USNA football jerseys

LineInTheSand

LineInTheSand

USCGA 2006
10-Year Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2007
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I noticed that the USNA jerseys have unit patches on the upper right side of the front.

What are those for or what do they represent?

The reason I ask; I noticed a midshipman with a Coast Guard patch.

IMG_7786.JPG
 
They wore their patches for various reasons. This article from two years ago gives some hint:

http://m.navysports.com/m/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120814aac.html

Special Patches
• Each Navy player will wear a patch on their jersey (seniors wear two) representing a Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force or Army unit around the world. Players pick patches for various reasons, but some have a special meaning to that player.
• Senior wide receiver Brendan Dudeck is wearing a SEAL Team 3 patch in memory of former Navy football and lacrosse player Brendan Looney `04, who was killed on Sept. 21, 2010, during Operation Enduring Freedom.
• Senior defensive lineman Aaron Davis and senior outside linebacker Obi Uzoma are wearing the USS New York patch. The ship is sculpted with metal from the "Twin Tower's" foundation and was commissioned in its honor. Both Davis and Uzoma served their summer training aboard the ship.
• Senior outside linebacker Chris Johnson and senior inside linebacker Anthony Lewis are wearing the squadron patch for the "Seawolves" of Helicopter Attack (Light) Squadron Three HA(L)-3. Flying the heavily-armed UH-1B "Huey" helicopter gunship during the Vietnam War in support of Navy SEALs, riverine forces and other units, HA(L)-3 is one of the Navy's most highly-decorated aviation squadrons. They are honoring the approximately 3,000 enlisted personnel and officers (including up to 100 Naval Academy alumni) who served in this squadron during the Vietnam War. Forty-four Seawolves were killed in action or operational accidents in Vietnam, or are still listed as missing in action (at least three of whom were USNA alumni); more than 150 were wounded.
• Senior punter Pablo Betran is wearing the patch of VFA 103, who will be performing the fly-over for Saturday's game and who he was with during his summer training.
• Senior linebacker James Britton is wearing his father's patch from Okinawa and a Marine unit patch given to him by former Navy football player Tyson Stahl `05. That unit was help started by current Navy Football Officer Representative, Col. Paul Montanus, USMC.
• Senior safety Shakir Robinson is wearing a patch that his dad gave him, Chief Master Sergeant John Robinson of the U.S. Air Force (Ret.). Master Sergeant Robinson supported the task of securing the King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This airport was key in refueling many U.S aircraft throughout the Gulf War and operations Desert Shield/Storm.
• Junior quarterback Keenan Reynolds is wearing the same patch for the third-consecutive year in honor of his uncle who recently retired.
• Senior offensive lineman Jake Zuzek is wearing an Air Force patch from the unit his uncle was in during the Vietnam War and a Marine Force Recon patch that was the first unit that current Navy Football Officer Representative, Col. Paul Montanus, USMC, commanded.
• Sophomore outside linebacker Mike Kelly is wearing a patch from the 1st Battalion 6th Marines given to him by Phil Chaney, a police officer for his father in West Chester, Ohio. Chaney was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor as a Chief Warrant Officer in 2004. The Bronze Star was awarded as a result of the battles that ensued immediately after Cpl. Ron Payne, USMC from his unit was killed. He was the first Marine killed conducting combat operations in Afghanistan.
 
Now, I would definitely like to hear the story behind the DECISIVE patch.

"Each Navy player will wear a patch on their jersey (seniors wear two) representing a Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force or Army unit around the world. Players pick patches for various reasons, but some have a special meaning to that player."

Sigh...forgotten again. :sadwavey:
 
Most the time there are personal ties to the patches... a parent, sibling, friend or even a ship or unit a Mid did their training on. USNA puts out a call to fleet and they send them in. A lot of former athletes send them in as the word spreads around social media. Players then get to select which one they want to wear.
 
Nice. Good to know. I assumed over the years that it's where they were going, but after I realized everyone had one, I thought maybe it was just a Navy/Marine Corps unit.

The Decisive patch threw me off. It was cool to see. I was stationed on a 210' (and was on three other 210's)... and Decisive is a 210'.
 
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