Cincinnati, Ohio – The Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, in collaboration with the Cincinnati Chapter of the Green Beret Foundation, has selected retired Special Forces Green Beret Nick Brown to attend the Reds Fantasy Camp at the Reds Spring Training Facility in Goodyear, AZ from January 18-25, 2020. While the Reds organization has been a longtime supporter of hosting a veteran participant, this is the first time that a Green Beret veteran will be an honored guest. Nick grew up in the Greater Cincinnati area and resides here with his wife, Emily, and their daughter, Elli. In his free time, Nick is a volunteer Ambassador for the Green Beret Foundation, and a board member of the Green Beret Foundation’s Cincinnati Chapter.
Reds Fantasy Camp is a weeklong opportunity for men and women aged 30 and older to fully immerse themselves in the Major League Baseball experience. In teams co- managed by former Cincinnati Reds players, participants compete in a multiple-game schedule, utilizing the same equipment, facilities, and resources as the pros. The week of training and competition will culminate in a game against the pros at Goodyear Ballpark, where the Reds (and Cleveland Indians) play their home spring training games. All proceeds from the camp benefit the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum in Cincinnati.
People often mention their sports ‘heroes,’ but everyone has come to know who the real heroes are. It is our privilege at this year’s Reds Fantasy Camp to honor one such individual, and give him an experience that may in some small measure express our gratitude for his service and sacrifice.”
“The Reds have been hosting wounded warriors at our camps for years,” says Rick Walls, Executive Director of the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum, “But given our organization’s tradition of support for the Cincinnati Chapter of the Green Beret Foundation, we are especially excited to be hosting Nick this year. People often mention their sports ‘heroes,’ but everyone has come to know who the real heroes are. It is our privilege at this year’s Reds Fantasy Camp to honor one such individual, and give him an experience that may in some small measure express our gratitude for his service and sacrifice.”
“I am extremely grateful to the Reds for offering me this opportunity—which I see not only as a chance to play baseball and have fun with my favorite team, but also as a platform to educate even more people on the mission of the Green Beret Foundation,” said Nick. “My family and I are lifelong Reds fans; my grandmother attended their games well into her 90s. Due to the nature of my work as a Green Beret, I couldn’t always call home from deployment and tell my family much about what I was doing overseas—but we could always talk about baseball and what was new with the Reds. Baseball is not only the ‘Great American Pastime;’ it is also a thread that binds families together and builds morale over long distances and deployments.”
About Sgt. 1st Class (R) Nick Brown:
Sgt. 1st Class (R) Nick Brown, a native of Dayton, Ohio, enlisted in the Army as a Special Forces Candidate in April of 2003. He completed Army Infantry Basic Training and Airborne school at Fort Benning, Georgia. In February 2004, he was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he attended the SF Qualification Course. He was awarded his Green Beret in 2005.
In October 2005, Brown was assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. There, he served as a Special Forces Engineer/Communications Sergeant and Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) from 2005-2009. He deployed on several Counter Narcotics Training Missions to South America, and served two combat deployments supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
In 2010, Brown was selected as a JTAC Instructor and was assigned to United States Army Special Forces Command, G3 Training, Have Ace West Detachment at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. He became a JTAC Evaluator for the Special Forces Regiment, and was reassigned back to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, as the JTAC Program Manager in 2012.
Brown sustained a significant injury during a training mission in late 2012. After multiple surgeries and rehabilitation, he separated from active duty. He joined the Ohio National Guard in 2013, and was medically retired in February 2016.
Currently, Brown resides with his wife of 13 years, Emily, and daughter Elli in Springboro, Ohio. After graduating from Antioch University in Yellow Springs, Ohio with a Bachelor of Arts in Management, he today works as an Account Manager for a small business financing firm.
About the Green Beret Foundation:
Founded in 2009, the Green Beret Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the long-term health of the Green Beret community. The Foundation answers the call of the Green Berets and their families, so that they can succeed in their next mission. The Green Beret Foundation provides casualty support, extended care support, family support, and transition support to aid in this transitioning process. For more information, visit: www.greenberetfoundation.org.
About the Cincinnati Chapter of the Green Beret Foundation:
The Green Beret Foundation’s Cincinnati Chapter is a community-based extension of the national foundation, dedicated to increasing awareness and raising money for the Army’s Special Forces Green Berets. The Cincinnati Chapter holds annual charity events including an annual Green Beret Dinner Reception; the Cincinnati Green Beret Golf Classic; the River Boating for Berets: A Bourbon Excursion, and the Steps n’ Salutes Green Beret 5K race. Local events include active duty and retired Green Berets from the Tristate area. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/CincinnatiSupportersofGreenBeretFoundation/
About the Reds Hall of Fame & Museum presented by Dinsmore:
Driven by a mission to celebrate greatness, preserve history, and provide inspiration, the Reds Hall of Fame & Museum at Great American Ball Park is the place where the story of Reds baseball comes alive each day. The newly renovated museum features 16,000 square feet of historical, interactive, and educational exhibits, highlighting the rich and storied tradition of the Reds for fans of all ages. Since its inception in 1958, 89 players, managers, and executives have been honored with induction into the Reds Hall of Fame. Plan your visit to www.RedsMuseum.org.
