How do veterans feel about the NFL associating its brand with the military?

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How do veterans feel about the NFL associating its brand with the military? image

How do military veterans view the manner in which the NFL attempts to associate its brand with the military, particularly during the Super Bowl? 

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Answer by Jon DavisSergeant of Marines, two tours in Iraq

I'm personally a bit torn.

On the one hand I really have to thank the NFL for being one of the only large organizations to really put the military high up in their priority list. They really do a large part in reminding everyone on the outside that these people never went away and there needs to be some consideration given to them. The NFL does more for that idea than any other. As long as they stick to that, it is an incredibly virtuous act that veterans appreciate. 

MORE: Hall of Famers who served in the armed forces 

What I don't like is when they draw false comparisons, particularly among players, but also by the NFL. There was a commercial I remember of a Coast Guard player dressed in a cammie jersey pattern who ran through explosions and bombs dropping or some other nonsense. I feel that the real reason that there is so much branding going on in this way is that the NFL would like to attach itself to the military's brand. That brand, to many, if not most people, means "badass" and "aggressive" if nothing else. Such a brand really stands out to those wishing to promote those lower brain functions and gain an audience wishing to see just that.

What I really hate is when players try to do this, too, by comparing themselves to "soldiers" fighting in a "war" or "battle" (P.S. Justin Bieber does this too). Yeah, you're aggressive, but aside from that there really are no direct comparisons between a member of the NFL and a member of the military. If you are successful, your college or hometown will build a statue for you, a practice few in the military have enjoyed since about the time professional sports became mainstream. You are part of an elite group which almost no one in the general population could ever hope to be a part of because you enjoy a rather miraculous and inequitable doling out of specific talents. Your every wish is carried out by an army of support staff dedicated to ensuring that you are adequately happy enough not to switch teams. You play a sport... a game... to entertain.

Injuries are common, but if there is ever a death it is national news. You are paid hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions, to stand in people's way, catch or throw a ball or run. Many of you are little more than spoiled brats with no virtue other than one single inhuman talent which has driven you to an unprecedented level of arrogance. Some of you do what you do for only you and owe nothing to anyone else for the many blessings you enjoy. This in no way compares to what a member of the military feels on virtually every level and you shouldn't try to aggrandize yourself further by drawing the false comparison that you are any way comparable to a true warrior.

After rewatching the tape, I noticed that Kellen Winslow was playing college ball when he said this. I wanted to be clear that he doesn't actually represent the NFL. Still, we have seen the mentality play out with other NFL players and his wouldn't be the only time something that happened. I felt I had to show this video because of how blatantly he misrepresented the mentality of the military and proved my point about how little he truly understands what is like for our troops.

As far as the NFL proper, I think they could do more in the way of addressing actual troops in the field. What I mean by that is that all the people you see in the "I'd like to say hello to my..." videos are filmed in bases in the U.S. or very close. The ships were probably on maneuvers near a local port. If they really wanted me to feel some support they would pull actually deployed troops in Afghanistan rather than someone who is going home tonight. That video really annoyed me because it lead the audience into false beliefs of who was being filmed and what they were really saying. There is a lot they could do in the terms of sending actual players to visit troops in Afghanistan.

When I was in Iraq, celebrities came to see us, like Chuck Norris, and David Letterman even did a whole week filming his show there. I really think that many players wouldn't mind getting to represent the NFL abroad and send a real message. I would also feel more sincerity if they would get real video from those troops in theatre or post webcam dedications instead of staged ones at some base in California or New York. I honestly feel the same way about these displays as if I were watching the New Year's Day ball drop and some ask a random sailor in Times Square if there was anyone special he would like to say hello too, except that regular people don't realize this. You're lead to believe that "I'll be home soon" means a few months rather than a few days. So that's annoying and more sincerity could be put forth in that regard. Take a look here:

That said, it is a completely rational choice for the NFL to choose military to be the group they would want to associate themselves with. The types of people who support the military fall neatly into many of the demographics. They really should be supporting the military, but then again so should every other company that enjoys the freedom of American patronage, customer base and the most secure and profitable economic environment on Earth. But that is besides the point. As long as they keep doing as much as they are doing to make sure that the people of the military are still part of our thoughts, they don't overstep themselves in literally comparing themselves to those same member and are sincere in their efforts, then I wouldn't have any problem with using my efforts to ensure they are profitable.

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