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NFL Salute to Service | NFL.com

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Salute to Service Award

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Steve Castleton (Front Office Staff)

Steve has been the Military Liaison for the New York Jets Salute to Service events since 2013 where he first coordinated on-field and satellite activities at numerous military bases in Kandahar, Afghanistan and Bagram, Afghanistan for our Armed Forces. Since 2013 Steve has coordinated all the pre-game and half-time activities for the New York Jets at both their Salute to Service and First Responder appreciation days. With the completion of the 2019 New York Jets annual Salute to Service Game, Steve's has now organized the enlistment and re-enlistments of over 1,000 members of the United States Armed Forces at professional sporting events. One of Steve's favorite projects, which took one year to bring to fruition, occurred on Friday, August 26, 2016 when at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan the United States Army held the first "NY Sports Event" for the 10th MTN Battalion's Organizational Day. Working with the 10th Mountain Division a "sports field" was carved out of the Afghanistan soil. Steve worked with the Jets to send custom designed jerseys in conjunction with Operation "Resolute Support".

Since 2016, Steve has coordinated the "Turkey Bowl" flag football game which was held at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan. In November 2017 Steve has also organized another football event overseas for the Armed Forces, this time in Yokosuka, Japan with the Forward Deployed Naval Forces (FDNF). He personally funded the USO tailgate party. During Fleet Week in 2019 he organized the first annual Navy vs. Marines Flag Football game at the New York Jets Florham Park, New Jersey training facility. The New York Jets made custom jerseys for both teams. Steve brought New York Jets Legends Marty Lyons and Tony Richardson on-board the U.S.S. New York for an overnight embark during which both Tony and Marty held "chalk talks" individually with the Marines and the Navy flag football teams. Afterwards the New York Jets treated both teams and all those service members attending to a gourmet BBQ. Steve has 2 sons, Brian and Rich and a daughter-in-law, Nicole in the United States Army where they have served a combined over 35 years and counting. His youngest son Sal helps him at many of these events. Non-Profit Organizations: The Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) and Tunnel2Towers Foundation.