Salute to our Military

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Ben's 2018 Veterans Day Salute 454 viewscontinued...

"I loved being a Marine & fighting for my country! When I left the Corps, I started working in the Emergency Room at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. I guess protecting others is just a part of who I am, which is why I went on to college for Criminal Justice. I am now a Senior Safety Officer for UPMCâ€™s Western Psychiatric Institute." -- Greg Yakubik.

November 11, 2020 - Ben's Veterans Day Salute559 viewsMy name is Stefon Stile and I live in Beaver County. We just wanted to say that we looked forward to the season so much and to see you back in action.
My girlfriend Natalie Karpinsky is a Senior Airman in Security Forces for the U.S. Air Force. She has been serving for 3 years and is currently active duty. She was deployed in the Middle East for 7.5 months this year. When sheâ€™s not deployed she serves full time at the 171 Refueling Base in Pittsburgh.
Natalie is extremely passionate about her job and family. She knows the seriousness of what it takes to do her job and do it well. Her father served 20 years in the U.S. Air Force as well and her toughness, her love for this country, and her willingness to be unselfish shows very much in her upbringing.
Besides her family, Natalie keeps love for her Country first and love for her City second. She is a Black & Gold girl through thick and thin. We even have a â€˜Ben wallâ€™ in our game room, lol. Needless to say, she is proud to be an American and proud to be a Yinzer.

November 11, 2020 - Ben's Veteran's Day Salute366 viewsAnd Logan Clarke:

â€œLong Time #7 Fanâ€

Iâ€™m finally writing to this website after many years of watching the Steelers and my childhood hero, Ben Roethlisberger. I graduated from Mercer High School in 2015, which is about an hour north of the city. At Gannon University in Erie, I played QB/WR for four years (barely got on the field, but I love the game) and commissioned as an Engineer Officer in 2019 through the Army ROTC program. After getting stationed at Fort Bliss, TX in El Paso, Iâ€™m currently a Platoon Leader in the Middle East leading 62 of the best Americans Iâ€™ll ever know.
The most enjoyment I get out here is watching the team win on Sundays. Because of the circumstances with this weekâ€™s bye, I am using part of my day off to finally listen to Mr. Roethlisbergerâ€™s Man Up testimony and Bigger Than Ben series. Both were amazing.

I was in 2nd Grade when Ben was a rookie, and this was basically the first full Steelers season I recall from my childhood. I remember being in my grandmaâ€™s living room praying that the Jets kicker would miss the field goal in the Divisional, and he did. The following year, I remember praying even harder that Mike Vanderjagt would miss the kick after Ben made the shoe-string tackle.

The Super Bowl XL Season was the first year my mom allowed me to play football. Throughout my years, my goal was to mimic Big Ben on the field. In high school, I wore #7 proudly. I was never as big and talented as him, but I tried to play as strong and creative as he always has. Similar to him, my passion and family was always about basketball from a young age. But I found leading an offense to be the most satisfying athletic achievement, so I pursued that dream. Watching a Quarterback do that for my favorite team for so many years drove me to do the same.

Ben's 2018 Veterans Day Salute 533 viewscontinued...

"I grew up in the Pittsburgh area (and will always live here) and have been a Steelers fan all my life! I was lucky to marry a girl that loves Steelers football just as much as I do, and we never miss a game. We are huge Ben fans in this house since he came into the league. I really enjoy watching him play every game day. I also love the work his foundation does for the police around the country. I have a lot of friends that are cops in the Pittsburgh area, so this really means a great deal to me. My wife and I have tried to do our part for Ben and his foundation over the years â€“ weâ€™ve volunteered at the kidsâ€™ camps he holds every summer, and also at his charity golf tournaments. We have even attended his charity events as guests. Iâ€™m proud to be a Marine, a Pittsburgh native, and a life-long Steelers fan!â€ â€” Greg Yakubik.

*Greg, we are honored to tell your story! Thank you for your service not only in the Corps & around the world, but at home in Pittsburgh as well!

Thank you to ALL of our veterans!! We are truly a blessed Nation to have you keeping us safe! God Bless America!

Richard Guthrie, USAF1230 viewsRichard is holding up the Terrible Towel in a photo which he says was, "taken from inside my favorite way to get around!"!

*Thank you Richard!!

Major Sarah Lukes, USMC930 viewsErin,
I am the Marine that sent you a picture of me with my terrible towel standing on an M1A1 Marine Corps tank at Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan. Today I received my Christmas care package from my nine year old daughter, she knows I love my Pittsburgh Steelers...she sent this PASS TO COME HOME on a Pittsburgh Steelers lanyard! I will end my 7 month deployment on 10 Jan and thought this was so precious and wanted to pass it along for the BigBen7website for holiday cheers to our awesome team!
Go Steelers!!
Much love sent from Afghanistan,
Sarah Lukes
Major, United States Marine Corps

Veterans Day Weekend - 20121214 viewsBen,

Thanks for taking the time to honor our veterans. I have attached a pic I took when I was at FOB Hammer, Baghdad Iraq. Had to take the pic in front of the street sign "Pittsburgh Steelers St." I was assigned with 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. Gotta love how Steeler Nation is everywhere. Here We Go Steelers. Thanks

v/r

SGT Roger Capretta

August 2013 - "Kuwait is Steelers Country"893 viewsSgt. Steven Palencik and members of his unit sent this photo and wanted to wish Ben and the 2013 Steelers their best season ever! He said they are â€œbleeding black & goldâ€ while serving our great country in Kuwait! GO STEELERS!

Sgt. Palencik is in the front row, far right, holding the Terrible Towel. Thatâ€™s Major Delbrugge, far left, front row, holding the Steelers banner. CW3 Poindexter, is on the back row, middle, holding up the Terrible Towel, and SGM Miracle is on the back row, left, holding the Terrible Towel.

Gentleman, thank you for serving our country! Stay safe and God bless!

December 3, 2011 - Greetings from Afghanistan!1544 viewsGreat photo from BIG Steelers fan SPC Rick Bender of PUNISHER Platoon PSD 1-10CAV 2BCT 4ID posing with his "team" in Afghanistan and wishing the Steelers all the best!

* Click on any photo for a larger version.

Veterans Day Weekend - 20121269 viewsBanner for the Steelers Official Facebook page.

Steelers.com

*Click on any photo for a larger version!

November, 2013: A Thanksgiving Welcome Home - Steelers Style1020 viewsWeâ€™ve been keeping up with Steven since he shared his photo and message for Ben in September of 2013, when he was deployed (you can see it here in this album). This past weekend he sent in a new photo â€“ of the Welcome Home he was greeted with upon his return to the U.S. last week:

â€œI got back from a deployment and surprised my family for Thanksgiving. Not only that, but my brother Mike, his wife Briseida, and their son Maximiliano (who knew I was coming home), welcomed my return with their Steelers jerseys and gear on, ready to support me and our Steelers! They also surprised me with a new Big Ben jersey and a Terrible Towel! GO BIG BEN! GO STEELERS!â€ â€“ Steven

Steven only has a few days to enjoy with his family before reporting to his duty station, but said it was â€œamazing to be backâ€.

Steven, we wish you all the best! Stay safe and God bless!

Veterans Day, 20111557 viewsPhoto 4:

"Good morning...from Iraq...I'm a US Army soldier, getting ready to finish out my tour in Iraq and was just wondering if you would like to pass on to Ben (and the rest of the team) some of the attached photos of me and my teammates during our travels through the country with my Terrible Towel.

"I've been a Steeler fan since I was a kid and never thought I'd get to do the things I've been doing for the Army and for our country...I just wanted to share these with you all and hope you enjoy them...One thing I've been able to do is follow the Steelers during this deployment and I'm looking forward to getting home and catching the last couple of the season from my home (in Virginia) with my family. Take care and thanks!"

CW3 Thomas Romero
US Army - serving in Iraq

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