Whitt Named Finalist for Armed Forces Merit Award
October 24, 2016 | Football
Texas Tech strength and conditioning coach Rusty Whitt is one of five finalists for the award
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech head strength and conditioning coach Rusty Whitt has been named a finalist for the 2016 Armed Forces Merit Award presented by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA).
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Coordinated by the staff at the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, the Armed Forces Merit Award was created in June 2012 "to honor an individual and/or group with a military background and/or involvement that has an impact within the realm of college football."
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Whitt is one of five finalists for the award as he is joined by Fran McMenamin, a Marine veteran who is an offensive lineman for East Stroudsburg University, Navy outside linebackers coach Robert Green, 2015 runner-up Steven Rhodes of Middle Tennessee State and the entire Kansas State football program.
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Whitt, a veteran of the United States Army, is in his first season on the Texas Tech staff after previously spending six seasons in a similar role at Louisiana-Lafayette. He has also served stints at Rice, Midwestern State and Texas during his career.
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Whitt resumed his coaching career at Rice following six-plus years as a Senior Special Forces Communication Sergeant in the 10th Special Forces Group. Whitt was a member of the U.S. Army from Aug. 2003-Jan. 2009 where during that time, he deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) V and VI.
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During his military career, Whitt developed and initiated a comprehensive pre-deployment conditioning program for his Special Forces Team prior to and during OIF V and VI. He received a combat infantry badge, two Iraqi campaign medals and an Army commendation medal with valor for his service.
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Since arriving at Texas Tech last January, Whitt has coordinated with local military organizations to bring local ROTC units to offseason workouts. Tech has also participated in the 22 Pushup Challenge and the Fallen Ruck March during his tenure.
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The 2016 recipient of the Armed Forces Merit Award will be announced on Nov. 11 (Veteran's Day). The award is chosen by a committee made up of five FWAA members and two representatives of the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl.
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Coordinated by the staff at the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, the Armed Forces Merit Award was created in June 2012 "to honor an individual and/or group with a military background and/or involvement that has an impact within the realm of college football."
Â
Whitt is one of five finalists for the award as he is joined by Fran McMenamin, a Marine veteran who is an offensive lineman for East Stroudsburg University, Navy outside linebackers coach Robert Green, 2015 runner-up Steven Rhodes of Middle Tennessee State and the entire Kansas State football program.
Â
Whitt, a veteran of the United States Army, is in his first season on the Texas Tech staff after previously spending six seasons in a similar role at Louisiana-Lafayette. He has also served stints at Rice, Midwestern State and Texas during his career.
Â
Whitt resumed his coaching career at Rice following six-plus years as a Senior Special Forces Communication Sergeant in the 10th Special Forces Group. Whitt was a member of the U.S. Army from Aug. 2003-Jan. 2009 where during that time, he deployed to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) V and VI.
Â
During his military career, Whitt developed and initiated a comprehensive pre-deployment conditioning program for his Special Forces Team prior to and during OIF V and VI. He received a combat infantry badge, two Iraqi campaign medals and an Army commendation medal with valor for his service.
Â
Since arriving at Texas Tech last January, Whitt has coordinated with local military organizations to bring local ROTC units to offseason workouts. Tech has also participated in the 22 Pushup Challenge and the Fallen Ruck March during his tenure.
Â
The 2016 recipient of the Armed Forces Merit Award will be announced on Nov. 11 (Veteran's Day). The award is chosen by a committee made up of five FWAA members and two representatives of the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl.
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