Troy University will salute veterans and members of the military during its Sept. 29 Military Appreciation football game at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The game has been a TROY tradition since 2000. This year the University will pay special tribute to Vietnam veterans on this, the 50th anniversary of the ferocious Tet Offensive during the Vietnam War. The Trojans will play host to Sun Belt Conference-foe Coastal Carolina, and kickoff has been set for 2:30 p.m.
The day’s activities will get under way at 11 a.m. with a book-signing by TROY alumnus and Medal of Honor recipient Bennie G. Adkins at the Barnes & Noble University Bookstore on the Troy Campus. Adkins’ book, “A Tiger Among Us: A Story of Valor in Vietnam’s A Shau Valley,” written with author Katie Lamar Jackson, shares the harrowing account of the vicious four-day battle during which Adkins overcame wounds and impossible odds to help get other survivors to safety. His heroic actions as a then-Sgt. 1st Class with Detachment A-102, 5th Special Forces Group, earned Adkins the Medal of Honor in 2014.
In other special recognition prior to the game, uniformed members of the military will lead the team during Trojan Walk on Tailgate Terrace at 12:15 p.m.
Pre-game activities will include an enlistment ceremony to be held on the field, a giant American Flag which will cover the field during the performance of The National Anthem, a flyover featuring a C-130 Hercules aircraft from the 908th Airlift Wing at Maxwell Air Force Base and military representation during the coin toss.
The game will also feature a special Salute to Military halftime show, including the “Walk of Heroes” during which military veterans and members will process across the field as their service song is performed by the Sound of the South. Each branch of the service will be led during the processional by Vietnam veterans.
As a part of the “Walk of Heroes,” special tribute will also be paid to representatives from the Alabama Industries for the Blind, the only producer of neck ties for military uniforms in the nation. Each year, workers at the Alabama Industries for the Blind’s plant in Talladega serve those who serve our country by producing between 400,000 and 500,000 ties, as well as other mission critical gear for the military.
Special in-game presentations will include a donation from Lockheed Martin to the University’s TROY for Troops Scholarship program and other special military recognitions.
In recognition of the military, the Trojans will wear patriotic T logo on their helmets. Patriotic themed t-shirts featuring the stars and stripes of the American flag inside the Troy power T logo are on sale and available for purchase at Barnes & Noble.
Members of the military with ID and veterans receive free admission, but tickets must be obtained in advance through their base Public Affairs Office or the TROY ticket office. Friends and family can purchase discounted tickets prior to game day for only $8. Tickets can be purchased in person or by calling 334-670-3680 or by visiting www.TroyTrojans.com/tickets.
