Team MacDill Assists Tampa Bay Rays Opening Game Published April 9, 2010 By Capt. Shane Huff 927th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs Office MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, FL -- The Tampa Bay Rays have a history of being very supportive of their local military community, and this was once again demonstrated at the Tampa Bay Rays spring season opening game against the Baltimore Orioles Tuesday. Every home game, Raytheon and the Grow Financial Federal Credit Union sponsor MacDillville behind the bullpen down the first base line. In cooperation with the Rays, the various commands at MacDill Air Force Base are given 24 tickets for each game. These are used for returning personnel assigned to the base, personnel returning from deployment, families of deployed personnel and staff. Each Sunday home game, the Rays proudly salute the local family of an active service member who is serving in Iraq. Team MacDill was invited to participate in the opening ceremonies of the Rays first game. A military color guard representing each branch of service, a repelling team from the Joint Communications Support Element, and the flag detail all took part in the opening. Captain Zach Davidson, a KC-135 Stratotanker pilot with the 63rd Air Refueling Squadron, was one of several 927th members who participated in a seventy-member flag detail during the opening ceremony. The flag was approximately 30X50 yards in length and width. "It was a neat experience to be holding this flag with active duty, guard, and reserve members from every branch of service," said Captain Davidson. "There were so many people passing by who shouted out, 'We love you guys!', and gave other words of appreciation showing support of our military."