Military appreciation is heavily ingrained in the Falcons' culture.
As the NFL dedicates the month of November to veterans and active duty members through the annual Salute to Service campaign, the organization will take it a step further this Sunday with a unique program dedicated to honoring fallen heroes.
Every player on the Falcons' roster has been paired with a fallen hero and his or her respective family based off common interests and traits. Players will wear a special decal with the initials of the fallen hero on their helmets.
To strengthen the connection between the players and these families, the Falcons will be delivering special tributes throughout the week.
The Falcons will be hosting the families of these fallen heroes at the team's walk-through on Saturday. Furthering their commitment to the military, the organization has also provided flag football equipment to each of the military bases in Georgia.
Additionally, the Falcons have collected video messages from soldiers stationed throughout the world that will be played on the video boards in the Georgia Dome for those attending Sunday's game.
Falcons Honoring Fallen Heroes
| Service Branch | Name and Rank of Hero | Player Honoring Fallen Hero | Air Force | MAJ Jeffrey "OZ" Ausborn | OLB Courtney Upshaw | Army | PFC Barrett Austin | CB Robert Alford | Army | CPL Jonathan Ayers | S Ricardo Allen | Army | PFC Stephen Bicknell | CB C.J. Goodwin | Army | SSG Andre Booker | LB Paul Worrilow | Navy - Veteran | ET1 Justin Braunschweiger | C Alex Mack | Army | SSG Byron Brown | S Sharrod Neasman | Army | SPC Shannon Chihuahua | T Carter Bykowski | Army | SPC Eric Christian | CB Desmond Trufant | Marine Corps | CPL Matthew Conley | WR Mohamed Sanu | Army | PFC Monterrious Daniel | OLB Vic Beasley, Jr. | Army | PVT Ashley Dawson | WR Nick Williams | Army National Guard | SGT Philip A Dodson, Jr. | TE D.J. Tialavea | Air Force | CPT Cartize Durham | CB Deji Olatoye | Army | SSG Ronald Eure | RB Jhurell Pressley | Army | SFC Omar Forde | OLB De'Vondre Campbell | Marine Corps | CAPT Matthew Freeman | P Matt Bosher | Army | SGT Sheneika Freeman | G Chris Chester | Army National Guard | SSG Alex French, IV | DE Adrian Clayborn | Army | SGT Freeman Gardner | G Blake Muir | Army | SSG Frank Gasper | T Tom Compton | Army | SPC Steven Ray Givens | WR J.D. McKissic | Army | SPC Dakotah Gooding | DT Jonathan Babineaux | Air Force | A1C Michael Hill | G Ben Garland | Army | CSM James Hubbard | CB Jalen Collins | Army | SSG Darren Hubbell, Sr. | S Keanu Neal | Army | PFC Gifford E. Hurt | RB Devonta Freeman | Navy | MA1 DJ Jaikaran | G Wes Schweitzer | Army | PFC Kalin Johnson | FB Patrick DiMarco | Navy | CMDR Christopher Kalafut | TE Austin Hooper | Marine Corps | GYSGT Aaron Kenefick | K Matt Bryant | Army | SPC Ryan King | OLB Brooks Reed | Army | SGT Seth Kirkland | TE Joshua Perkins | Army | CPT Sara Knutson Cullen | P Matt Wile | Army | SFC William "Kelly" Lacey | QB Matt Schaub | Army | SGT David LaDart | TE Levine Toilolo | Marine Corps | SGT Jonathan W. Lambert | LB Deion Jones | Army | SGT Gene Lamie | T Jake Matthews | Army | SPC Christopher Lewis | DT Ra'Shede Hageman | Army | COL Chipper Lewis | T Ryan Schraeder | Marine Corps | LCP Corey Little | LB Philip Wheeler | Army | SGT Demetrion McCarthy | S Brian Poole | Army | SSG Gemayel McCollum | RB Terron Ward | Army | COL David McCracken | G Andy Levitre | Army | SSG Raynard McKinnon | WR Eric Weems | Marine Corps | LCPL Omoro Mitchell | WR Julio Jones | Air Force | SRA Jason Dorian Nathan | WR Justin Hardy | Army | SPC Christopher Patton | LS Josh Harris | Army | SSG Christopher Popham | S Robenson Therezie | Army | CPT Kwesi Ato Ramsey | DE Tyson Jackson | Army | SGT Randell Rusnak | DE Cliff Matthews | Army | SFC Randal Stone, Jr. | WR Aldrick Robinson | Marine Corps | LCPL Steven G. Sutton | WR Taylor Gabriel | Air Force | TSGT Daniel Swaney | LB LaRoy Reynolds | Army | MAJ Paul Syverson | TE Jacob Tamme | Marine Corps | CPL John Tanner | QB Matt Ryan | Air Force | SRA Jessica S. Tarver | S Kemal Ishmael | Army | SGT Christopher Taylor | DT Grady Jarrett | Navy | LT Daniel Wade | LB Josh Keyes | Marine Corps | LCPL Jeffrey Walker | DT Joe Vellano | Army | SFC Kevin A. Williams | QB Matt Simms | Marine Corps | CPL Anthony Williams | DE Dwight Freeney | Army | CPL Dustin Woods | RB Tevin Coleman | |