Ben Kotwica knows the service and sacrifice of military families — and just how meaningful it is to receive support.
The United States Military Academy graduate who logged more than 500 combat hours flying Apache Longbow helicopters during Operation Iraqi Freedom has a special appreciation for the NFL's annual Salute to Service initiative.
He's valued the showing of support, as well as organizations like TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) that have been helped in their daily efforts on behalf of military families affected by the ultimate sacrifice.
"Those who support our military have my utmost respect, as their dedication to our service members, veterans and families hits home," Kotwica said. "My wife Christina, who lost her first husband while he served in the line of duty, has relied heavily on the support structure of the military. The TAPS program has been instrumental in providing support for our daughter and son. TAPS has been great.
"With Salute to Service, it's been remarkable to see the incredible partnership that has been forged between the National Football League and our military," Kotwica added. "I really think there's a great connection between the military and the NFL on multiple platforms in regard to the values and principles that both institutions hold sacred."
The Vikings nominated their first-year assistant special teams coach for the 2022 Salute to Service Award presented by USAA.
"It's great to be recognized for this nomination," Kotwica said. "I'm really honored the Vikings chose me."
After Kotwica played high school football and baseball on Chicago's South Side, the son of a veteran appreciated all the opportunities that becoming a Cadet would include — and he embraced the commitment required upon graduation. He studied at West Point from 1993-97 and served in the Army from 1997-2005.
"The mix of tradition, being able to play Division I football, being able to get a great education and be part of that 'Long Gray Line' was really attractive. Serving the country was important to me and my family," Kotwica said. "As I spent more time at the Academy and more and more time around fellow soldiers, I became attracted to the values and beliefs that make our military what it is today. Being in the military was one of the great experiences of my life."
Kotwica was drawn to aviation and met the requirements to fly the Apache Longbow, a premier attack helicopter.
"It's an interesting piece of machinery, very complex, very sophisticated," Kotwica said. "I have a lot of respect for all the people and the resources that make that thing go. You're not only talking about pilots, but you're talking about air-traffic controllers, mechanics and crew chiefs that really do the maintenance on the aircraft, so it takes a lot of teamwork to make that asset fly."
Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, Kotwica rose to the rank of captain and became a combat company commander. The leadership skills he refined during his service, which included a 13-month deployment to Iraq from 2004-05, have transitioned to the NFL.
"There's multiple ways in which I apply the background from my time in service to what I do now," Kotwica said. "I think the most visible way is that the military, much like the NFL or the Vikings, is a group of individuals coming together for a collective goal. In the military I led soldiers of various backgrounds, ethnicities and age groups. I had crew chiefs that worked on my helicopter who were 19-21 years old, and I was in charge of warrant officers who were 40 and 41 years old.
"Here, you deal with a wide spectrum of personalities and people from various backgrounds, who in both cases at the end of the day want to come together for the greater good of one mission," Kotwica added. "As a leader … you're looking for ways you can help those individuals be the best versions of themselves, whether it's on the football field or in the battlefield."
