Sergeant Major Bryan B. Battaglia returns as Grand Marshal of the Military Bowl® Parade

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Military Bowl® presented by Northrop Grumman, benefiting the USO, announced today that Sergeant Major Bryan B. Battaglia, the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the senior non-commissioned officer in the U.S. Armed Forces, will return as the Grand Marshal of the Military Bowl Parade on Saturday, Dec. 27.

Led by the world-famous Clydesdales, the parade begins in downtown Annapolis near City Dock at 9 a.m. and will follow the tail end of the Military Bowl 5K race. The route proceeds up Main Street before eventually working its way to Rowe Boulevard and concluding on Taylor Avenue adjacent to Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

The Military Bowl between Virginia Tech and the University of Cincinnati begins at 1 p.m. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN. Tickets are available by calling 888-841-2787 or visiting militarybowl.org. The box office will open at 10 a.m. on gameday.

“We are excited and honored that Sergeant Major Battaglia is returning to serve as the parade’s Grand Marshal,” Military Bowl President & Executive Director Steve Beck said. “Last year’s parade was an unqualified success and this year’s parade will be bigger and better.”

Battaglia, 53, joined the Marine Corps in 1979. He serves as the principal military advisor to the Chairman and the Secretary of Defense on all matters involving joint and combined total force integration, utilization, health of the force and joint development for enlisted personnel.

In addition to the Clydesdales, the parade will feature bands, cheerleaders, color guards and other performers, as well as several recipients of the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military honor, which is given for personal acts of valor above and beyond the call of duty. For the first time, the Washington Nationals Racing Presidents will join other mascots in the parade.

Mercedes-Benz of Annapolis is the official vehicle provider for the parade and WRNR-FM will provide an emcee for the parade.

Parade spectators are encouraged to park in the Annapolis public parking garages: Gotts Court Parking Garage (25 Northwest Street), Knighton Parking Garage (1A Colonial Avenue), Park Place (5 Park Place). Spectators can take a free Circulator trolley to get around the downtown area on gameday. This trolley will only run from Park Place Garage along West Street to downtown Annapolis, at Church Circle, picking up people along the way.

The parade will conclude at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, where spectators can join the Official Tailgate Party that begins at 9 a.m. in the Blue Lot on the stadium’s west side. Admission to the tailgate also is free, and food and beverages will be available for purchase.

The tailgate features a DJ and live music from the popular local country music band Brady J & the Reaction. Budweiser Build-A-Bars and the Clydesdales will help round out the pregame party.

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About the Military Bowl® presented by Northrop Grumman
The seventh annual Military Bowl® presented by Northrop Grumman kicks off on Dec. 27 at 1 p.m. ET at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, featuring a matchup between the Atlantic Coast Conference and the American Athletic Conference. Organized by the DC Bowl Committee and Events DC since its inception in 2008, the Military Bowl serves as a premier regional event benefiting the USO and other organizations supporting members of the Armed Forces and their families. For more information, please visit militarybowl.org.

About the USO
The USO lifts the spirits of America’s troops and their families millions of times each year at hundreds of places worldwide. The organization provides a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases in the U.S. and abroad, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. The USO also provides critical support to those who need it most, including forward-deployed troops, military families, wounded warriors, troops in transition and families of the fallen. The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency. The programs and services are made possible by the American people, support of corporate partners and the dedication of volunteers and staff.