Today’s football game is one of my favorites. At 3:30 pm today, Death Valley will be a sea of purple in honor of the Military Appreciation Game. The game concludes a weeklong week of remembering and honoring Clemson’s rich military history. Clemson was founded as a military school, and to date, over 10,000 Clemson men and women have served in this country. We are proud of our heritage, and a short walk through campus shows just how much Clemson honors its military history. Memorial Park with the Scroll of Honor sits across from Death Valley, and the Military Heritage Plaza can be found in the heart of campus next to Bowman Field. In addition, Clemson ROTC continues to have a major presence and impact on campus shaping countless students lives each year. Also, who can forget the homecoming surprise during the SC State game.
Even when it is not Military Appreciation Week, Clemson still honors the service of the armed forces. For example, the national anthem is played before every home game. Clemson ROTC does push-ups for every point scored by Clemson before lifting the tiger to do the same. Even the beloved alma mater honors the military. When we tuck our thumbs and wave our right hands during “O’er the mountain height,” we are remembering the waving of freshmen’s rat caps during Clemson’s early military days.
I love The Military Appreciation game because it allows the Clemson family to remember and to thank those who have sacrificed for our country. No one can truly understand what they and their families have done to ensure the safety of our country, nor can we ever truly repay them. Growing up with several neighbors in the military, I can recall their yearlong deployments and anticipated homecomings. I developed an appreciation and love for the military early on, and it never has left me. I love going to a university that does the same.
Today, the game ball will be delivered by parachute, and a flyover will occur before kickoff. Hundreds of veterans and the families of fallen heroes will be recognized throughout the game.
While I won’t be there in person today, I chose to spend the military appreciation day with my brother, a second lieutenant in the United States Army. I’ll be decked out in my purple and cheering in front of the TV two and a half hours from Death Valley. And although my brother isn’t a Clemson fan (I will never understand it either), I’ll get to spend the game with one of the people who inspire me the most. I’m honored to go a university that places such an importance on the military.
Her Campus Clemson would like to thank all the men and women who serve our country. Happy Military Appreciation Game, Tigers!