Bucs host military families with 3rd Annual Schwarzkopf Awards
It was an enchanting evening at One Buccaneer Place as the Glazer Family Foundation and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers honored military families for its 3rd Annual General H. Norman Schwarzkopf Military Family of the Year Awards.
In attendance for the night's honors were Commander of the United States Central Command General Joseph Votel, Glazer Family Foundation Co-President Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, Buccaneers Chief Operating Officer Brian Ford, Defensive Tackle Clinton McDonald and the Schwarzkopf family; for which the award is named after.
"They give so much to the community and to each other," said Glazer Kassewitz. "Their dedication is unbelievable and we want to honor those families."
Families from each branch of the military were nominated on Buccaneers.com and selected in partnership with Central Florida USO. Whether organizing food drives, assisting transferring families with community resources, or volunteering during natural disaster relief efforts, each honoree and their family demonstrate the values of integrity, courage, commitment and service before self, while sharing in sacrifices of service to our county.
General H. Norman Schwarzkopf (1934-2012) spent 35 years in the United States Army and was named commander of U.S. Central Command at MacDill Airforce Base in 1998. His daughter, Cindy Schwarzkopf, addressed those in attendance on the important role of family in the military.
"The glue that holds it together was our family. It was the constant," Schwarzkopf says. "There are no ranks or pins for the family of service men and women and that's why this award is so important."
Son of an Air Force engineer and Vietnam veteran, McDonald spoke on the dedication of his parents to the service and to their community. "The dedication that the men and women have in serving our country is humbling," says McDonald. "That type of dedication can't be matched to anything I do on the field." In 2016, the Buccaneers nominated Defensive Tackle McDonald for USAA's Salute to Service Award for his ongoing support of military families in the community.
In addition to the night's awards, the honorees were surprised with an invitation to join the Buccaneers for an exclusive game day experience in the Salute to Service Suite when the Buccaneers host the New York Jets on November 12. And if the families were looking for a quick getaway, one of the sponsors of the Buccaneers, Lazydays RV, also had a surprise in store. Each family received a complimentary 2-day, 3-night stay in a state-of-the-art RV for a Lazydays Heroes Weekend.
The Buccaneers military initiatives have impacted thousands of military families throughout the Bay area. The organization remains committed to assisting, honoring and celebrating the men and women of our armed forces- as well as their families. During every home game, together with Central Florida USO, the Buccaneers celebrate a Hero of the Game, as well as invite service men and women to watch the game from the exclusive Salute to Service Suite.
To learn more about the Buccaneers military initiatives, please visit HERE
