support and learn more by visiting these sites.”
Amukamara played cornerback for 11 seasons in the NFL with the New York Giants (Super Bowl XLVI winner), Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, Las Vegas Raiders, Arizona Cardinals and the New Orleans Saints. Bostick played tight end for four seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals and New York Jets. Okoye was the youngest player to ever be drafted in the first round of the NFL draft, and played defensive tackle for seven years with the Houston Texans, Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Dallas Cowboys.
The athletes started their tour at Armed Forces Network Sigonella, 105.9 The Eagle, followed by a tour of a P-8A Poseidon with Patrol Squadron (VP) 46 the ‘Grey Knights.’ The athletes also met with service members at the NAS Sigonella Liberty Center, and youth flag football players and their families at the base’s military housing complex.
Naval Air Station Sigonella provides consolidated operational, command and control, administrative, logistical and advanced logistical support to U.S. and other NATO forces. The installation’s strategic location enables U.S., allied, and partner nation forces to deploy and respond as required, ensuring security and stability in Europe, Africa and Central Command.
For more news and information from NAS Sigonella, visit https://cnreurafcent.cnic.navy.mil/Installations/NAS-Sigonella/ or https://www.facebook.com/nassigonella/.
| Date Taken: | 12.13.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 12.13.2023 07:21 |
| Story ID: | 459792 |
| Location: | IT |
| Web Views: | 89 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NAS Sigonella Welcomes Greats of the Gridiron, by PO3 Samayaah Smith, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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