Armed Forces Bowl to Spotlight Troops

By Carmen L. Burgess

Dec. 22, 2006 – Members of the U.S. military will be honored during the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl to be held Dec. 23 in Fort Worth, Texas. The University of Tulsa and the University of Utah will square off for the fourth annual Armed Forces Bowl that will be aired at 7 p.m. CST on ESPN television and ESPN Radio to over 200 stations in 44 states.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England, a Fort Worth native, will flip the coin at the start of the game and administer the oath of enlistment to recruits from each branch of service. At half-time, England will receive the Great American Patriot Award for his leadership in serving the United States in the Homeland Security, Navy and Defense departments.

Also at Half America Supports You corporate team member, Connect and Join, also will be presenting "The World's Largest, Now Greatest Scrapbook" to members of the military during half-time festivities. The company joined America Supports You in May 2006. The Defense Department program highlights ways Americans and the corporate sector support the nation's servicemembers.

Fans attending the bowl at Texas Christian University's Amon G. Carter Stadium can participate in many pre-game festivities, collectively dubbed the Armed Forces Adventure, 3-7 p.m.

Jet and helicopter flyovers, skydiving demonstrations, static displays and military bands will be on site to give college football fans a taste of the diversity of U.S. military operations.

Each quarter of the game will highlight a different branch of service with live remotes appearing on the stadium's video board from troops stationed overseas.

Active-duty military are eligible for free tickets, and veterans are eligible for half-price tickets by calling the Bell Helicopter Ticket Office at (817) 810-0012

Article sponsored by Criminal Justice Leadership; and police and military personnel who have become writers.