As part of its ongoing efforts to support the U.S. Armed Forces, Speedway Motorsports, Inc. (NYSE:TRK) unveiled on Sunday its plans for Welcome Home Patriots, an initiative to improve the lives of active and post-servicemen and servicewomen.
Welcome Home Patriots is designed to close the gap between the military community and the civilian community by partnering with companies whose mission is to give back to America’s troops after their careers in the U.S. Armed Forces – and to provide a welcoming race-day VIP experience for them at SMI’s world-class motorsports facilities from coast to coast.
The initiative is designed to provide three tangible benefits:
- Salute – Members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their families will be thanked for their courage, commitment and sacrifice in part with unique race-day experiences.
- Engage – Civilians will be included in the initiative as a means to strengthen the military-civilian relationship and create a better understanding of common values.
- Enable – Connections to job and service providers will assist, advise and facilitate needs as military members transition back to civilian life.
“When a soldier enters training, the concept of individual is replaced with the concept of team,” said Speedway Motorsports, Inc. President and CEO Marcus Smith. “After active duty, transitioning back to civilian society as an individual can be challenging. Our goal with Welcome Home Patriots is to bridge that gap and let these American heroes know they are supported and appreciated.”
Leading the charge in the Welcome Home Patriots initiative will be Speedway Motorsports’ new Vice President of Armed Forces Affairs, retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Chuck Swannack. A 1971 graduate of West Point and a native of Winston-Salem, N.C., Swannack served more than three decades in the Army, culminating as the commanding general of the 82nd Airborne division at Fort Bragg and leading his troops in combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom. After supporting children in need for the last five years as the executive director of Speedway Children’s Charities, Swannack looks forward to his next mission – supporting veterans.
“I am honored and humbled to be given this opportunity with Speedway Motorsports,” Swannack said. “Our nation’s brave servicemen and servicewomen deserve to come home and enjoy life to its fullest. With Welcome Home Patriots, we’ll work to ensure that ambition becomes a reality and aggressively establish partnerships with companies who are as passionate about supporting the military as we are.”
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