Long distance fans unite!

I woke up Monday morning to the news that public enemy number one, Osama bin Laden, had been killed by a group of Navy SEALs. I met this news with rejoice and a feeling of accomplishment. I know personally, bin Laden played a hand in the reasons I joined the Army, which is the primary reason I am now in Washington, D.C. and not Chicago. The men and women of the United States military stepped up on Sept. 11, 2001 and declared that America will not be pushed around. Seemingly overnight, these civilians became servicemembers and dedicated a part of their lives to tracking down this horrible human being.

Some of the best long distance fans I know are serving around the world. They don't bat an eyelash when they have to wake up at odd hours of the night just to watch their hometown team. To them, it's more than a team. Seeing their team halfway across the world reminds them of why they are fighting. Sports can transport a person back to where they came from. It reminds them there are people and things out there that can resume because of the brave duties they perform day in and day out.

Sports have always had a link to the military, and service men and women were some of the first long distance fans. Whether braving the cold in the Battle of the Bulge, or trekking through the jungles of Vietnam, servicemembers have always kept tabs on their favorite teams because it reminded them that, despite their current situation, things will always get better. Sports teams have always made a great effort to recognize the honor and sacrifice of our military men and women. Ironically, the Washington Nationals had a military appreciation night on Monday and teams around the country waved the American flag in a proud fashion. One of the best things I witnessed was footage of the news breaking during the Sunday night baseball game between the New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies. As President Obama announced the death of bin Laden, people in the stands saw on their cell phones the breaking news. Chants of “USA! USA! USA!” began to fill the stadium. As I saw the replays of this on the news, I couldn’t help but think about how proud I was to serve with so many courageous and heroic people while in the Army. This is what made being a long distance fan well worth it.

This blog is dedicated to a good friend of mine who lost his life while serving in the Army while deployed to Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Adam Dickmyer served as a role model and good friend to me and my peers before tragically losing his life to protect our freedoms we enjoy every day.