JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas –
There was a marked increase in people visiting downtown San Antonio in early January, as the city readied for the annual U.S. All-American Bowl game at the Alamodome Jan. 7. The game featured 100 of the best high school football players, as well as 125 top marching band members from across the United States.
The San Antonio Recruiting Battalion, part of the U.S. Army 5th Recruiting Brigade, invited 20 young men and women who decided to become future soldiers to take part in an opportunity to be sworn into the U.S. Army by Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Snow, commanding general of the U.S. Army Recruiting Command. The enlistment ceremony took place during the pre-game show. Two Army cadets were commissioned as officers as well.
The Army also introduced special guests who escorted the game ball to the bowl game officials, including veterans from World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Operations Desert Shield/Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom as well as the youngest military member from the 32nd Medical Brigade at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston.
Part of the All American Bowl game week featured senior Army leaders hosting educators, medical and business professionals and community civic leaders. The civilian leaders came to San Antonio from across the country to get a close look at the Army and to find out what it means to have a career as an Army Soldier.
The group experienced a number of events leading up to the All-American Bowl game. Some of the activities included a tour of historic JBSA-Fort Sam Houston, lunch at the Slagel Dining Facility a tour the Center for the Intrepid and a demonstration by the Army Marksmanship Unit.
The San Antonio Recruiting Battalion also hosted a breakfast Jan. 6 with Snow as the guest speaker. During the breakfast, the recruiting commander signed a memorandum of understanding with the San Antonio Police Department welcoming them as a supporter of the Army’s Partnership for Youth Success. This partnership ensures that a Soldier, once they have left the Army, gets a job interview with that company.
The U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command’s commanding general, Gen. David Perkins, in town for the bowl game, also presented a leaders professional development session for members of the 5th Recruiting Brigade and the 470th Military Intelligence Brigade.