Cherokee Veteran receives all-expense paid trip to Super Bowl XLIX
TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — A Cherokee Nation citizen is one of 10 veterans nationwide receiving an all-expense paid trip to this weekend’s Super Bowl XLIX in Phoenix.
U.S. Marine Corps veteran Dustin Butler, of Tahlequah, was chosen by the national nonprofit Operation Enduring Respect to watch the Seattle Seahawks take on the New England Patriots and receive free transportation, lodging, food and souvenirs. The veterans will also attend a NFL Hall of Fame luncheon with Earl Campbell, Roger Staubach and other former NFL greats.
“I can’t really describe the feeling; it’s almost unreal,” said Butler, who will be cheering for the red, white and blue of the Patriots since his Cowboys are out of the playoffs. “I’ve been watching the Super Bowl since I was old enough to remember, and I never expected to ever go in person. Words don’t describe how happy I am to be going and experiencing this firsthand.”
Butler served two tours in Iraq. He enlisted in the U.S. Marines Corps in 1999 and completed his basic training in San Diego. He received an honorable discharge in 2005. In addition to serving six years in the U.S. Marine Corps, Butler also served in the Air Force Reserves from 2006 until 2013, when he was medically discharged.
“This will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for one of our brave Cherokee military veterans and something I can personally relate to. As a Navy veteran just home from Vietnam, I was able to attend Super Bowl I in 1967. It’s something I’ve been proud to claim over the years, even though my team lost the game that day,” said Cherokee Nation Deputy Chief S. Joe Crittenden. “Operation Enduring Respect has an honorable mission to provide memorable experiences to service men and women. We have established a good relationship between the Cherokee Nation and the nonprofit, and I hope we can continue doing projects like this that benefit the people who are most deserving.”
Founded in 2009 by Kevin Phelps and Brian McKee, Operation Enduring Respect was established to provide an opportunity for military men and women to attend sporting events they might not typically be able to attend.
Operation Enduring Respect sent two Cherokee veterans to the annual Red River Showdown in Dallas this past October, and Phelps said the nonprofit plans on continuing to honor more Cherokee and other Native American veterans in the future.
“Native Americans serve in the military at a higher rate than any other group of Americans,” said Phelps, a Cherokee citizen from Austin, Texas. “Military service by Native Americans is to be honored and exemplified in our unique and amazing way. Operation Enduring Respect hopes to raise the profile of Native American service men and women by taking them to these games and honoring their service.”
The nonprofit has provided more than 1,000 tickets to five Super Bowls, and also to the Texas Longhorns, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, Tennessee Titans and Alamo Bowl games over the past five years.
For more information on Operation Enduring Respect, visit www.enduringrespect.com.
Pictured (L to R) Cherokee Nation Deputy Chief S. Joe Crittenden, U.S. Marine Corps veteran Dustin Butler, Principal Chief Bill John Baker and Chief of Staff Chuck Hoskin Sr.
