Warrior Wishes Come True At The Atlanta Braves Game!
So far today, warrior wishes have come true in Chicago at the Cubs game & in Boston at the Red Sox game!
For game 3 of our Quadruple Header, my dad is back in Atlanta making Wishes come true at the Braves new stadium, SunTrust Park.
It has been a crazy week for my dad this week as he has hosted warriors at the Rays, Lightning, Heat, Marlins & Braves games.
Last night for the first time all week, he actually let me get him a hotel & he slept in an actual bed! For those of you who haven’t been following our mission that long, you can usually find him sleeping at the airports or on a park bench…
Anyways, he was refreshed and ready to go for a second straight night of baseball at the new SunTrust Park. Before meeting up with today’s guests, my dad caught up on some work hanging out poolside under the Georgia sunshine. At around 2pm, my dad headed out to the stadium to meet up with Army Sgt Donald White and his wife Chrissy.
SGT White joined the Army in 1996 fresh out of high school. He proudly served our country for 20 years! See his Bio below.
While waiting for Sgt White & his wife to arrive, my dad took in all the festivities going on around the stadium. He scored an awesome Braves commemorative “First Game Ever at SunTrust Park” shirt. And also got to meet former Brave, Brian Jordan.
SGT White and his wife arrived for dinner around 4:45 at the new Sport & Social Club located just steps away from the stadium entrance.
Rob, the GM, provided a VIP experience to Sgt White & his wife. He personally greeted them at the door & thanked Donald for his service. He then escorted them to their table and promptly got them a drink.
My dad enjoyed getting to know our guests over a delicious meal courtesy of the Sport & Social Club. He also gave them brand new Braves caps courtesy of our friends at New Era.
As game time approached, everyone thanked Rob for the meal & headed inside to watch the Padres take on the Braves.
During the game, our friend, and previous Warrior Wish recipient Ron Rodriguez stopped by the seats to present Sgt White with gift bags. Ron now works with the Braves and has helped us make wishes come true over the past few years.
Thanks to a couple of Braves home runs, the Braves went on to beat the Phillies by the score of 4-2.
Operation Warrior Wishes would like to thank Rob from Sport & Social for providing the pregame meal, The Marriott Marquis Atlanta for the “Suite” room for SGT White, Ron from the Braves for providing the awesome gift bags & New Era for providing the Braves caps for our guests.
TOGETHER WE MAKE WARRIOR WISHES COME TRUE!
Most importantly, we want to thank Sgt Donald White for his dedicated military service to our country!
Stay tuned to see what happens what the puck drops between the Predators & Blackhawks for the 4th game of today’s Quadruple header!
As for my dad, he’s now off to catch a bus to Nashville to make Warrior Wishes come true at the Grand Ole Opry with Adam Sandler!!!!
MEET SGT DONALD WHITE
History
- High school graduation – May 1996
- Enlistment into the United States Army – August 1996
- Attended and Graduated US Army basic training at Ft Leonard Wood Missouri – October 1996
- Attended the advanced individual training in Fort Huachuca Arizona for US Army Military Intelligence Analyst – October 1996
- Attended 2nd Advanced Individual Training in Ft Sill Oklahoma for US Army Field Artillery Cannon Crew Member – March 1997
- August 1997 – Assigned to Bravo Battery, 2nd Battalion 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, Ft. Polk Louisiana – Accomplishments include, Promotion from PVT – SGT, 4 time NTC Deployment with Hero of the Battlefield twice earning the Honorable Order of the Wolf Award, Earning the Air Assault Badge
- September 2000 – Assigned to Echo Battery, 1st Battalion 22nd Field Artillery Regiment, Ft Sill Oklahoma – Assigned as a field artillery instructor – Accomplishments – graduated instructor certification course, Master Gunner Course, Paladin Commanders Course, instructed over 1000 soldiers to become Cannon Crew Members, Married Chrissy Lyn White
- February 2003 – assigned to Bravo Battery, 3rd Battalion 29th field artillery regiment, Fort Carson Colorado – Duty positions held, Gunner, Ammunition Team Chief, Section Chief, Battalion Master Gunner – Accomplishments, two tours to Iraq in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn, Saved the life of a child staged as a road side bomb resulting in being awarded the Bronze Star. Led over 300 combat patrols, fired over 2000 Artillery rounds. Hunted, detained, arrested and convicted over 50 High Value Targets in the Iraq court system, accepted into the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara ( patron saint of the field artillery)
- May 2007 – Assigned to Quincy Illinois Recruiting Station, 5th Recruiting Brigade Indianapolis IN – Duty positions – Detailed Recruiter, Assistant Station Commander, Accomplishments – Enlisted over 200 future soldiers into the United States Army, Earned the Gold Recruiter badge with 3 Safire’s, selected as recruiter of the year twice in a row in 2007 and 2008. Completed BS in Forestry from the University of Oklahoma
- September 2009 – Assigned to Alpha Battery, 3rd Battalion 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 4th Infantry Division, Ft Carson CO. – Duty positions – Section Chief, Chief of Firing Battery, Gunnery Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant. Accomplishments – selected as the Battalion Modern Army Combatives Instructor, 2 time winner of the Field Artillery Top Gun competition, selected as Battalion Close Quarters Combat instructor.
- August 2012 – Assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division. Position – 2nd Brigade Taskings NCOIC. Accomplishments – made lead tasking NCO issuing operation orders to over 4000 soldiers daily, Daughter and son both graduating High School, Daughter Graduating college, son beginning college at Georgia Southern University, birth of First Grandchild,
- August 12 2016 – RETIREMENT!
- September 2016 – Begin the Savannah Chatham Metro Police Department Academy
- February 2017 – Began working as a Savannah Chatham Metropolitan Police Officer in Savannah Georgia.
Awards
National Defense Service Medal, Non-commissioned officer development ribbon x 2, NATO Service medal, Overseas Service Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal,Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Army commendation medal x 7, Army Achievement Medal x 9, Good Conduct Medal x 8, Bronze Star, Meritorious service Medal, Army service Ribbon, Iraq Campaign Medal
Badges
Drivers Badge – Mechanized, Drivers Badge – Wheeled, Recruiters Badge with 3 Safire’s, Air Assault Badge, Combat Action Badge
Nominate your Hero for an upcoming game on our “Battlefields to Ballfields” mission.
