Should the DoD really pay the NFL for honoring troops?

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 May 2015 14:45:06 -0400

I'm not one that needs nor wants recognition for my service. I actually prefer to keep my service private within my own circle of family and friends.

I have also served as a recruiter for the Army, so I can appreciate the advertising point of view. This being said, if a show of appreciation for service members is paid for by their own organization instead of its hosts, the NFL, which is a multi billion dollar industry, it lacks sincerity, does it not?

I do however support the DoD providing fly overs by the Air Force. In my opinion, this is a display of overall protection from our military while we enjoy events that our countrymen have enjoyed for generations.

Do you think that the NFL should pay for these bills during the events (minus fly overs), or is it necessary for the DoD to pay for them in order to display our military for any particular reason....?

http://www.sbnation.com/2015/5/8/8573341/national-guard-paying-nfl-teams-jets

The price of supporting the troops is paid to the NFL

The Department of Defense paid NFL teams more than $5 million over four years to buy moments that honored troops. It's disingenuous -- and also par for the course for the NFL's operations.

Response by Capt John Cable made May 10 at 2015 3:08 PM

Capt John Cable — Sun, 10 May 2015 15:08:02 -0400

I personally find the thought of paying an NFL team, or any organization for that matter, to recognize, honor, or otherwise display our troops completely absurd. It is marketing wrapped in deception and it diminishes all those involved. The NFL team gets acolades for supporting the military (support that may or may not really exist) and the military essentially does advertising under false pretense. I'm not a marketing expert, so it may have an impact, but it's akin to subliminal advertising to me, based on deception, and should be prohibited by DOD. It disturbs me almost as much knowing that there are people somewhere in the chain of command that signed off on this nonsense as being an appropriate practice.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2015 3:14 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 May 2015 15:14:43 -0400

Capt John Cable Roger that, Sir!

Response by GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad made May 10 at 2015 4:22 PM

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad — Sun, 10 May 2015 16:22:40 -0400

ABSOLUTELY NOT! I find this to be an total waste of scarce tax dollars. Moreover, this flies in the face of all the nonsense we hear about DOD not having enough money to do this, that, or the next thing.

Response by MSgt Brian Welch made May 10 at 2015 4:31 PM

MSgt Brian Welch — Sun, 10 May 2015 16:31:40 -0400

Like you I'm fine with the fly over, after all the pilots require flying hours for proficiency anyway. They certainly shouldn't pay to do it. They shouldn't pay to provide a color guard or to be part of any other part of the NFL experience. Does a professional singer pay to sing the National Anthem, as it is also advertising/promotion of themselves?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 10 at 2015 4:47 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 10 May 2015 16:47:03 -0400

These missions are included in the annual operating budget of all branches of the military and they are used as training are they not?. It's chalked up as a training mission, pilots are getting their training, there's no extra money being spent that I can see. If budgets start getting tight again, less flying, less ships on the sea, there will be a hold on military school and training, etc etc etc.

Now, can we really call it "training"?? It's a stretch isn't? Requesting a flyover is made on DoD Form 2535, so according to Form 2535, flyovers are supposed to be restricted to aviation-related events or events taking place in relation to "patriotic holidays" such as Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, POW/MIA Recognition Day and Veterans Day. So technically, flyovers are not supposed to occur at sports events.

Response by SFC Michael Jackson, MBA made May 10 at 2015 5:51 PM

SFC Michael Jackson, MBA — Sun, 10 May 2015 17:51:59 -0400

Despite the titles of this events, its about promoting and marketing the military as SFC Private RallyPoint Member pointed out. As we said in recruiting lingo, we have to keep fueling the funnel to keep up our numbers.
Sponsoring these events reaches a broad audience in a short period of time and leaves lasting memories of the Armed Forces. The money we spend for these is well spent. Would i prefer the NFL or NCAA do these for free, oh course. HOWEVER, there is a business side of the DOD, and advertising/ marketing expenses is just part of the business

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made May 10 at 2015 9:43 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Sun, 10 May 2015 21:43:29 -0400

It's just an organization advertising, no different than anyone else paying for airtime...

Response by Capt Brandon Charters made May 11 at 2015 1:32 AM

Capt Brandon Charters — Mon, 11 May 2015 01:32:31 -0400

This report took me by surprise. It really cheapens the ceremonies we always see in pregame or halftime. If the DoD is paying the NFL, I'm sure MLB and the NBA are close behind. How far away are we from some of the infamous historical regimes that forcefully injected national pride into sporting events to stir nationalism?

To look at it from a different angle, as a volunteer force, marketing for recruitment has always been an objective for the DoD. I see this, in some ways, as a unique extension of this marketing. I still am quite worried about how we (as a country) will raise our next generation to have pride in the military without massive marketing dollars or asking popular sporting organizations to endorse us.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2015 6:20 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 11 May 2015 06:20:06 -0400

Hell No!
They get paid way more than they ought already.

Technically, we should be getting paid more. Within reason, and based on hazardous conditions, technical experience, and education. For classification starters.

Response by 1LT Timothy Kneisel made May 11 at 2015 11:53 AM

1LT Timothy Kneisel — Mon, 11 May 2015 11:53:08 -0400

My question is, did the honorees know they were participating in a commercial for the military/NFL? Were they also duly compensated for their role?

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made May 11 at 2015 1:19 PM

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Mon, 11 May 2015 13:19:21 -0400

It Pays to Advertise!

Response by MSgt Dwyane Watson made May 12 at 2015 11:12 AM

MSgt Dwyane Watson — Tue, 12 May 2015 11:12:14 -0400

I would not pay any of those money grubbing people one red cent to buy their patriotism, if they don't like the military, that's there opinion. The money paid to the nfl could have went to vets who need care.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2015 11:12 AM

WO1 Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 May 2015 11:12:05 -0400

I do not like the idea of paying to honor Veterans/Service Members.
It is a waste of tax dollars, money that could be spent on Veterans and Service Members.

The article did say not all teams receive money from the DoD, so it would be nice to think the other teams honor Service members because that's what they want to do.

I don't know too much about other sports and their Vet programs, I know the UFC puts on Fight for Troops events, that I believe are free to Service Members. And I know the New York Mets give free tickets to Service Members to any game, tickets are whatever is available 2 hours before the start of the game.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made May 12 at 2015 2:46 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 12 May 2015 14:46:14 -0400

Salute our heroes to my knowledge is a nonprofit organization so if sporting events is charging the military that is wrong in my opinion it should be something they donated. Now if they are discounted tickets then the money should be coming from Salute our heroes fund raisers and they should all ready know the amount they can pay and a the number of tickets they can afford.

Response by SFC Douglas Duckett made May 12 at 2015 3:03 PM

SFC Douglas Duckett — Tue, 12 May 2015 15:03:02 -0400

I have a plaque on my wall that I received in 2007 from the Florida Marlins; Florida Marlins Solider of the Month.

I received nose bleed tickets, filmed receiving my plaque on the negatron, and got to hang out by the cheerleaders locker room while I secured all of their signatures on my cheerleader calendar (oh, and drank beer at $6 a glass).

I thought I truly earned that day, now I wonder.

At least the cheerleaders were sincere and honest; that was the best part of the day.

Response by Sgt Mark Ramos made May 15 at 2015 10:48 AM

Sgt Mark Ramos — Fri, 15 May 2015 10:48:17 -0400

I understand the outrage. On some level it cheapens the message and our service. But, DOD spends money on advertising for recruiting. Why not at sporting events? There are probably lots of kids that think it's cool and might want to signup. Come to think about, every time they ask veterans and active duty in the audience to stand up, it's part of a recruiting effort. What better way than to show kids that the average guy or gal, maybe sitting next to them, was in the service? I just realized that I'm participating in a big commercial every time I stand up at a sporting event. Good. It was a great experience. And if someone other than me is getting paid for it, no different than most things in life. It doesn't diminish my life or experiences one bit.