Cardinal Game Held 'Just For' Missouri National Guardsmen

The Sept. 2 Cardinal baseball game versus the Cincinnati Reds at Busch Stadium will hold special meaning for families of Missouri National Guardsmen serving in Afghanistan and for the soldiers as well, indicated Bill Phelan, public affairs representative, 70th Troop Command, Missouri National Guard, in a news release.

The Friday night game will be televised to U.S. Troops throughout the world on the Armed Forces Network as part of Fox Sports Midwest’s annual “This One’s For You” salute to the military. The broadcast will feature live interviews with soldiers of the 1138th Transportation Company, which is on a convoy operations mission delivering supplies throughout Afghanistan. Soldiers of Missouri National Guard Agribusiness Development Team V, based in Jalalabad, also will be featured via previously taped greetings to family and friends.

Missouri Agribusiness Development Teams have been operating on a rotating basis in the Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan for several years. The teams have been helping the Afghans develop a sustainable agriculture program. 

While Sept. 2 the game will air at 7 p.m. St. Louis time, soldiers of the 1138th will be tuning in at 4:30 a.m. from Bagram Air Field.

More than 250 soldier family members wearing special t-shirts will attend the game and sit in section 268 at Busch. Other Cardinal fans attending the game are encouraged to bring banners and signs saluting U.S. Troops, while fans watching at home can send messages to soldiers via social media. 

The 1138th is headquartered at historic Jefferson Barracks in south St. Louis County, the oldest continually operated military post west of the Mississippi River.  About 170 soldiers of the unit are currently deployed to Afghanistan. Prior to their departure, Cardinal broadcaster, Al Hrabosky, visited the unit and present the company commander, Capt. Jamie Melchert, of Columbia, with a Hrabosky bobble head doll, which Melchert took to Afghanistan. Since then, soldiers of the unit have been showing their Cardinal spirit by being photographed with the doll at various places in the country. Some of the photos have been featured in Fox Sports Midwest promotional announcements.

Phelan indicated “This One’s For You” is produced by Fox Sports Midwest in cooperation with the St. Louis Cardinals, the Armed Forces Network, DVIDS and the Missouri National Guard.