EDINBURGH, Ind. - Football fans at Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center had unique visitors today, as seven NFL football players from various teams and a group of Indianapolis Colts cheerleaders made an appearance for the NFL Salute to Service military appreciation event here.
The event was unique for Super Bowl week in that instead of being designed to celebrate the sport of football, the purpose was for the NFL to show their support of America's war-fighters and their families by celebrating them.
The group consisted of three players from the Indianapolis Colts, as well as players from the Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, Carolina Panthers, and the New York Jets.
"This is huge for the morale of Soldiers here training to deploy to combat," said Command Sgt. Maj. Rodney Spade, Camp Atterbury command sergeant major. "Events like this makes these guys feel like someone truly care about what they are doing to serve their country."
The event consisted of several activities, to include a question and answer session with players, an autograph-signing session, and live music from the local band Band Wagon, and more, giving Soldiers a much-needed break from their demanding training schedules.
"This gives the Soldiers a way to unwind for a bit and relax," Spade said. "That way, they can rest not only their bodies, but their minds for a bit, which allows them to refocus. We end up with better training in the end."
According to Spade, almost two months of planning went into the event, and the effort was not lost on the Soldiers who attended.
Army Staff Sgt. Jeff Bradbury, an administration specialist at the Patriot Academy, showed up early to make sure he was able to get him and his family in the very front of the autograph line.
"This is freakin' awesome!" Bradbury said. "It's great to see the NFL doing something like this for the military community. People are flying in from all over the country for the Super Bowl and these guys are coming to us."
Jacob Tamme, tight end for the Indianapolis Colts, was among the players who attended the event. He said, "I got a heart that is extremely thankful for what [service members] do for our country, and I want to shake as many hands as I can today."
Another Indianapolis Colt in attendance was linebacker A.J. Edds, who grew up in Greenwood, Ind., about 20 minutes away from Camp Atterbury.
"I'm very thankful for the dedication, the service, the way you put your country first," Edds said as he addressed the Soldiers.
"You guys are out there defending our country and guys like us are here playing games because of people like you. We appreciate everything you do."
Nearly 2,000 Soldiers and their families attended the event, making it a huge success for the Indiana National Guard and the NFL - an especially fortunate opportunity for many of the deploying and redeploying Soldiers that are unable to leave the confines of Camp Atterbury to attend the Super Bowl.
The event was a means for the Soldiers to still have an opportunity to participate in all of the excitement that surrounds the Super Bowl, despite the demands of their service.