Fort Worth, Texas — Nominations are now being accepted for the 2021 Armed Forces Merit Award presented by the Football Writers Association of America.

Coordinated by the staff at the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, the Armed Forces Merit Award presented by the FWAA was created in June 2012 “to honor an individual and/or a group with a military background and/or involvement that have an impact within the realm of college football.”

Nominations for the 2021 Armed Forces Merit Award will be accepted through October 1, when a selection committee of seven FWAA members and two representatives from the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl will review the list of candidates for the 10th annual presentation.

“We are pleased to join with the Football Writers Association of America to honor an individual with a military background or group that works with our armed services that has an impact within college football,” said Brant Ringler, the executive director of the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl.

FWAA executive director Steve Richardson echoed Ringler’s sentiments along with adding that “we have an outstanding list of candidates each year and it is difficult to honor only one recipient when there are several individuals and programs that are very deserving of the honor.”

With 41 nominations (38 individuals and three programs) considered for the 2020 award, Bluefield College defensive lineman Collin O’Donnell was selected as the ninth recipient of the Armed Forces Merit Award. Serving in the U.S Army from 2013-2016, O’Donnell compiled 68 total tackles in his three seasons at Bluefield with four sacks and 10 tackles for losses.

During his military service, O’Donnell was injured in Afghanistan, After two years at Walter Reed National Military Medical Hospital and seven operations to save his foot, he fully rehabilitated and went back home to Buffalo, N.Y., where he began training with the sole intention of playing college football.

After arriving at Bluefield College in the summer of 2018, O’Donnell demonstrated leadership in the Ram football program and performed service to the community. He received numerous awards, highlighted by winning a small business grant that allowed him to open his Coffee and Bake shop called “The Grind” in May 2020.

Nate Boyer of the University of Texas was the initial recipient in 2012. Other recipients were Brandon McCoy of the University of North Texas in 2013, Daniel Rodriguez from Clemson University in 2014, Bret Robertson of Westminster College (Fulton, Mo.) in 2015, Steven Rhodes from Middle Tennessee State University in 2016, Dr. Chris Howard from Robert Morris University in 2018 and Army West Point coach and military service veteran Mike Viti in 2019.

Kansas State and its football team were honored in November 2017 as the sixth recipient of the Armed Forces Merit Award for the university’s partnership with the United States Army that created a bond between the school’s athletic department and the Iron Rangers at Fort Riley.

2021 nominations for the 2021 Armed Forces Merit Award presented by the FWAA should be submitted to Tim Simmons (bfishinc@aol.com, 303/678-8484), the award’s coordinator, by October 1. The nomination link can be found at https://www.armedforcesbowl.com/armed-forces#meritaward-section.

Armed Forces Merit Award presented by the FWAA – 2021 Nominations

Programs

• Athletes Of Valor, Alex Stone, Founder & CEO, Athletes of Valor (U. S. Marines)
• Battlefields To Ballfields, Mike Pereira, CEO/President/Director
• National Association of College Directors of Athletics, Wounded Warrior Project

Active Players

• Cornelius Andrews, Union College, WR, 5-7, 148, Jun., Stockbridge, Ga.
• Rashaud Freeman, Webber International, LB, 6-0, 225, Jun, Jacksonville, Fla. (U. S. Army)
• Kyran Griffin-Isom, Troy University, WR, 6-3, 172, Soph., New Orleans, La. (U. S. Marines)
• Rasheed Holloway, Union College, WR, 6-0, 198, Jun., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
• Damian Jackson, Nebraska, DL, 6-2, 275, Jun. Las Vegas, Nev. (U. S. Navy)
• Kenwon Mack, Union College, CB, 5-9, 165, Soph., Detroit, Mich.

Football Coaching Staff

• Troy Calhoun, Head Coach, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
• Jake Campbell, Assistant Backfield, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
• Robert Green, Defense Assistant & Director of Racial Equality, United States Naval Academy (U. S. Marine Corps)
• Brian Knorr, Inside Linebackers, U. S. Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
• Steed Lobotzke, Offensive Line, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
• Alex Means, Outside Linebackers, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
• Ben Miller, Running Backs/Special Teams Coordinator, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
• Andre Morris, Spurs, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
• John Rudzinski, Defensive Coordinator, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
• Brett Skene, Offensive Assistant, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
• Trent Steelman, Quarterbacks, Eastern Kentucky University (U. S. Army)
• Mike Thiessen, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
• Charlton Warren, Defensive Backs, Georgia (U. S. Air Force)
• Mick Yokitis, Wide Receivers, United States Naval Academy (U. S. Navy)

Football Support Staff

• CPT Donald Bowers, Director of Player Development, United States Naval Academy (U. S. Marines)
• Clayton Kendrick-Holmes, Chief of Staff/Football Operations, United States Military Academy (U. S. Navy)
• LTC John Nawoichyk, Assistant AD/Military Operations, United States Military Academy (U. S. Army)
• Omar Nelson, Director of Player Development, United States Naval Academy (U. S. Navy)
• CPT Blake Powers, Admission Support, United States Military Academy (U. S. Army)
• Steve Senn, Director of Recruiting, United States Air Force Academy (U. S. Air Force)
• Jordan Simmons, Director of Football Strength & Conditioning/Assistant Head Football Coach, Nevada (U. S. Army)
• Rusty Whitt, Football Strength & Conditioning Coach, Troy University (U. S. Army)

University Leadership

• Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., Chancellor of Troy University (U. S. Marine Corps)
• Jim Knowlton, Director of Athletics, University of California (U. S. Army)