“It hasn’t sunk in that this has happened to us. The experience brought tears to Rodel’s eyes. “We got him out on the tee box to say hello to each player, and gave him hats, golf balls and a golf bag signed by the pros.” “But we wanted to go further than the norm for Kenneth and Dorothy,” said Christopher Cox, senior national sports and entertainment manager at United Rentals. Like all the military guests hosted by Birdies for the Brave, they got the VIP treatment - complimentary food and drinks, camaraderie with many other service members and up-close views of the tournament. United Rentals furnished Rodel and his wife, Dorothy, tickets to the PGA Tour’s Dell Technologies Championship in Boston. Some active duty members even get the once-in-a-lifetime chance to caddie for professional golfers on the PGA Tour. Through its sponsorship of Birdies for the Brave, United Rentals made it happen.īirdies for the Brave is a PGA-supported initiative dedicated to “showing appreciation to the courageous men and women of the United States Armed Forces.” Launched in 2006 by PGA Tour player Phil Mickelson to support combat-injured service members (and since expand to support all military), it has welcomed thousands of military guests and their families to golf events, hosting them in exclusive hospitality chalets known as Patriots’ Outposts. Among his last wishes: to see the pros up close one final time. Now facing a terminal illness, he’s short on time to enjoy it. Disabled Army veteran Kenneth Rodel has been passionate about golf his whole life.

Birdies for the brave