Fort Campbell Soldiers Party Super Bowl Style at The Zone

Written by Sgt. Joe Padula
2nd Brigade Combat Team PAO

Fort Campbell, KY – “Did you see that!” screamed a Soldier while jumping out of his seat as he watched New York Giants’ wide receiver, Mario Manningham, make a game-changing catch late in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLVI.

The amazed fan was among the more than 500 people and fifty other Soldiers from the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), watching the championship game at Fort Campbell Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s The Zone, February 5th. He thought it was the place to be for the big game.

“I’m here to watch the Superbowl and I am surprised and impressed with how it turned out here,” said Spc. Kevin Cude, a petroleum supply specialist and a company Better Opportunity for Single Soldiers representative with Company G, 1st Battalion, 320th Field Artillery Regiment. “This is excellent to see so many of the single Soldiers come out and just enjoy themselves and get out of the barracks meeting new people, watching a great game, life is good.”

The Zone started their Superbowl party at 2:00pm with tailgate style food/beverages, door prizes, and about 30 large screens allowing those who came to be a part of the 111.3 million viewing audience.

“This is the Soldiers’ place, their home away from home,” said Catherine Walker, manager of The Zone and hostess of the party. “The Strike Soldiers and the regulars are great and we are letting them develop The Zone into what they want it to be and this turnout is fantastic.”

With all the amenities available for the partiers, they were able to freely root for their team of choice, which came with mixed judgment.

“Let’s go Giants,” said Spc. Christopher Siegrist, an infantryman with Company A, 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment. “I’m having a good time at The Zone watching the game and having a few drinks with my boys and yeah, this is helping unit cohesion, absolutely.”

Some Soldiers were in support of the favored New England team, who still enjoyed themselves despite their teams defeat by a score of 21-17.

“I’m rooting for the Patriots,” said Pfc. Dominic Teresa Montano of Company F, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment and the battalion’s BOSS representative. “I’m enjoying the party with my friends today and I’m real impressed with the crowd and the prizes.”

Others who did not have their favorite team involved were there to watch a good game and the football atmosphere.

“I didn’t care either way for the outcome of the game, but I am happy to here,” said Pfc. Brian Sullivan an intelligence analyst with HHC, 2nd BCT. “The party was great, the food was great and all of the free prizes were like, wow, these are some really nice things.”

About 17 drawings for prizes were held per each quarter during the game, that put in the hands of the Soldiers items like Superbowl leather jackets and apparel, video games, CD’s, a football shaped grill, a kegerator for 21 and over aged participants, 14K gold Superbowl coins, VIP seating during the game and a 55” television. Whether or not they won a prize, the Strike Soldiers walked away from The Zone’s 2012 Superbowl party with something.

“I’m seeing a lot of Strike Soldiers here laughing, smiling and it’s a good thing, I’ve never seen it like this before,” said Pfc. Lajoyce Perkins, an automated logistical specialist with Company G, 1st Btn., 320th FAR. “I hope to see more events just like this more often because we’re leaving here a lot closer.”

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