The Charleston RiverDogs are set to induct two new members of the Military Hall of Honor on Saturday evening, part of the first Boeing Military Appreciation night of the season: Chaplain (Brigadier General) John Painter and Colonel Michael Freeman (retired).
The pair will be inducted in an on-field ceremony at approximately 5:30pm, prior to Saturday’s 6:05 p.m. first pitch before the RiverDogs take on the Salem Red Sox at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.
The RiverDogs are excited to induct this year’s first pair of honorees into the Hall of Honor. The Hall of Honor was developed in 2020 to be an ongoing and permanent recognition of some of the Lowcountry’s most outstanding servicemen and women in front of a full ballpark of appreciative community members.
Chaplain Painter is the mobilization assistant to the Air Force Chief of Chaplains, assisting the Chief of Chaplains in all matters pertaining to the religious and moral welfare of Air Force personnel and their dependents.
A 1989 graduate of The Citadel, he was ordained in 1996 and went on to serve in various assignments on Joint Base Charleston for nearly 20 years, serving both the 437th and 315th Airlift Squadrons. Since 2015, he’s taken on assignments based out of Robins Air Force Base in Ga., Hulburt Field in Florida, and the Pentagon.
Through his service, Chaplain Painter has impacted an untold number of lives of both servicemen and women and their families, and for his work, has received several awards and decorations. Among those are the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Joint Service Commendation Medal and Achievement Medals from both the Air Force and the Navy.
Colonel Freeman retired earlier this year after a distinguished career of more than 25 years, retiring as the Commander of the 628th Air Base Wing and Joint Base Charleston. In that role, Colonel Freeman oversaw the hosting of more than 60 DoD and Federal Agencies, across an installation that accounts for more than $10 Billion of economic impact. In his role as Joint Base commander, Colonel Freeman was a great community partner and strengthened many of the Base’s relationships with Charleston’s civilian and veteran communities.
A 1998 graduate of the Air Force Academy, Colonel Freeman served more than 15 distinct assignments prior to arriving in Charleston, including deployments to both Turkey and Iraq.
His list of awards and decorations is robust, including receiving the Legion of Merit, Defense Superior Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with five oak leaf clusters and the Humanitarian Service Medal.
Saturday’s Boeing Military Appreciation night is the first of three Military Appreciation games throughout the season at Riley Park. Tickets are available at RiverDogs.com.