Most football fans recognize "Camp Carroll" as the home of the Seattle Seahawks and their enigmatic coach Pete Carroll, but the real Camp Carroll serves a much more important role. Located in South Korea, the camp is home to about 600 soldiers who are tasked with maintaining delicate peace. Despite the significant difference, not to mention distance, between the two camps, they are closely linked, reports the Army's official website.
The relationship was formed when former NFL star Riki Ellison, the chairman and founder of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, reached out to Carroll to provide some Seahawks gear to the troops stationed in South Korea. The T-shirts, flags and other items were given to the winning team of the camp's annual 11-on-11 flag football game, a small gesture that went a long way.
"When Pete and the Seahawks sent that gear to my unit and we snapped those pictures with our football trophies, it made my soldiers feel appreciated and it meant a lot coming from an organization like the Seahawks that is world class and all about the team and winning, just like us here in Korea," Lt. Col. J M. Rose Jr., the battalion commander at Camp Carroll, told the news source.
The Seahawks' gesture strengthens the bond between professional sports and the military, a relationship that has always flourished. For example, the San Diego Padres of the MLB have been active in supporting the troops, hosting an annual military appreciation game since 1996.