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Jets show support for US troops in Afghanistan in unique way

Jets

The 10th Mountain Division of the United States Army engaged in a game of flag football Friday morning, courtesy of the New York Jets.

As passed along by Rich Cimini of ESPN, the Jets supplied official jerseys, footballs, kicking tees, whistles and coaching clipboards for the 11-on-11 contest.

One team wore “Resolute” on the back of its green jersey, while the other wore “Support” on the back of its white jersey. Resolute Support is the name of the mission being carried out by the 10th Mountain Division in Afghanistan at this time.

After the game, Jets center Nick Mangold and receiver Eric Decker spoke with the soldiers, via Skype, to offer heartfelt messages of support and respect for their service.

The entire thing is the brain child of military liaison Steve Castleton, who is based in New York. He proposed the idea to Jets owner Woody Johnson last year, and the owner was quick to say yes, per Cimini.

As you might expect, the soldiers got into it before the game even began.

“There was trash-talking,” Castleton said in a phone interview. “I mean, sergeants were trash-talking colonels.”

But even the playing field itself served as a stark reminder of the daily danger these men and women face in the field. Cement walls surrounded the dirt field to ensure the safety of those participating.

“On the other side of the walls, you don’t go there,” he said. “You go there and you get shot.”

The flag football game served as a nice distraction, though, along with other activities such as a “Humvee Gate Party” (tailgate party for the rest of us) that included food and music, along with a “Mets-themed baseball game, a 3-point shooting contest and a cornhole tournament.”

“It was a day they didn’t have to think about combat,” said Castleton, who provided regular updates to the Pentagon during the planning process. “The morale was astronomical.”

Many of the same soldiers will also be honored when the Jets host their military appreciation day on Nov. 13 at MetLife Stadium when they’ll run onto the field with the Jets for pre-game introductions.

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