Philadelphia Eagles will honor former cheerleader who joined Army on Sunday
By Josh Hill
We watch sports, specifically football, to get away from the real world and all of its problems. But for some, the outside world cannot be ignored and the urge to try and help protect it becomes one that cannot be held down. Pat Tillman is the most famous name of this generation to set aside a career in football to do what he thought was right and he’s not the only one.
The Philadelphia Eagles will be honoring former cheerleader Rachel Washburn on Sunday for her service in the United States Army. Washburn was a cheerleader for the Eagles for three seasons before she both literally and symbolically put down the pom-poms to protect and serve her country. The Eagles didn’t forget that and they aren’t about to let another Sunday pass where she isn’t honored for her decision.
Washburn’s tale is truly one that you cannot script, although it does sound like something out of a Hollywood movie. The bombshell could have gotten by in life on her looks but decided to put it all on the line to serve two tours in Kuwait, even delivering a baby to a woman in the midst of a severe storm. You cannot make up the bravery and passion that Washburn has for her country and football is going to take the back burner on Sunday to a cheerleader-turned-soldier who truly plays by her own rules.
The Eagles put out an official announcement of Washburn’s accomplishments ahead of the halftime ceremony on Sunday night:
"Lieutenant Washburn was an Eagles Cheerleader from 2007-2009 and recently returned from her 2nd tour in Afghanistan, where she was deployed to the dangerous Logar Provence. During her tour, she served as a Platoon Leader for a Multi-sensor Ground intelligence platoon with the 3rd Infantry Division, and earned numerous honors, including the Bronze Star Medal. She was also one of the first female soldiers in the Army’s competitive Cultural Support Team, attached to Special-operations combat forces such as the Army Green Berets, Rangers, and Navy SEALs."
Philadelphia will be at home playing the Chicago Bears in front of NBC cameras that will surely take the time to give Washburn a tip of the cap for all she’s done.