NORMAN, Okla. (Jan. 19, 2024) - While much of the state of Oklahoma was waiting for an ice storm the weekend of Jan. 19, some Fort Sill Soldiers went to Oklahoma City to chill out with some hockey players.
Fort Sill’s 77th Army Band kicked off the Oklahoma City Warriors hockey game by playing the National Anthem and then Service Medley later in the night. After the band finished playing, Maj. Gen. Phil Brooks and Command Sgt. Maj. Neil Sartain, Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill commanding general and command sergeant major, got the opportunity to start the game with the opening puck drop.
After the first period, Brooks took to the ice again to perform a reenlistment ceremony for 77th Army band drummer, Spc. Joseph Verbal. Verbal said he didn’t originally plan to be involved in such a large-scale event for his reenlistment but didn’t want to turn down such an amazing opportunity.
“I thought it was going to be a low-key reenlistment ceremony, but this week my commander was saying we can work out a situation where the CG of the Fires Center of Excellence can do my reenlistment ceremony and I thought nothing could be more memorable than that, I loved it.”
Verbal enlisted for three more years with the U.S. Army during the ceremony at center ice and will continue to play drums for the Army. Verbal has been in the Army for almost three years and has been playing the drums for 17 years.
“I decided to reenlist because I loved playing my instrument those first few years I was in the Army," Verbal said, "I love being able to serve my country, and also to just show love and respect to other people around me. There’s no better place to do that, I think, than the Army."
Many programs including sports teams, sponsor a Military Appreciation Night to honor Soldiers, Verbal explained what it meant to him as a Soldier to be able to attend this type of event.
“It’s a time for civilians and military members to come together and just establish a stronger connection,” he said. “And, I feel like in this day and age especially having those connections grow in times like this during a sporting event, is something I think is very important.”
Soldiers made appearances on the ice to play some different hockey-related games. The Soldiers did this without skates making the games easier for them to get on and off the ice without too much hassle. The game required the Soldiers to score goals, and if they missed, the penalty was to perform push-ups and burpees on the ice in true Army fashion.
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