East defeats West in Army All American Bowl contest

ARNEWS ^ | Jan 7, 2005 | Rich Lamance

[SandRat]

SAN ANTONIO (Army News Service, Jan. 7, 2006) -- America's top high school athletes shared center stage with America's top Soldiers during the 2006 U.S. Army All-American Bowl high school all-star football game held in the Alamodome January 7th.

East versus West players battled in front of a nationally televised audience and in front of 31,565 fans, the largest in the Army's six-year history of hosting the event. The East won the contest 27 – 16.

During pre-game activities, 78 Soldiers, who were awarded either the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the Bronze Star or the Purple Heart, were announced to the audience along with the nation's top 78 high school players.

Soldiers attending medical advanced individual training at Fort Sam Houston marched onto the field to recite the Soldier's Creed, along with the U.S. Army Field Band, who provided a musical salute.

A group of 100 San Antonio delayed entry program recruits were given the oath of enlistment by Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Richard A. Cody during a pre-game ceremony.

Two ROTC graduates were also commissioned by Gen. William Wallace, the commanding general of the Training and Doctrine Command. 2nd Lt. Chris Adams graduated with a master's degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio and 2nd Lt. Shannon Christian was commissioned after receiving a bachelor's degree from the same school.

Four Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division airborne assault school at Fort Campbell (Sgt. Jeremy Mitchell, Sgt. Mike Cortez, Staff Sgt. Ira Hutton and Staff Sgt. Warren Feaster) capped the pre-game ceremony by rappelling from the rafters of the Alamodome to present the game ball to the players.

Army Reserve Sgt. Chris J. Neiweem, a military policeman with the 814th Military Police Company in Arlington Heights, Ill., one of the Iraqi Freedom veterans honored before the game, believes the messages he and his fellow Soldiers articulate during the week are important ones. "Our trip to San Antonio is a real celebration of courage from several different angles.”

We have competitive young athletes that represent the best in the country and we have Soldiers who have put it on the line for their country representing the best of the Army. It's kind of fitting having this contest in the city of the fighting spirit of those who fought in the Alamo. Both sides represent leadership and are role models to our communities and nation as a whole."

Sgt. 1st Class Shawn P. Caskin, an air defense platoon sergeant with Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery at Fort Sill, Okla., believes that the greatness of our country is closely linked to the greatness of our Army.

"Americans need to realize that we would not be the great country we are today without having the best military in the world," said Caskin.

"To continue to have the freedoms and liberties we enjoy, people must be willing to serve their country. If feel that it's important for our citizens to give back, and I think every young person should serve in some way."

For more information on the All American Bowl, go to www.army.mil/2006allamericanbowl/.

[SandRat]

Football..... yes!!!!

[E.G.C.]

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