How Army Football Is Different From Other Football Programs

When Army's (that is, West Point's) football team is on the field, they're different from the players on the other side of the ball in at least one important respect:

Last Friday, word came that an Army football player from the West Point class of 2010, 1^st Lt. Stephen “Chase” Prasnicki, age 24, had died two days earlier, serving in Afghanistan.   

I first read the news on Facebook, in Army QB Trent Steelman's post about his former teammate from the 2009 season: "Thank you for paying the ultimate sacrifice brother. RIP Pras.” 

Along with the respectful words of condolence was a collage of photos: #17 in a Black Knight football uniform, the soldier in camouflage uniform, a bride and her husband in dress blues. 

Army Times reported, “Two soldiers who were killed in an improvised explosive device blast earlier this week in Afghanistan were identified”, adding, “they died Wednesday in Maidan Shahr, Wardak province, of wounds caused by an improvised explosive device.”

Rest in peace, indeed.