NFL to Make Financial Donation for Each Point Scored During Salute to Service Games
The National Football League and the NFL Players Association will continue its long history of honoring veterans and active duty members of the military with its annual Salute to Service campaign. Again this year, for every point scored during the NFL's 32 designated Salute to Service games, the league will donate $100 to each of its three core, military non-profit partners - the Pat Tillman Foundation, USO, and Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) - for a total of $300 per point. Last year, the first year of the campaign, the NFL donated nearly $800,000 as a result of the Salute to Service campaign.
Players will wear newly designed on-field apparel including hats, sweatshirts, gloves and captains patches, and will use camouflage Gatorade towels on the sidelines.
The games will also feature:
Game-worn Salute to Service merchandise and footballs will be auctioned at NFL Auction. For the first time, special camouflage merchandise, including New Era hats (NewEraCap.com), a Nike KO Hoodie (Nike.com) and select players Salute to Service jerseys, will be available at NFLShop.com and in select stadium retail stores, with 100 percent of the NFL's net proceeds donated to the league's three core military nonprofit partners. The NFL does not profit from the sale or auction of Salute to Service merchandise. For more information, visit www.nfl.com/salute.
The NFL and USAA, the NFL's Official Military Appreciation Sponsor, are continuing their annual Salute to Service Award, which recognizes NFL players, alumni, coaches, owners, executives and front office staff who demonstrate an exemplary commitment to honoring and supporting the military community. Chicago Bears cornerback CHARLES TILLMAN was the 2012 award winner and has been a longstanding advocate of recognizing all military servicemen and women. This year's Salute to Service Award nominees will be announced later this month. Tillman will serve on the award panel and vote for this year's winner.
USAA will work with several teams during Veterans Day weekend to honor service members. Fans in select stadiums will participate in stadium card stunts to thank the military. Fans can show their appreciation with a digital salute by visiting www.millionfansalute.com. The NFL cities with the most salutes will earn rewards from USAA for their local military community.
In 2010, the NFL and Pat Tillman Foundation established the NFL-Tillman Military Scholar award to annually honor an individual who exemplifies Pat's legacy of service. The scholarship is part of the Tillman Military Scholars program established by the Pat Tillman Foundation to support educational opportunities for military veterans and their spouses who are committed to a life of service in medicine, law, business, government or the arts. The Tillman Military Scholars program covers direct study-related expenses, including tuition and books, basic housing and childcare needs. As a result of fundraising from last year's Salute to Service campaign, the Pat Tillman Foundation will be able to fund an additional 15 scholarships, bringing the total to 75 Tillman Military Scholars annually who can pursue their degree programs of choice.
Sergeant First Class Blake Schroedter of Newton, Ill. has been selected as the 2013 NFL-Tillman Military Scholar. He will be recognized at the BearsSalute to Service game on Nov 10. Schroedter is pursuing a Doctorate in Psychology at The Adler School of Professional Psychology in Chicago. His goal is to become a psychologist specialized in treating veterans returning home from war.
The Salute to Service is part of the NFL's tradition of supporting America's armed services, including a partnership of more than 45 years with the USO for overseas visits to troops and trips to military hospitals nationwide. The USO will use funds raised from Salute to Service to support Operation Enduring Care, the USO's campaign to support injured troops, their families and caregivers throughout the rehabilitation process. The centerpieces of Operation Enduring Care are two new USO Warrior and Family Care Centers at Fort Belvoir in Virginia and at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland. Funding from Salute to Service also will be directed toward the construction and programming of the NFL Sports Lounge at the new USO Warrior and Family Care Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
The NFL works closely with Wounded Warrior Project, a non-profit organization that honors and empowers wounded soldiers. The league's donation will help launch Physical Health and Wellness Expos throughout the country that aim to break down barriers to a healthy and active lifestyle. The overall goal of the Physical Health & Wellness program is to create independence and teach wounded warriors skills they can take back to their communities. Participants in the WWP Physical Health & Wellness Expos will be encouraged to live healthier and will be given the tools to do so long after the event. WWP assists injured service members across the country and has offices in 16 cities.
During the nationally televised ESPN Monday Night Football pregame on Veterans Day, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will recognize COLONEL EDWIN EUGENE "BUZZ" ALDRIN JR. and the UNITED STATES ARMY CHORUS will sing the national anthem. Additional Salute to Service moments include former presidents GEORGE H.W. BUSH and GEORGE W. BUSH serving as honorary captains during the Houston Texans game and Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation donating $1 million to the City of Jacksonville Veterans Resource and Reintegration Center.
The NFL continues to offer its NFL Game Pass service free of charge at USO Centers for military members stationed in Afghanistan, Australia, Iraq, Kuwait, Germany, Italy, Korea and Japan. At the USO facility in each of these locations, service members can watch any NFL game live and online in its entirety. NFL Game Pass also is offered free of charge at US Embassies.
Below is a snapshot of how teams will honor veterans and the armed services during the month of November. COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL welcomed on Monday members of Wounded Warrior Project of New York to the league office for interview training and professional development.
Learn more about the NFL's year-long commitment to the military and veterans by visiting www.nfl.com/salute.
About USAA
USAA provides insurance, banking, investment and retirement products and services to 9.6 million current and former members of the U.S. military and their families. Known for its legendary commitment to its members, USAA is consistently recognized for outstanding service, employee well-being and financial strength. USAA membership is open to all who are serving or have honorably served our nation in the U.S. military - and their eligible family members. For more information about USAA, or to learn more about membership, visit usaa.com.
