The Charleston RiverDogs team and coaching staff visited Joint Base Charleston on Wednesday afternoon as part of the Tampa Bay Rays efforts to have their Minor League players learn more about the communities they are residing in. The team was joined on the visit by members of the Rays front office.
“The players that the Rays send to us each year become a huge part of the Charleston community,” said RiverDogs President and General Manager Dave Echols. “We were excited for them to experience a behind-the-scenes look at Joint Base Charleston, a staple of our community. We have a long-standing relationship with the base, and I believe this was a memorable trip for the players and coaches.”
The team began the tour by meeting the 16th Air Lift Squadron. Greeting the squad was 628th Air Base Wing Commander Michael Freeman and 437th Airlift Wing Commander Samuel Todd. The day wrapped up with a tour of the Detachment 5 Training Unit and the airpark.
Developing and maintaining a strong relationship with Charleston's military community - both active and retired - is a cornerstone of the RiverDogs' community engagement plan, in which the team is joined by Boeing, the RiverDogs' longstanding partner in military outreach and recognition.
"We were delighted to host the Charleston Riverdogs at Joint Base Charleston. We have incredible community partnerships in the Charleston Metro region and the Riverdogs and Dave Echols are incredible partners and supporters of all the military members in the region and Joint Base Charleston specifically," said Colonel Freeman. "Like all of the Lowcountry, we are proud of the three-time champion RiverDogs and were very excited to showcase our operations to the team. It was an excellent opportunity to strengthen these ties and highlight the C-17 flying mission operating from our base."
Each season, the Rays host a team outing in the local community of each of their Minor League affiliates. The team will also take part in an outing during a road trip. In 2022 and 2023, the RiverDogs visited the U.S. Army Airborne and Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
"Our organization believes in developing the whole person. We often look for unique opportunities where players and staff can learn away from the field and apply those lessons to their work at the ballpark," said George Pappas, Director, Minor League Operations for the Rays. "Joint Base Charleston gave our players and staff added perspective about discipline, training and service that will enable them to perform better on the field and to be better teammates in our clubhouse and the community. We are grateful for our warm welcome and the partnership the RiverDogs enjoy with the base."
