Will Montgomery didn’t know what to expect, but following his experience, he repeatedly used one word to describe it: “awesome.”
On April 26, while the NFL world was fixated on the first day of the draft, the Washington Redskins center spent the day showing support and thanks to members of the United States military. He recently finished reading “American Sniper,” so it was perfect timing.
“The sizes of the tanks and vehicles were awesome, and I’m glad I’m on the same side as the Marines,” Montgomery told Pro Player Insiders in an exclusive interview.
Montgomery, a Virginia native, visited Marines stationed in Quantico, Va. as a mutually-beneficial event during the offseason. But Montgomery didn’t realize that he would get the chance to be a Marine for the day.
Quantico’s annual “Marine Friends and Family Day” gave him the opportunity to experience what U.S. Marines go through.
Prior to a simulated invasion, snipers secured the area by hitting precise targets. Invisible to the naked eye, they were under the guise of camouflage and were only a few hundred feet from the crowd.
“It was surreal seeing all the guns up close, and it was cool to see the sniper Marine all decked out with his camouflage face paint and realistic leaves and vegetation hanging off his helmet,” Montgomery said.
The ground forces entered the open field to simulate tactics used when an enemy invades a territory, which included the “buddy rush.” Ground troops carrying shoulder rockets assisted the cause by blasting target tanks paving the way for Marine tanks to enter the attack. With .50-caliber machine guns and M-19 grenade launchers, the tanks opened a full throttle attack on the targets.
“The ride in the tank was cool and the entire experience was sweet,” Montgomery said.
Once the smoke cleared, it was apparent that Montgomery enjoyed learning the ins and outs of these specialized careers.
“It was an awesome display of power,” said Montgomery, adding that his Redskins teammates envied his experience at Quantico. “The simulated attack just reaffirms my respect and gratitude for what these men and women do for our country.”
Escort Sgt. Cory Callahan took the Redskins center to see a weapons demonstration including the .50-caliber machine gun, M-19 grenade launcher, the “saw” and smaller weapons like the M-16.
Some Marines chatted with the Redskins player about the state of their favorite NFL teams. Among their questions for Montgomery was, “What’s it truly like to be an NFL player?”
Montgomery responded, “It’s good when you’re winning and bad when you’re losing.”
After completing a muddy ride on the tracks (vehicles used to transport Marines on the ground), the final phase included a static display of everything from enemy weapons to tanks. It also served as a rare opportunity for the Quantico-based servicemen and servicewomen to chat with an NFL player. Many of them embraced the opportunity to talk to a player about something other than weapons and tactics.
“It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Willis Whalen, NFLPA manager of player services and development, who helped coordinate Montgomery’s visit to the base.
Special thanks to Willis Whalen for contributing to this story.
By Khalil Garriott
Follow Khalil on Twitter at @khalilgarriott
