CLARKSVILLE, TN – At 2 p.m. on Saturday, November 6, the athletics department at Austin Peay State University will honor local veterans and military affiliates at their annual Appreciation Day football game. military at Fortera stadium. All veterans, active duty personnel and their families will receive free entry to the game with current military ID.

The day will feature several vehicle displays, including an APSU helicopter and the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment Little Bird helicopter under the instrument panel, a Tennessee National Guard Bradley combat vehicle alongside the Jenkins Family Fieldhouse and a Tennessee National Guard Black Hawk helicopter at the Morgan Brothers Football Field. The game will begin with a flight over a Black Hawk and an Apache helicopter from the 101st Airborne Division.

Austin Peay is the state’s largest provider of higher education to military-affiliated students, with about 25 percent of enrolled students having a military connection. The Tennessee Higher Education Commission previously honored the University’s support for this population by naming Austin Peay a Veterans Education Transition Support Campus (VETS), and earlier this year, APSU opened the Newton Military Family Resource Center – the largest of its kind in the state – to provide ongoing support to students affiliated with the military, from applying for admission to securing employment after graduation ‘Graduation.

During the November 6 game, Austin Peay will also commemorate the 50th anniversary of his Governors Guard ROTC program. Since this program was established on Jan. 28, 1971, he has won eight MacArthur Awards, produced United States Army Brigadier Generals and a United States Marine Corps Lieutenant General, seen his cadets earn top honors. and mourn the loss of former students who valiantly gave their lives for their country.

As part of the 50th anniversary celebration, Maj. Gen. Jimmie Cole, Assistant Adjutant General of Tennessee, will be sworn in in ROTC Army Cadets Austin Peay during a halftime ceremony. Austin Peay will also recognize ROTC graduates from each decade of the campus program. These people include:

• Retired Colonel Mitch Sartain (1970s).
• Retired Col. Eddie Vaughn (1980s).
• Retired Major John Braun (1990s).
• US Army Veteran Thomasa Ross (2000s).
• Major Walter Rausch (2010s).
• 2nd Lieutenant Christina Taylor (2020s)

During the match, Larry Carroll (’76), a veteran of the United States Army, will also receive the University’s first Presidential Medal of Distinction. The Presidential Medal of Distinction is the highest honor bestowed by President Austin Peay, honoring outstanding individuals for their exemplary volunteer service and outstanding contributions to the university community. This award recognizes individuals who demonstrate strong dedication to Austin Peay’s mission by exemplifying his steadfast values ​​of respect, trust, inclusion, discovery and excellence. The award also recognizes the achievements that bring honor to this university through intellectual creativity, civic engagement and national or international distinction.

Several other activities are planned to recognize people with a military connection. For more information on Saturday’s game, visit www.letsgopeay.com.