U.S. Military Personnel Donate Second Flag To Razorbacks
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – By the time the Razorbacks run through the “A” Saturday afternoon at Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, the American flag the team will proudly present to more than 72,000 Arkansans will have traveled almost a third of the way around the world from the Middle East to Northwest Arkansas.
Five members of the Arkansas Air National Guard and the U.S. Air Force donated a flag to Razorback Athletics that flew aboard a General Atomics MQ-1B Predator unmanned aerial vehicle that conducted missions in support of Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq and Syria.
Master Sergeant Robert Stephens of the 288th Operations Support Squadron, Master Sergeant Anthony Woodall of the 502nd Logistics Readiness Squadron, Technical Sergeant David Elam, Staff Sergeant Jacob Blythe of the 2nd Maintenance Squadron from Barkesdale Air Force Base and Captain Joshua Koenig of the 188th Civil Engineering Squadron were all involved in the donation – the second flag this season donated to Razorback Athletics by U.S. military personnel.
In addition to proudly serving their country and representing their state, Stephens and Blythe recounted how being Razorback fans shaped their lives and what their donation means to them.
“I grew up going to Razorback games with my dad at War Memorial Stadium,” Stephens said. “We watched games every chance we got at home and being a Razorback fan is part of growing up for me. I can’t see it any other way. I’m really glad to be a part of the 188th at Fort Smith because we continue the Razorback tradition. The Razorback logo is part of our unit there so it’s really important to me.”
Blythe agreed with Stephens on how Razorback Athletics continues to play a big part of his life.
“I started getting into sports around when I was 10 years old and that was when I also moved to Arkansas,” Blythe said. “When I got there, the Razorbacks were the only thing the state cared about – everybody was all about the Hogs. At the time, I didn’t know what their obsession was about, but I was drawn into it. Knowing the lack of pro sports franchises in the state, when sports is a big deal, it’s always about the Diamond Hogs, the football team and basketball team. Razorback Athletics is all that I knew growing up.”
Stephens, who fulfills the role of a traditional Guardsman, also currently works for UAMS in Fayetteville as a community health director. He said donating a U.S. flag is a culmination of his journey of obtaining a bachelor’s and master’s degree at the U of A, obtaining employment with the University and serving with the Arkansas Air National Guard.
“Being able to provide a flag back to the team and being able to participate in the game day environment process means a lot to me and gives me a lot of pride,” Stephens said. “I’m definitely telling all my friends and family about it so they can watch the flag on the field.”
For Blythe, donating a flag is a sense of pride.
“Not everybody gets the opportunity to wear this uniform just like not everybody gets to pursue their dreams to play football,” Blythe said. “So to know that people who are pursuing their dreams, this is a small token of our appreciation that we can send to them to say thanks. We appreciate the pride they allow us to have in our state – it’s a big moment.”
