Armed Forces Insurance Announces Third-Year Partnership With Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl

FORT WORTH, Texas, Nov. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Armed Forces Insurance (AFI) (afi.org) is gearing up for its third year as the exclusive and official insurance partner of the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, with a variety of new activities planned for the eighth annual postseason collegiate football game.

As part of the agreement, Armed Forces Insurance will take on three important roles: the co-presenting partner of the Team Kickoff Luncheon, the title partner of the AFI Armed Forces Adventure Area and the presenting partner of the Great American Patriot Award (GAPA). General Craig McKinley, Chief, National Guard Bureau, and Colonel Tom Dials (U.S. Army, Ret.), chairman of AFI, will together present the Great American Patriot Award to this year's recipient.

The 2010 AFI Adventure Area will feature performances by Gary Sinise and the Lieutenant Dan Band, a popular attraction among troops that performs musical covers of everything from Stevie Wonder and Jimi Hendrix classics to contemporary songs, '40s big band tunes and much more. Additionally, the AFI logo will appear on the playing field's 25-yard line, and the company will participate in spots in ESPN's television and radio broadcasts.

"Armed Forces Insurance's involvement in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl will play a big part in the continued growth of the bowl game, as well as helping us honor the recipient of the Great American Patriot Award at halftime," said Brant Ringler, executive director of the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl.

The partnership agreement, which began in 2008, has AFI continuing as the official insurance partner for the Bowl and is a natural fit for AFI, according to Dials.

"Our partnership with the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl gives us an opportunity to recognize our members for their selfless service to our country," said Dials. "We're eagerly anticipating our role in the Bowl festivities, including presenting the 2010 GAPA award."

Armed Forces Benefit Association (AFBA) will serve as a supporting sponsor of this year's Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. A partner of Armed Forces Insurance, they offer life insurance policies to armed services personnel and their dependents. The 2010 Armed Forces Bowl will take place Thursday, December 30, in Dallas, Texas, at Southern Methodist University's Gerald J. Ford Stadium.

About Armed Forces Insurance

AFI was founded in 1887 by military leaders with a single mission: to protect the people who protect our nation. The company provides premium quality, competitively priced property and casualty insurance to military professionals throughout the United States and overseas. Headquartered in Leavenworth, Kansas, AFI understands that military members have unique circumstances and insurance needs, enabling the company to offer a level of personalized service that's unequaled in the industry. For more information, visit the website at afi.org or call 1-800-495-8234.

About Armed Forces Benefit Association

AFBA was established in 1947 as a nonprofit voluntary membership association under the guidance of the Chief of Staff, General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower. Its mission is to provide low-cost life insurance and other related benefits, without a wartime exclusion to persons in the Uniformed Services of the United States. Over the year the AFBA mission has broadened to also promote the general welfare and economic interests of its members and their families by providing superior benefits and service. For more information, visit www.afba.com.

About the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl

Owned and operated by ESPN Regional Television, the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl has featured a military theme since 2006. Patriotic overtones recognizing all five branches of the military are prevalent throughout the game. Past Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowls have included fan-fest areas showcasing military hardware; flyovers; demonstrations by several of the military's top skydiving teams; on-field induction ceremonies; military bands and honor guards; and the awarding of the annual "Great American Patriot Award" (GAPA) presented by Armed Forces Insurance. In 2009, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, accepted the GAPA at halftime on behalf of the men and women of the armed forces. Previous recipients include General David H. Petraeus, Preston "Pete" Geren and Gordon England.

Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, joined the bowl on August 23, 2006, as the title sponsor of the postseason college football game formerly known as the PlainsCapital Fort Worth Bowl (2003, 2004) and the Fort Worth Bowl (2005). 2006 marked the first year for the adoption of the "Armed Forces Bowl" name, making the official title the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. Bell Helicopter has exercised its option for title sponsorship of the game twice. The current agreement was signed in September 2009 to continue the sponsorship for the 2010 and 2011 games with a two-year option for 2012 and 2013.

Ticket prices for the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl are $60. Military veterans receive a discounted ticket price of $30 and active-duty personnel receive free admittance via the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl corporate military ticket underwriting program. Tickets for this year's game can be obtained online at www.ArmedForcesBowl.com.

SOURCE Armed Forces Insurance