Salute to Service: Honoring the Service of U.S. Marine Eric Rozga & U.S. Army Veteran Mike Uehlein: Remembering Our Veterans
Salute to Service represents the NFL's dedication to honoring service members, veterans and their families.
It is grounded in deep partnerships with the Bob Woodruff Foundation (BWF), Pat Tillman Foundation (PTF), Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), United Service Organizations (USO) and Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP).
Since 2011, more than $66 million has been raised for these Salute to Service Partners.
Eric Rozga and Mike Uehlein are diehard Cleveland Browns fans. They also have a deep passion for their country and military service. Eric is a former U.S. Marine and Mike is an Army veteran.
"In the '80s we all were proud, our parents are proud, and we felt it was our duty," said Eric. "My great uncle was one of the first ones killed in World War II the day before Guadalcanal. So, my grandma was a Marine, he won a Silver Star, we were a Marine Corp family."
"My brother was in the Air Force. I just lost my dad this year, he was a Marine and so we always want to honor the honor those guys. I lost a buddy of mine in training, he was killed right in front of me and I every Veteran's Day, I take the time to call his sister and let his parents know that we still think about him," said Mike. "And this year, we're having a reunion for our 37th Battalion, and we're going to go see them."
When their tours of duty ended they never really stop serving or giving back to fellow veterans.
"I work in the UAW Veterans Committee and we hand out clothes to the homeless vets. But I've been taking my daughter, my friends take their daughters, and we collect money throughout the year, do collections at work, and we hand out underwear, socks, shirts, coats, all the homeless vets so they have something to wear," said Eric.
When the national anthem is played before any event, it is still a spine tingling moment for both.
"There's a Vietnam vet, who's a police, I think he's in North Royalton. He sits right in front of me and him and I always pivot," said Mike. "We pivot right to the flag and we put our hands behind our back and and we honor and we just don't say a word."