Napier: ‘A Lot We Can Learn From These Special People’

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The man within the navy uniform stood on the sideline Wednesday night time, ready for the Gators to conclude follow. He had his younger son, the one he did not meet till the boy was 4 months outdated, standing subsequent to him.

As the Gators ready this week to face South Carolina on Saturday within the “Saluting Those Who Serve” sport, a member from every of the 4 U.S. navy branches was requested to handle the crew. Air Force Capt. Tom “Filthy” Rich, a 20-year veteran with 11 deployments to his credit score, had been invited by Gators head coach Billy Napier to talk.

Napier has positioned a premium on the initiative in his first season at Florida.

“We need to have the utmost respect for these people who have chosen a path to serve and protect these freedoms we have,” Napier said. “I feel that is one thing that is essential. It will get missed. I feel all of us can agree that, at instances, we’re strolling round dwelling life, and we do not actually respect that now we have a set of those that threat their life each day.

“I think it’s one of the things that we can do independent of football that can create good — a place where we respect and appreciate what we have. We want to do that each year and celebrate these people. I think they’re deserving.”

 

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Teamwork. Brotherhood. Accountability.

This week we’re listening to from members of our armed forces forward of our “Saluting Those Who Serve” sport. Thank you to Gunnery Sergeant Trey James for sharing your message.#GoGators | #jOURney pic.twitter.com/0wp4TTBue8

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) November 9, 2022

It did not take Rich lengthy to get choked up in speaking about a type of individuals who paid the final word sacrifice.

In January 2010, Senior Airman Bradley Smith was killed by an improvised explosive system close to Kandahar, Afghanistan, whereas supporting a fight operation throughout Operation Enduring Freedom.

Rich shared the story with the Gators as silence loomed contained in the crew’s indoor follow facility.

“Brad was on a mission. He was on an overwatch position. His buddy, his counterpart, his teammate, gets blown up,” Rich said. “Without thought, he grabs the platoon medic. He runs down. They retrieve the physique. They retrieve one other soldier that was injured. They get him to security. And now they’re like, ‘hey, we have to return for the opposite man.’ The different man was lifeless. He was reduce in half.

“And [Brad] got killed by another IED on the way back. Brad was from my unit.”

The Air Force in 2012 named a brand new camp in Afghanistan after Smith, who’s survived by a spouse and daughter. Smith was awarded the Silver Star posthumously.

“We wanted to name the camp after someone who had done something extraordinary and whose actions were heroic and courageous,” Senior Airman Joshua Leibold, the president of Kandahar’s First Four Council, stated on the time in a launch. “We considered many outstanding airmen, but Airman Smith was an obvious choice.”

Napier desires tales like these by Rich and different visitor audio system to resonate with the Gators. Daily duties like attending class, attending conferences on time, and giving 100% in follow pale in comparison with a few of the sacrifices these within the navy make.

Still, lots of the similar ideas are shared: teamwork, brotherhood, accountability and self-discipline.

Veteran Gunnery Sgt. Trey James in contrast a soccer crew to a gaggle of Marines throughout his speech to the crew after Tuesday night time’s follow. The 33-year-old James entered the Marines at 18 and was despatched to Parris Island, South Carolina, and ultimately Okinawa, Japan. James has served a number of fight excursions in his profession.

He relied on his comrades for survival and success and advised the Gators that in his travels to twenty nations worldwide, the freedoms Americans take pleasure in are to not be taken flippantly.

“By the time I was 24, I deployed to combat three times. I was overseas doing what our Marine Corps was asked to do for our country,” James said. “I actually consider that is the best nation on the face of the Earth. Why? Because I’ve been all over the world. I let you know, proper now, it’s nowhere close to as dangerous right here as in different places on the planet. I promise you.

“This is the best country in the world because we have people who willingly go out and say we are going to continue to have it that way.”

Napier highlighted the initiative every alternative he had this week main as much as Veterans Day on Friday and Saturday’s sport at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

Napier did not serve within the navy, however he has met many individuals who’ve. They have impacted his life through the years, he stated.

“Really important to me in terms of creating a level of respect here and a gratitude for some of these things that I really believe we take for granted at times,” said Napier. “We get to have fun lots of people who stay a lifetime of service.

“I think there’s a lot we can learn from these special people. It’s been pretty awesome to hear from them. I know it’s impacting our players and staff in a positive way.”

Senior offensive lineman Richard Gouraige listened carefully as James and Rich spoke. Gouraige has been round lengthy sufficient to grasp Napier’s quest to construct a holistic program past what occurs on the sphere.

“Coach’s motto is ‘play for the guy who’s left or right of you,’ so I always take that to heart, that this might be my last snap,” Gouraige said. “If that is my final snap, I need to please the man that is left and proper of me, realizing that Richard did his job as finest as he can.”

As James finished his speech, he thanked Napier and the team for providing the platform and recognizing those who have served in the military.

“We respect the help,” he stated. “I can tell you nobody joined the military and said, ‘I want the admiration and the adulation, and I want the accolades that come with it.’ I missed a lot.”

Each night time, a stream of gamers and coaches flowed their means when Rich and James completed.

The males heard the identical message repeatedly.

“Thank you for your service.”