UTPB Football will recognize all local military members this Saturday night when the Falcons take on Texas A&M – Commerce in their final home game of the season at 7 p.m. inside Ratliff Stadium.
Active and retired military will receive free admission to the football game at the ticket window on the west side of Ratliff stadium between 12:00 pm and kick-off on the day of the game. A military I.D. must be shown to receive free admission.

"The athletic department's coaches and staff are appreciative of the service and sacrifice our veterans have made on our behalf," said UTPB Athletics Director Steve Aicinena. "Our military has served and fought valiantly to protect the freedoms and privileges we have as Americans. We look forward to celebrating our veterans, our flag and our national anthem before the game and during half time. It is our hope that football fans throughout the Permian Basin will join us for this sincere demonstration of appreciation and support."


In conjunction with the playing of our national anthem, all active military and veterans will be recognized and thanked for their service. Special recognition will be given to Purple Heart recipients during half-time. 
UTPB will also be recognizing the service of Andy Kaufmann. In 1941, he volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Corps soon after the events at Pearl Harbor.  On his 13^th combat mission, his B-17 was shot down over Germany, where he was taken prisoner until the end of the war. Kauffman was a recipient of the Purple Heart and member of the American Ex-Prisoners of War Organization (POW-MIA).  He passed away in Midland a few months ago at age 93.  His son, Dr. Andrew Kauffman of Midland, has been invited by Odessa's MCM Elegante Hotel to receive a posthumous award for his father during a ceremony at halftime. 

The names of any Purple Heart recipients you would like to have recognized during the ceremony should be emailed to Athletics Director Steve Aicinena at Aicinena_s@utpb.edu. Please include the honored individual's name, rank, branch of the military, and the war or conflict in which the individual received his or her injury.