Following a 2-1 loss to first place FC Dallas over the weekend, D.C. United will host Sporting Kansas City on Sunday, May 19 at 5:00 p.m. (
tickets still available
) as part of Armed Forces Night, sponsored by American Airlines, GEICO, Giant, and Long Fence and Home. In addition to offering a
season-long discount for members of the military
, special military pricing at $26 will be offered with a valid military ID for this game. American flags will be given out to the first 7,500 fans entering RFK Stadium.
“It is important to honor members of our military in any way that we can,” said D.C. United midfielder Perry Kitchen, whose father and grandfather served our country. “Coming from a military family, gestures like this mean the world to those who serve our nation.”
The National Anthem, and “God Bless America” at half-time will be performed by Sgt. Vicki Golding of the 257th Army Band “The Band of the Nation’s Capital.”
The c
eremonial kicker will be Jason Pak
, who is currently recovering from an IED explosion he suffered on November 4, 2012 in Zangabad, Afghanistan. Pak is from Northern Virginia and attended the United States Military Academy at West Point. Recently, midfielder
Chris Pontius and defender James Riley stopped by Walter Reed to visit with Pak
.
Similarly, D.C. United players and staff will visit Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and some of the wounded warriors that are currently at the facility. United for D.C., the charitable arm of D.C. United, is supporting Armed Forces Night through the Kicks for Kids program. Complementary tickets and a meal will be provided to a variety of military based organizations, including TAPS, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing assistance for those who have suffered the loss of a military loved one.
Multiple vehicles, including a H-3 Hummer, 1151 Upper Armor vehicle, and ASV Armor security vehicle, will be in the tailgate, provided by the National Guard.
In attendance will be members of the Pentagon Soccer Club, a local group from the Pentagon that meets daily to play soccer on their lunch hour. Just a couple of weeks ago, General Manager Dave Kasper and Assistant Coaches Chad Ashton and Preston Burpo
surprised the group
in a game honoring one of their colleagues
, who passed away on September 11, 2001 at the Pentagon.
D.C. United is also pairing with GEICO to donate tickets to Walter Reed National Medical Center and the USO of Metropolitan DC, and Volkswagen, Allstate, and Hilton – Homewood Suites to donate tickets to the Veteran Ticket Organization (Vet Tix).
