Armed Forces Appreciation Day at the Houston Livestock Show honored nearly 4,000 military personnel, with 500 recruits.
HOUSTON — Armed Forces Appreciation Day at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo brought together thousands of service members at NRG Park, where nearly 4,000 military personnel were honored and 500 recruits were sworn into service.
The ceremony unfolded with flyovers, special tributes and an oath of enlistment, all against the backdrop of rising tensions overseas, including concerns about potential conflict involving Iran.
The grounds were filled with military uniforms representing every branch of the armed forces, including the Space Force.
The day began with a special flyover of five Apache helicopters from Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, based at Fort Hood, Texas, soaring over NRG Park as the rodeo honored service members.
Organizers rolled out the red carpet during a ceremony outside the grounds to recognize active-duty military members and veterans. Among those honored was a 102-year-old World War II veteran.
Inside NRG Stadium, U.S. Army Special Forces rappelled into the stadium, descending with an American flag that never touched the ground.
Committee Chairman Kimberly Lewis said nearly 4,000 service members attended the festivities, with many traveling from across Texas.
“We had buses from Fort Hood, Fort Polk and NAS Corpus Christi,” Lewis said.
Among those in attendance were 500 recruits who took the oath of service. One of them was 17-year-old Alessandra Zepeda, who is joining the Marines.
“It feels amazing to be here,” Zepeda said.
Zepeda said her decision to serve is rooted in family tradition.
“I grew up in a military family, so anything I can do to be a Marine, I feel proud of myself honoring my family as well,” she said.
She and hundreds of others were officially sworn into service by the Under Secretary of War.
With tensions rising overseas, Zepeda was asked whether the possibility of conflict is intimidating.
“When you join any armed force, you know what you are signing up for,” she said.
Despite the risks and time away from loved ones, she said she is ready to serve.
“Away from family and doing something dangerous, but at the end of the day, serving your country, making the country proud.”
For these young men and women, Armed Forces Appreciation Day was not only a tribute but also the start of their military journey as they prepare for whatever the future holds.
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