5X is honoring our nation’s service members by hosting a military-exclusive hospitality chalet for veterans, service members and their families during the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron on Aug. 1-5.
For the fourth consecutive year, Kent State is presenting Birdies for the Brave® Patriots’ Outpost, located adjacent to the 14th green at Firestone Country Club. The Outpost will be open from Aug. 2-5 from 10 a.m. until the end of play each day.
Military outreach activities will culminate with a military appreciation ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 4, at 9:45 a.m. in the Pennzoil Fan Zone presented by Firestone Complete Auto Care. Emceed by FOX 8 News anchor Bill Martin, the event will feature military pageantry honoring special achievement military from Northeast Ohio, remarks by guest speakers including U.S. Army Lt. Gen. John Murray, and a recruitment ceremony in which 20 U.S. Army recruits will be sworn in. The ceremony is open to the public.
“We are honored to recognize those who put their lives on the line every day to keep America safe and free by supporting this unique military-exclusive hospitality venue,” says Shay Little, Kent State’s vice president for student affairs, whose father, husband and daughter are all veterans. “It’s the very least we can do for those who give back so much to all of us.”
As part of Birdies for the Brave, a national military outreach initiative proudly supported by the PGA Tour, all National Guard, active duty and Reserve military members, military retirees and their dependents, as well as non-retired veterans, will be admitted free of charge. Complimentary admission may be obtained by showing a Department of Defense-issued military ID at the gate, along with a military ticket voucher.
To receive a military ticket voucher for complimentary admission, military guests must register online and have their military status verified by Sheer ID. A military ticket voucher can then be downloaded from the website. A $1 military status verification fee will apply for each military ticket voucher downloaded. Ticket vouchers can be downloaded by visiting .
Kent State has been named a 2018 Military Friendly® School, a designation the university has received for nine consecutive years. Military Friendly is the military ratings division of Victory Media, a service-disabled, veteran-owned business that also publishes G.I. Jobs®, STEM Jobs, Military Spouse and Vetrepreneur®. Military Friendly rates companies and colleges on their programs to recruit and retain military veterans as employees and students.
To purchase tickets to the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, please visit or call 844-868-7465. Fans are encouraged to follow the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Firestone Country Club is located at 452 E. Warner Road in Akron.