I have always greatly admired the Houston Texans extraordinary contribution to the United States military and our veterans. Coming from a family that is embedded with a military background, I have consistently grown up with a great understanding of the sacrifice that comes along with serving in the U.S. Military. I was extremely excited and honored to have gone alongside some of my amazing teammates to represent the organization on a Pro-Blitz Military Tour. Having the opportunity to go to Poland to visit 11 U.S. Army bases in 10 days was nothing short of extraordinary.

One of the greatest highlights of the tour was getting to host a significant watch party for the Super Bowl in support of the National Football League. It was such a special experience getting to bring a sense of home to brigades that had been in Poland for an extended period, bond over common interests, reintroduce pop culture and crack a few jokes here and there to bring ultimate happiness. We also played games like Uno, tested their agility through "capture the pom", challenged one another to pop-tart eating contests and, my personal favorite, taught some line dances to show them how we do it down in H-Town!

Outside of games, we further bonded with the troops by eating both lunch and dinner on base every day. Simply hearing everybody's different backgrounds, what prompted them to join the military and listen to their dreams beyond their service was extremely eye-opening. Some shared that they wanted to pursue a career in other fields such as physical therapy or with the FBI while others hoped to extend their education.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to learn about military culture while hearing the passionate chants of The Army Song; the pure comradery gave me chills. On top of that, we were fortunate to get a tour of a Bradley, otherwise known as a "baby tank", a Chinook and a Black Hawk which are machinery often used in combat. They also informed us what it means to get a coin. Honoring someone with a coin is a way senior leadership shows their appreciation for a phenomenal job on the spot. It is more than just a thank you or a pat on the back, it is something tangible to remember the moment. One of the last bases gifted us all with a military coin which meant the absolute world to me. That is a keepsake that will forever commemorate the impact made on the bases we visited.

I think it's safe to say that getting to physically be in Poland to see everyday functions, learn about their culture and hear their individual experiences gave me an enhanced appreciation for all they sacrifice. I am thrilled we got to lift their spirits, give them a sense of home and ultimately create memorable experiences throughout every base on our military tour.

It warms my heart to know both sides will forever cherish the special memories made!

-HTC Haley