| by Courtney Dabney |Amon G. Carter Stadium is happy to welcome the patriotic Armed Forces Bowl back to Fort Worth, which will pit the U.S. Naval Academy (pending eligibility) against a Mountain West rival again this year.
ESPN Regional Television (ERT) will be running the show, both producing and broadcasting the big game.
The Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl has had the same military theme for the past several years. Fans of past Bowls have been treated to awe-inspiring flyovers, fan fest areas featuring military hardware and demonstrations by highly trained military skydivers.
The 2013 Bowl should be no different, says Brant Ringler, Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl executive director. "There will be vintage Jeeps on display, a special veteran's tailgate area, interactive booths representing the different branches of our armed services, and over 100 Patriot Guard motorcycles on display."
After the big game, Emerald City Band will take the stage in the Adventure Area just east of the stadium, headlining the post-game concert.
"Bell Helicopter is proud to be the title sponsor for the 2013 Armed Forces Bowl," says Robert Hastings, senior vice president of Communications and Government Affairs. "This is the company's eighth year sponsoring the AFB and for good reason. Bell Helicopter has a long, rich history of supporting our troops in battle. We take pride in that. This bowl in particular supports these brave men and women, and this is just one of the many ways we're able to honor and pay tribute to them."
In future years, the Armed Forces Bowl remains committed to featuring one military academy football team with various challengers coming from either the Big 10 or the Big 12 conferences.
Ringler says, "Thanks to our Corporate Partner Program, tickets to the Armed Forces Bowl will be given to over 10,000 active duty members and veterans this year. Fort Worth is a very patriotic city. This event is a way for the community to come out and say thank you to our military for a job well done."
