INDIANAPOLIS COLTS SALUTE TO SERVICE AWARD NOMINEEPUNTER - PAT MCAFEE

On the heels of kicking off its 75th anniversary and Su-per Bowl 50, both the USO and NFL celebrated another milestone – their 50-year partnership. To mark the long-standing rela onship, the organiza ons deployed their fi rst USO/NFL team-themed tour of the year when Pat McAfee, Head Coach Chuck Pagano and three teammates visited service members and military families sta oned in Japan from February 15-21, 2016.

During the group’s USO/NFL tour to the Pacifi c, they visited eight military bases, traveled aboard a naval ship, toured the newly opened USO Camp Kinser and par cipated in a 75th anniversary USO celebra on at USO Camp Hanson. The group also visited several military worksites including a security forces unit, a fi re preven on team and a rescue squadron, among others. Camp Zama and Fleet Ac vi es Yokosuka (Feb. 17), the USS Ronald Reagan (Feb. 18), Camp Foster, Marine Corps Air Sta on Futenma, Camp Kinser and Kadena Air Base (Feb. 19) and Camp Shields and Camp Hanson (Feb. 20) are among the installa ons and duty sta ons McAfee and the Colts visited.

The NFL fi rst teamed up with the USO in 1966 and became the fi rst sports organiza on to send players to Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Over the days, months and years that followed, the organiza ons have worked together to help keep service members serving stateside and abroad connected to family, home and country. In addi on to its ever-popular goodwill USO/NFL tours and the opera on of its Pat Tillman USO Center in Afghanistan, the league has also shown its commitment to the military and the USO through its Na onal Salute to Service ini a- ve, which has created programs and moments of recogni on throughout the year.

75TH ANNIVERSARY USO TRIP TO JAPAN

USO VIDEO SUPPORT:h p://www.colts.com/videos/videos/Colts-USO-Tour-at-Camp-Zama-and-Yokosuka-Japan/7762b1c8-9692-4e89-8830-902f8e401505

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My name is Phil VanE en. I re red from the Marine Corps a er 27 years and am the USO Oki-nawa Area Director. Earlier this year, Coach Pagano traveled to Okinawa with four players from the Colts to visit our service members and their families who are also sta oned on Okinawa. Pat McAfee was one of the players who visited. To celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the USO, we hosted a party at USO Hansen. Brigadier General John “Dog” Jansen was there with us to welcome the team. Dog and I have been talking about thanking the Colts and recommending Pat for the NFL Salute To Service Award. Dog is now away on Marine Corps ma ers and could not be here and Okinawa is now being pounded by a typhoon. So we put this thank you to-gether remotely.

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When celebri es take the me to visit deployed service members and their families, it helps the USO in accomplishing our mission, “The USO strengthens America’s military service mem-bers by keeping them connected to family, home and country, throughout their service to the na on.” When the Colts came to Okinawa, they brought a piece of Americana with them. So we are grateful to all the Colts as it was an exhaus ng trip to Okinawa, followed by many long days, and then the long travel back to the U.S. a er making other USO stops. It is easy for any celebrity to get red, but Pat never did, and never stopped. The en re me he was here, he was engaged with service members and never took me to rest. He even played ping pong with several Marines and Mark Roberts, our Deputy Camp Commander at Hansen. He talked to them, asked ques ons and showed genuine concern.

I was moved most when he spoke to a young lady who was holding her newborn. She told Pat she wanted to meet him on behalf of her husband, a huge Colts fan, but he could not be there on that day. Pat asked the whereabouts of her husband. She replied to Pat, while holding back her tears, that her husband was deployed. Pat then learned that her husband had not yet met or held their baby. Pat was moved by this encounter as most Americans don’t realize that our service members deploy overseas, some mes if they are lucky with families, and then can deploy yet again…leaving those family members behind in Okinawa. I think at that point, Pat became a die-hard fan of our deployed service members and their families. For the rest of the night and their visit, Pat drilled me on ques ons about the USO, our mission, and how he could help. In par cular, he wanted to know how he could help those like the young lady he met earlier.

We enjoyed their visit so much that I promised Coach Pagano that we would never miss a Colts game this year. So every me the Colts play a game, we have a dedicated television set to showcase their game at each of our seven centers on Okinawa. We o en see concerned celeb-ri es who visit us and the Colts are no excep on. But I’m here to tell you, along with my staff and volunteers at USO Okinawa, that Pat McAfee is the real deal! We highly recommend his selec on for this pres gious award.

Semper Fidelis,Phil VanE enUSO Okinawa Area DirectorColonel USMC (re red)

THE PAT MCAFEE FOUNDATION

The Pat McAfee Founda on was formed to provide scholarship assistance to the sons and daughters of U.S. Military Personnel. Holding the men and women of our armed forces in high regard, McAfee formed this founda on to assist their children in con nuing their educa on beyond high school. McAfee wanted to make a diff erence with their educa on in addi on to providing opportuni es to these children so they can become leaders of society.

A er applica on to the Department of Revenue was approved and a de-termina on le er was received declaring The Pat McAfee Founda on a 501(c)(3) organiza on, McAfee was ready to begin the tremendous cause.

McAfee has established several important qualifi ca ons for students who wish to apply for the scholarship. Any son or daughter of U.S. military personnel who has been accepted to an ins tu on of higher learning can apply. These students must prepare an essay describing the experiences and gra tude toward their parents for their service as well as demonstra ng a desire and intent to fulfi ll a leadership role in their chosen fi eld of study and to be a leader of the future.

In 2016, the founda on raised $100,000 and in four years of existence, it has provided $250,000 in scholarships.

The Pat McAfee Founda on Support:h p://thepatmcafeefounda on.org/

Following the team’s off season program, Pat McAfee hosted a three-day comedy event at Morty’s Comedy Joint in Indianapolis on June 23, 24 and 25. Proceeds from all three shows benefi ed the Pat McAfee Foun-da on and Wish For Our Heroes, which provides scholarship assistance to the sons and daughters of U.S. military personnel.

All three comedy shows were sold out and the trio of events raised $40,000.

Erich Orrick, Vice President of Wish For Our Heroes, says McAfee has personally donated tens of thousands of dollars to support military families in Central Indiana and across the country.

“That roll up your sleeve mentality a racts the military to him. It’s not just that he wants to help the military, but the military guys are fans of guys like Andrew Luck, but they’re friends of Pat McAfee,” said Orrick.

In part, because McAfee is one of them.

“We’re just a bunch of normal people, normal blue collar Americans here,” says Orrick. “I think that’s one of the reasons he likes us, is we’re volunteers just like the next guy.”

McAfee came from a blue collar family in Pi sburgh and he s ll has that blue collar mentality. Even though his blue collar happens to be on a football jersey. From his spot on imita on of Head Coach Chuck Pagano, to his tales of shopping at Walmart with Adam Vina eri, golfi ng in French Lick with Peyton Manning and his challenges when it comes to managing money, it was a laugh a minute – literally.

THREE-DAY COMEDY SHOW BENEFIT

STAND-UP COMEDY SHOW BENEFITTING WISH FOR OUR

HEROESPat McAfee performed a comedy show to benefi t Wish For Our Heroes at Morty’s Comedy Joint in Indianapolis on April 11, 2016. It was a surprise show in prepara on for his per-formance at The Embassy in Ft. Wayne, Ind. One hundred percent of the profi ts were donated to Wish For Our Heroes, which grants wishes for ac ve-duty military and their fami-lies. Proceeds from the event totaled $3,000.

McAfee also presented a $25,000 check to a member of the military who returned from service and had fallen on hard mes.

In addi on to the Pat McAfee Founda on, which provides scholarship assistance to the sons and daughters of U.S. military personnel, McAfee has been very ac ve in suppor ng Wish For Our Heroes.

In April of 2016, McAfee hosted 20 military servicemen and women at a Trace Adkins concert in conjunc on with local radio sta on HANK FM and Wish For Our Heroes. McAfee paid for the ckets, met with each of them, signed

autographs and took photos.

“Fun event tonight,” said McAfee. “I was honored to be surrounded by American Badass heroes and listen to the deep voice of Trace Adkins. Any me you have a chance to hang around members of the military, do it. Humbling, eye opening, and inspiring all at the same me. I’m lucky to be an American.”

HOSTING OUR HEROES

During the 2016 Indianapolis Colts training camp, McAfee hosted 100 military servicemen and women for a prac ce. On the par cular day, the weather was uncoopera ve and due to rain, those in a endance were not able to watch because prac ce was cancelled. To make up for the weather, McAfee donated $5,000 for the group to go to lunch on him in addi on to taking photos and signing autographs.

In March of 2016, McAfee joined with Wish For Our Heroes and par ci-pated in the Wish Patrol where he donated $2,000 apiece to 12 military servicemen and women around the Indianapolis area, totaling $24,000. McAfee drove to residences and businesses to meet each person individ-ually. The money could be used for whatever that person “wished” for.

On May 4, 2016, McAfee volunteered his me and hosted “Pancakes With Pat,” a breakfast with a group of four, who made a sizable dona- on to Indy Honor Flight. Indy Honor Flight is a non-profi t organiza on

created solely to honor Indiana’s veterans for all their sacrifi ces. The organiza on transports heroes to Washington, D.C. to visit and refl ect at their respec ve war memorials. Along with having “Pancakes with Pat,” the group joined McAfee touring the Chip Ganassi Race Shop where the breakfast was held. McAfee also brought autographs and extra items for the group.

For the fi h consecu ve year, Pat McAfee is par cipa ng in the Colts Community Ticket Block program.

As part of the Colts Community Ticket Block program, several players and coaches work with a variety of local chari es to provide a unique opportunity for the individuals they serve. Through the generous do-

na on of Colts players and coaches, it allows youth, adults and families to a end an NFL game that might not otherwise have the opportunity. In keeping with the NFL’s tradi on of giving back to the community, several Indiana non-profi t organiza ons bene-fi t throughout the season.

McAfee donates 20 ckets per game to individuals associated with Wish For Our Heroes. In 2016, 200 people will see the Colts play because of McAfee’s generosity. Over the last fi ve seasons, that total will reach 1,000 individuals.

TICKET BLOCK SPONSOR BENEFITTING WISH FOR OUR

HEROES

Pat McAfee’s In-Stadium Ticket Block Banner

This October, McAfee will be making a $50,000 dona on to the Indianapolis VA Domiciliary to assist with living con-di ons for homeless veterans. In addi on, in conjunc on with Wish For Our Heroes and the VA, there will be a Go-FundMe account to raise an addi onal $50,000.

The purpose of the dona on is to make the quality of life be er for homeless veterans while giving them something posi ve to assist in their rehabilita on. Currently, the VA pays for mandatory items, however McAfee’s dona on will go toward health and fi tness equipment, washer and dry-ers, a recrea on room and entertainment items.

The wish is to move the dilapidated housing currently in downtown Indianapolis to the Fort Harrison area northeast of the city. The hope is to have the refurbished housing done by Thanksgiving of 2016.

COMING THIS FALL:UPDATING THE INDY VA DOMICILIARY

ANDWISH FOR OUR HEROES G3 HOLIDAY BASH

Current living area for homeless veterans in downtown Indianapolis to be updated at Fort Harrison loca on.

On December 2, McAfee will be hos ng the 2016 G3 Holiday Bash in Indianapolis at the Biltwell Event Center to help raise money for mili-tary families to aff ord holiday gi s. The event he is hos ng will assist 100 families in Indiana to have wonderful holidays with their families. It is the sixth event of its kind for Wish For Our Heroes and the fi rst that McAfee will be hos ng. In addi on, at the gala, McAfee will be reuni ng two families with service members who will be returning for the holidays.

ASSISTING OUR HEROES IN NEED

Army Specialist Rivera was in the Army for three years. He was severely wounded and suff ered signifi cant burns when he was under a ack in Afghanistan.

Specialist Rivera is a na ve Puerto Rican. His wife barely speaks English and they have young children. A er he was wounded, Specialist Rivera moved his parents to live with him and his father speaks no English. Considering his current situa on, Specialist Rivera’s pay takes care of his en re family. He is taking care of them all as he is surviving his wounds.

Specialist Rivera is a man who does not ask for a lot of help. A er his air condi oner unit malfunc oned, he did everything he could to fi x it before a call was made to Wish For Our Heroes. Upon hearing the request, Pat McAfee volunteered to fund a brand new HVAC system so Specialist Rivera did not have to endure the severe pain associated with his wounds and the heat.

Army Specialist Rivera

NOTABLE MILITARY COMMITTMENTS PRIOR TO 2016

- As part of Wish For Our Heroes, donated more than $20,000 to three military families who lost their homes due to fi re in 2015.

- In 2015, donated $10,000 to an ac ve military member to furnish a new apartment in connec on with Wish For Our Heroes.

- Gave $10,000 to a struggling military family and paid six months of their u lity bills at a Wish For Our Heroes Halloween fundraiser.

- Donated $25,000 for Wish For Our Heroes at their 2015 holiday gala.

- Hosted 100 military members at Indy 11’s Military Apprecia on Night in May of 2015. McAfee took photos and signed autographs.

- Has hosted two “Red, White and Booms ck Gala’s” (2014 and 2015) to help raise funds for the Pat McAfee Founda on.

- In 2014, helped struggling heroes for the holidays and gave $25,000 to 14 military families in need.

- Along with former teammate Coby Fleener, McAfee joined hhgregg to give Army veteran Erich Orrick (Bronze Star and Purple Heart recipient), single father of two, a home makeover.

- In 2013, at the Colts November 10 “Salute to Service” game in Indianapolis, McAfee had a surprise in store in support of the U.S. Armed Forces when he reunited a military husband with his wife and two sons and donated a new Toyota SUV to the family.

- Was a guest speaker at the 205th Infantry Brigade Ball.

- Visited Camp A erbury to provide moral support to soldiers who were about to be deployed overseas.

- Ini ated and funded the #ThankAHero Campaign.

- Was named a fi nalist for the 5th Annual NFL Salute to Service Award in 2015 and was the Colts nominee in 2013 and 2014.

Photo courtesy of hhgregg

Photo courtesy of the Indy Star

Photo courtesy of Wish For Our Heroes

“As a Veteran, few people I know have made more of a diff erence not just in Indianapolis, but na onally in the hearts and minds of service members, Veterans and their families. Pat’s remarkable dedica on to the troops has sparked a drive to help our troops in ways people don’t realize. He not only gives of his own wealth, but he does it in a way that makes others want to step up and do something. It is far easier to just write a check and not think any further of problems. Pat sees that his posi on as an NFL player can do so much more and uses it to ensure the struggle of our Na on’s heroes isn’t overlooked. His ac ons not only help our troops but unite the en re Indianapolis community in helping others. His selfl ess ac ons have inspired so many to do the right thing by helping their struggling neighbors.”

- Erich OrrickWish For Our Heroes