US Marine Who Served In Korea Criticized Over NFL Reunion With Wife
A US Marine officer who recently served in South Korea has earned the scorn of Deadspin.com for what was basically a publicity stunt reunion during a St. Louis Rams preseason game:
During last weekend’s preseason St. Louis Rams game, a familiar ritual played out: With a stadium full of fans and a television audience watching, Rams cheerleader Candace Ruocco Valentine was surprised by the arrival of her husband August Valentine, a Marine Corps first lieutenant, who had just returned home from service abroad.
As a series of visuals, shown in the video below, it was a sterling example of the genre. The All-American cheerleader literally drops her pom-poms to run toward her husband, relief written across her face as she does; the happy young couple embraces; and Rampage, an anthropomorphic ram, looks on approvingly at their release from anxiety and fear.
As a set of facts, though, the heartwarming moment was basically bullshit, despite which the viral glurge machine went ahead and ran with the story of a joint triumph for the Valentines, the St. Louis Rams, the NFL, and the Pentagon. [Deadspin]
You can read the rest at the link, but 1st Lieutenant August Valentine is part of the Busch family of Anheuser-Busch beer fame and his wife’s first game as a cheerleader just happened to be when he makes his surprise arrival back from Korea. Anyone think this was just coincidence? According to this Fox News interview his wife knew her husband’s unit recently came back from South Korea which made me think he may have just been over there for UFG and not even on a long deployment like most other servicemembers. Also of interest is that Mrs. Valentine’s mother is running for an Illinois State Representative seat and using the publicity of this reunion to help her campaign. I am willing to bet this was all setup by Busch family connections to be the publicity stunt that it became.
Despite all this what gets me is that Mrs. Valentine is also a Marine officer. You would think that with all the sexual harassment and assault criticism that the military has received that cheerleading which sexually objectifies women would be frowned upon. Then again with all the issues of alcohol abuse in the ranks, the military allowed itself to be used to sell beer during the Super Bowl. Guess who was also involved in that controversy, you guessed it Anheuser-Busch.
They should have a reality show!
Well, look at that.
She has a freshly shaved Busch.
Laws are for the little people…
“I am willing to bet this was all setup by Busch family connections to be the publicity stunt that it became.”
I don’t hear you complaining about the “publicity stunt” played on American citizens on a daily basis by GOP media to support war, killing, sex trafficking, sexual assault, and the weapons industry. Nor did I hear a word from you about the DOD paying the NFL and many other sporting entities to make it look like they care and so therefore everyone else should(gag me with a spoon) when all those servicethemselfmembers attend games for fake “honor.”
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/defense-department-paid-5-4-million-nfl-honor-troops/
The military–industrial complex, or military–industrial–congressional complex, comprises of the policy and monetary relationships which exist between legislators, national armed forces, and the arms industry that supports them.
The biggest socialism gov’t department in the USA is the DOD ❗
Random observation: I’d put him at 25-ish yet he has the receding hairline of a man twice that age. Seems to be common these days. I work with a number of 20 somethings and 30 somethings who have the same premature condition. Some are so embarrassed by it they shave their head so the receding hairline isn’t visible.