rene henryFor the past year the busiest executive at the National Football League has to be the person responsible for crisis management and communications.

The NFL has been besieged with players, staff and even owners involved in domestic violence, sexual assault, drugs, rules violations, sportsmanship, obstruction of investigations, and even murder.

And the most recent crisis is the story of the NFL and 14 teams receiving $5.4 million between 2011 and 2014 to honor members of the U.S. Military.

I remember many patriotic things the NFL and its teams have done throughout the years to honor our veterans and troops. The more I looked into this story I realized the real problem is the Pentagon, Department of Defense, and National Guard for spending the money in the first place rather than seeking public service announcements and asking for pro bono promotions. As a veteran I would not want these military decision makers to lead me into battle.

The New Jersey National Guard paid the New York Jets to have promotional pictures taken of soldiers with players for “recruiting and retention purposes.” If the people responsible for spending the money asked to have photos taken of active military and veterans with players I am sure not only the Jets but every NFL team would have gladly cooperated without any charge.

My search of the Internet revealed scores of articles and most were misleading, especially the headlines. None gave any credit to the NFL for its good deeds so I contacted Greg Aiello, the NFL’s senior vice president of communications, for more information. “Since its launch in the 1920s the NFL and its players have been committed to our armed services,” he said. Aiello cited that during World War II the NFL helped sell war bonds and donated revenues from pre-season games to service charities and that many players, coaches, owners and staff not only served in the armed forces but some gave their lives.

The NFL has an annual Salute to Service during the games on or near Veterans Day and for every point the 32 teams score the league donates $100 to each of its three core military non-profit partners – the Pat Tillman Foundation, USO, and Wounded Warrior Project – for a total of $300. Additionally all of the proceeds from merchandise sold in stadiums and on line are donated to these three organizations. The NFL has donated more than $4 million to its partners through this campaign.

In 1965 then Commissioner Pete Rozelle conceived the idea of working with the USO to send players to Vietnam on goodwill tours to visit the troops. During the past 50 years current and former players and team and league executives have been part of USO tours in all parts of the world. To preserve the legacy of Pat Tillman, a former Arizona Cardinals defensive back and Army Ranger killed in combat in 2004, a USO center was built in his honor in Afghanistan.

During November teams designate one home game to honor the military by displaying a number of Salute to Service-branded elements throughout the stadium including helmet decals, camouflage ribbon footballs, fan giveaways and coaches and sideline personnel wear camouflage hats. At USO Centers in Afghanistan, Australia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea and Kuwait military members can watch any NFL game live and online in its entirety as well as at U.S. Embassies.

In 2012 the NFL established a partnership with the army to combat traumatic head and brain injuries. Its donation to the Wounded Warrior Project helped launch Physical Health and Wellness Expos throughout the country to create independence and teach skills to injured veterans. Additionally individual teams are doing many good things to support active military and veterans and to cite all would take dozens of pages.

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Arizona) criticized Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Chief of the National Guard Bureau Gen. Frank Grass for spending taxpayer money this way. He reported his staff discovered similar pay-to-honor arrangements with teams in Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, Major League Soccer and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Quick to defend itself, the military says the payments are an effective recruiting tool. Obviously the military decision makers need to be more creative and find ways other than trying to buy patriotism. The millions wasted on this type of advertising could be better used to eliminate unemployment with retraining programs, house our homeless veterans, and provide immediate and complete medical attention.

In the future the NFL and all professional teams should avoid controversy and refuse to accept payment for any tribute or promotion involving our armed forces. They should provide free public service announcements on radio and television broadcasts and in the stadium. Rather than leaving seats empty for any game, pro teams and colleges should give free, and not discounted tickets, to active military and wounded veterans. How much does an empty seat spend on concessions and souvenirs?

And the “stars” in the Pentagon and their staffs and their paid consultants need training in promotional creativity 101.

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Rene A. Henry, author of nine books including "Communicating In A Crisis," spent five decades of his professional career in sports and eight years in active and reserve military service. He runs the renehenry.com site.