The Royals and Budweiser salute a member of the military at games throughout the 2013 season.
Active duty and retired members of the United States Armed Forces are provided with complimentary tickets in the Budweiser seats above the Royals Bullpen and recognized with a special in-game tribute.
Staff Sergeant Wendell A. Fetters was a tailgunner on a B-26 Marauder when it was shot down over Germany on December 23, 1944. On Christmas day, Wendell was picked up by German military and became a Prisoner of War in a camp where he stayed for 6 months until it was liberated by Russian military.
In 1950, the Purple Heart recipient was called back into action and served in the Korean War for a year and half.
Air Force veteran Wendell Jones, served in the military from 1971-1977. The E-4 was stationed in Northern Europe, then was relocated to Whiteman Air Force Base where he worked as a mechanical technician in the nuclear missile system.
Wendell is now an electrician at the Kansas City Veterans Administration Hospital.
Kym McIntosh, an Air Force veteran, served active duty as a public affairs specialist at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada from 1987-1991, then as the editor of the base paper at Whiteman Air Force Base during Desert Storm. She is joined by her father and Navy veteran, Dan Orr, who served from 1967-1973 and served during the Vietnam War as a flight mechanic from 1968-1970.
Kym and Dan now live in the Kansas City area and are both involved in the American Legion.
Major Leslie Cooper, an Army nurse, enlisted over 20 years ago at Fort McClellan in Alabama. After leaving for 13 years, Leslie returned to the Army in 2003. She was then deployed on three separate occasions, Afghanistan in 2004, Iraq in 2007, and Kuwait in 2011.
Leslie is currently assigned to the 325th Combat Support Hospital in Independence and has worked in the SIC-U at the Veterans Administration Hospital since 1993.
Starting as a cadet in the Army, George Hazel graduated from West Point in New York. Throughout his 30 years of service, George traveled to distant places like Korea, Germany, southwest Asia, and finally had his last tour of duty as the District Engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers here in Kansas City.
Having retired from the Army as a colonel in 2001, George is now on the engineering staff at the Kansas City Veteran's Administration Medical Center.
Petty Officer Kevin George has been in the military over 20 years and, in March, returned from a deployment to Afghanistan. Currently, Kevin is working towards becoming a nurse and will help take care of other veterans.
Born and raised in Kansas City, he now lives in the historic Northeast District with his wife Jennifer and their daughter, Taylor.
Since entering the military in 1989, Staff Sergeant Troy A. Green has served in the U.S. Air Force and the Missouri National Guard. Through his extensive service, Troy has received many promotions and awards, including two Army Commendation Medals, The Army Combat Action Badge, and the Purple Heart for his actions in battle during an attack on his base in Afghanistan.
Currently, Troy is a Security Forces journeyman assigned to the 139th Security Forces Squadron and was recently selected as their Noncommissioned Officer of the Year for 2013.
Sergeant Doug Friend, a Marine veteran, served active duty for six years and civilian service for 14. During his service, Doug received two Meritorious Civilian Service medals: one for his work during Desert Storm and one when he left civilian service in 1997.
Doug is now the CEO of Heroes Coming Home, a local Non-profit charity in Independence, Missouri that provides housing for homeless veterans and their families in the area
Bryan Moore just retired from the Army after 23 years. During his extensive service, Bryan went on 7 separate tours to Afghanistan and was the 1st Sergeant of the 3rd Battalion of the 160th SOAR - a unit that consists of the best-qualified aviators and support soldiers handling helicopter aviation support for both general purpose and special operations forces.
The Kansas City native now acts as a liaison to the non-profit organization, Night Stalker Hero Memorial of Savannah Foundation, Inc.
As a member of the Army National Guard, Staff Sergeant John Wymore served with a small unit in Tikrit, Iraq, assisting other larger units with projects including the conversion of Saddam Hussein's palace into military headquarters. While also serving in Afghanistan, his unit helped Afghans rebuild their agriculture that had been destroyed from years of war.
Hugely successful, the program was recreated across different regions of Afghanistan.
8 days after his high school graduation, Sergeant Micheal Peters left for Infantry Basic Training and was quickly sent to Korea to act as a team leader with the 503 air assault unit, where he served for three years. Coming off of Inactive Ready Reserve, Micheal was sent to Iraq in 2008 as a squad leader for a 12 month tour.
Retiring from the military in 2009, the Grandview, Missouri native now works as an outside sales manager for 84 Lumber and coaches his son's baseball team.
Recently retired Senior Master Sergeant, Frank Guido, spent his last 33 years serving in the United States Air Force. Frank toured Southwest Asia three times, and while there, he worked in the Chaplain Corps and ensured the free practice of religion to personnel assigned there.
During his most recent deployment, the Atchison, Kansas native represented the Chaplain Corps at over 100 Fallen Warriors transfers.
Sergeant Jeff Beaton is an Iraq war veteran who has served in both the United States Marine Corps and Army. During Jeff's 13 years of service, he worked in Civil Affairs in California and Belton, Missouri.
Currently, the Raymore, Missouri native is a maintenance craft director for the American Postal Workers Union in Kansas City, Missouri.
Sergeant First Class Marcelino Benitez joined the Army 13 years ago in helicopter electronics and is now an administrator coordinating flights and in charge of 82 soldiers. Already having deployed on 14 separate occasions, including 7 tours to Iraq, 6 to South America, and 1 to Afghanistan, the Fort Riley based Sergeant will be deploying a 15th time and returning to Afghanistan this August.
Originally from Puerto Rico, Marcelino moved to the United States to provide a better life for his family and be a role model and mentor to his sons and other soldiers.
Chief Warrant Officer Michael Baldwin has been serving in the United States Army for 9 years. Currently stationed at Fort Riley, Michael was deployed to Iraq twice, where he was in charge of training Iraqi police in technical and investigative techniques. Two years ago, Michael became a Pilot, and will soon be flying Black Hawks in Afghanistan when he deploys in August.
From 2006 to 2007, Specialist Marci Perez served as an Army combat medic with a security force team in Iraq. During her deployment, Marci went on 157 convoy missions and was involved in numerous Improvised Explosive Device attacks. Due to her bravery and injuries she suffered during her service in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Marci received the Purple Heart.
Now back home in Topeka, Kansas, Marci sings the National Anthem for local teams and events and, after 20 years with the Army National Guard, will be medically retiring.
For more information, fans can contact the Royals' Community Relations department at communityrelations@royals.com.
