Military Honored by Baltimore Ravens

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Lou Deveaux
  • 175th Wing Public Affairs
Baltimore --  On a hot summer day in August, members of the Maryland National Guard witnessed warriors of a different kind don their armor and engaged in a practice battle.

The engagement was on a practice field of McDaniel's College in Westminster, MD.

The venue was football and the team was the Baltimore Ravens.

On Aug 19, the Ravens hosted their second annual "Military Appreciation Day."

Exceeding last year's attendance 10-fold, over 500 uniformed military members, including wounded warriors recovering at Walter Reed Hospital, joined with Raven fans to observe the football practice.

At the conclusion of the practice, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh invited all of the military personnel to join him and the team on the practice field.

With everyone gathered together for a team huddle, Harbaugh said, "We thank you for everything you do, we can't thank you enough."

After the huddle, the players mingled with the military personnel signing autographs and posing for pictures.

During the team gathering, Brig. Gen. James A. Adkins, adjutant general, Maryland National Guard, presented Ravens middle linebacker Ray Lewis with a military coin and thanked him for the support the players and the team have shown the Maryland National Guard.