TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona State has always put an emphasis on helping military veterans make the transition to a career through education.
"It can be hard for veterans to engage once they complete their service," said Sun Devil Athletics Senior Associate Athletic Director for Marketing Becky Parke. "ASU wants to make it easier for them and we're putting things in place so that they can transition and achieve their goals once their military service is done."
While the university's veteran-focused programs cut across all academic disciplines, the challenge is to get the word out through effective and compelling marketing that underscores ASU's commitment to service men and women.
Sun Devil Athletics had organized various service-related events over the years, and Pat Tillman's powerful story was an obvious tie-in, but the first comprehensive Salute to Service program was born in 2014. Three years later, the program has grown, but the message remains simple.
"We want to show people that we value service at the university," Parke said. "Everyone knows who Pat Tillman is and knows that he went to ASU. They connect with Pat's story and then they can see the depth of what we do here. Pat is just one of so many ASU alums and students that have served. It's important we honor them."
ASU is honoring veterans and active military members with 12 days of Salute to Service events scheduled across its metro Phoenix campuses from Nov. 1 to Nov. 12, built around Veterans Day, which falls on Nov. 10. This year, on the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, ASU is honoring a generation of men and women who served, and all others who have worn or are still wearing the nation's service uniforms.
A list of events can be viewed by following this link, including men's and women's basketball games and a women's volleyball match. Saturday's football game against Colorado at Sun Devil Stadium will honor Vietnam veterans on the field, Sun Devil veterans, Tillman Scholars and the families of fallen servicemen and women, with current student-athletes reading the names of those fallen soldiers.
"This year, we are accomplishing something that we have been trying to accomplish for a while," Parke said. "We're having a flyover.
"There have been several complications in the past. We are in the flight pattern of Sky Harbor Airport, flyovers are difficult to do at night and most of our games are at night, and because game times are determined six to 12 days out, even if they were preparing for it in advance it doesn't always get approved."
Because the Colorado game kicks off at 6 p.m., it is close enough to sunset to allow the flyover. F-18 Hornets from Sun Devil Senior Associate Athletic Director Natesh Rao's former Navy squadron will fly over Sun Devil Stadium during the national anthem.
"The football game is a good way to highlight what we're doing so we built the whole program around that game so we have that platform," Parke said. "The reception has been incredible from veterans. We've even done a documentary of everything that went into Salute to Service a couple times that has aired on the Pac-12 Networks and that was well received.
"We just want people to know that ASU is friendly to veterans. We wanted to bring that to the forefront."
Football vs. Colorado
Salute to Service: Legacy of Service
Pregame
"It can be hard for veterans to engage once they complete their service," said Sun Devil Athletics Senior Associate Athletic Director for Marketing Becky Parke. "ASU wants to make it easier for them and we're putting things in place so that they can transition and achieve their goals once their military service is done."
While the university's veteran-focused programs cut across all academic disciplines, the challenge is to get the word out through effective and compelling marketing that underscores ASU's commitment to service men and women.
Sun Devil Athletics had organized various service-related events over the years, and Pat Tillman's powerful story was an obvious tie-in, but the first comprehensive Salute to Service program was born in 2014. Three years later, the program has grown, but the message remains simple.
"We want to show people that we value service at the university," Parke said. "Everyone knows who Pat Tillman is and knows that he went to ASU. They connect with Pat's story and then they can see the depth of what we do here. Pat is just one of so many ASU alums and students that have served. It's important we honor them."
ASU is honoring veterans and active military members with 12 days of Salute to Service events scheduled across its metro Phoenix campuses from Nov. 1 to Nov. 12, built around Veterans Day, which falls on Nov. 10. This year, on the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, ASU is honoring a generation of men and women who served, and all others who have worn or are still wearing the nation's service uniforms.
A list of events can be viewed by following this link, including men's and women's basketball games and a women's volleyball match. Saturday's football game against Colorado at Sun Devil Stadium will honor Vietnam veterans on the field, Sun Devil veterans, Tillman Scholars and the families of fallen servicemen and women, with current student-athletes reading the names of those fallen soldiers.
"This year, we are accomplishing something that we have been trying to accomplish for a while," Parke said. "We're having a flyover.
"There have been several complications in the past. We are in the flight pattern of Sky Harbor Airport, flyovers are difficult to do at night and most of our games are at night, and because game times are determined six to 12 days out, even if they were preparing for it in advance it doesn't always get approved."
Because the Colorado game kicks off at 6 p.m., it is close enough to sunset to allow the flyover. F-18 Hornets from Sun Devil Senior Associate Athletic Director Natesh Rao's former Navy squadron will fly over Sun Devil Stadium during the national anthem.
"The football game is a good way to highlight what we're doing so we built the whole program around that game so we have that platform," Parke said. "The reception has been incredible from veterans. We've even done a documentary of everything that went into Salute to Service a couple times that has aired on the Pac-12 Networks and that was well received.
"We just want people to know that ASU is friendly to veterans. We wanted to bring that to the forefront."
Football vs. Colorado
Salute to Service: Legacy of Service
Pregame
- Honor Row (Recognized during the band performance)
- ASU Vietnam Veterans
- National Anthem
- Flyover – F-18 Hornets
- 50-yard American Flag – held by ASU student veterans & ROTC members along with APS veteran staff members
- Singer: Rodney Glassman, 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base
- Coin Toss: Honorary Captains
- General Breedlove and Lt. General John Goodman, former Quarterback 1964-66
- Pitchfork Salute
- Family of Gus Angeli
- Veteran & ASU season ticket holder who recently passed away from cancer
- Family of Gus Angeli
- Sun Devil Club Member of the Game
- Jim Kane, former Offensive Guard 1966-68
- Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivor Recognition (TAPS)
- Names of the fallen soldiers will be read by current student-athletes, then their families will be recognized on the field
- USAA Military Moment
- Tillman Scholars
- Additional Recognitions:
- ROTC Commanding Officers
- Flyover Team – Likely 2nd quarter
- Sport Clips Scholarship Program