 Tennessee’s
next tradition, get ready to enlist
story and photo by Chris
Shields, The Knoxville Journal (April, 17, 2006)
Robert R. Neyland, Tennessee coaching great, was called
to military duty in 1941, during his tenure as head
football coach at Tennessee.
Neyland rose to the rank of brigadier general during
the second World War. He is one of Tennessee’s
greatest icons, not only was he a great coach and ambassador
to the Vols, but he served his country as well. General
Neyland is the epitome of big orange tradition. Along
those lines a new tradition is being formed, get ready
for Tennessee’s next great tradition, the Big
Orange Army.
In 2002 David Jamison had an idea. He felt Vol fans
needed a boost, they needed to find their roots and
tradition that makes us all bleed orange. Thus an icon
was born with the founding of the Big Orange Army.
Although the Big Orange Army is in no way associated
with service in the United States armed forces, the
setup of the BOA is structured that way. The BOA is
intended to strengthen the unity of Vol fans by uniting
the orange faithful throughout Tennessee and the world.
To become a member one must enlist, after enlistment
fans receive a BOA certificate signed by General Jamison
and John Black, Colonel of Special Operations, proving
where their loyalties lie, a set of dog tags with your
own individual enlistment number and the pride and tradition
that makes Tennessee fans one of a kind. After enlisting,
members are entitled to numerous benefits. Discounts
from sponsors, such as Calhouns, discounts on Big Orange
Army clothing lines, admittance into all Big Orange
Army rallies and events, as a soldier of the BOA, to
move up in rank you must enlist others. Once a member
of the BOA you will serve as a member for life.
The BOA sponsors events and raises funds for charity
organizations such as: The American Red Cross, Second
Harvest Food Bank and The Lance Armstrong foundation
just to name a few. The BOA already has thousands of
members, several well known Vol fans have the BOA certificate
hanging on their walls, such as: Dolly Parton, Mike
Ragsdale, Hawaiian Tropic founder, Ron Rice, UT football
coach Phil Fulmer, state senator Tim Burchett and music
icon Kid Rock.
The BOA is lead by founder and General Jamison. “I
want fans not just to be spectators but active participants
in the games, that is what the Big Orange Army is all
about,” Jamison said about the BOA. “I want
the Big Orange Army to create Fandamonium.”
Jamison signed the license agreement with the University
of Tennessee in September and since the Big Orange Army
has been on the rise. Jamison hopes to have over 100,000
members by the end of the 2006 football season.
What better way to show your true colors than joining
the Big Orange Army, help unite the Volunteer faithful
throughout the land. |
