December 2005
Philadelphia, PA
I have never been as cold on the sideline of a football game as I was on December 3, 2005 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I am not sure if it was quite as cold for the midshipman; Paul Johnson's option attack combined with the nighttime temperature drop made for a downright blissful evening. I felt sorry for myself. My "get-back" coach responsibilities, as all strength coaches have on game day, didn't seem very relevant. The following Saturday I would be married and all I wanted was the game to be over so I could get back into the locker room. Then I looked up and saw sophomore fullback Mike Viti jogging off the field to the sidelines. We made eye contact and I only needed a second to realize what this game and what his teammates meant to him. Arms bare, face bloody, and the weight of the Army football world on his shoulders, Mike Viti would have played football against the midshipmen by himself for three more days if he could. That was the day I first realized what Army Football and Mike Viti were about.
The pageantry and tradition of the Army-Navy game is something that no sports fan should ever miss. It is the type of environment that makes all Americans burst with pride, regardless of the stakes they may have on the outcome. The 2015 contest between the team will be at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland on December 13th. Mike Viti will be there. He has been on his way there since April, and his path to get there is extraordinary in a very literal sense. He will complete one of the most significant and symbolic journey's most of us have seen.
Photo courtesy of www.mikeshikingforheroes.com
April 2014
DuPont, WA
On April 26, 2014, Mike Viti and Mark Faldowski witnessed their vision become reality. Viti was about to take his first steps of a 7100-kilometer hike across the United States of America to honor the 7100 service members have who lost their lives to the Global War on Terror. The hike will conclude just under eight months from the day it started, ending in Baltimore, Maryland on December 13th. Viti has been trekking an average of 22 miles per day, and will continue this pace for 232 days.
This path takes Viti down the West Coast and across Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas during the months of July and August. "That was intentional," states Viti. Walking across the hottest, driest states is another way for Viti to make this project as inconvenient as he could. This includes leaving his job and uprooting his family, for a hike. Convenience only played a role when mapping out the path to visit as many Gold-Star families as possible. The military-base laden states of California, Texas, and the entire east coast played a significant role in choosing the route.
A typical day for Viti starts with him writing the names of the fallen servicemen and women for whom he walks. Each day, he writes on an American flag the names of the individuals he will honor that specific day. That flag is then presented to a Gold-Star family. For Viti, writing the names provides a personal connection. Every day has a specific purpose and personal impact as much on Viti as on the families of the fallen heroes. Walking a marathon a day would push most to the brink of mental and physical exhaustion. Viti's toughness as a bruising fullback and a combat veteran come into play every day that he walks.
Photo courtesy of www.mikeshikingforheroes.com
January 2014
Las Vegas NV - Washington, PA
Mark Faldowski first met Mike Viti on his recruiting trip to West Point. Viti was one of the few underclassman to host a recruit and Faldowski found a mentor and a friend. Both men transitioned out of the military. "What can we do to show support?" Viti asked Faldowski on numerous Skype calls. When Viti shared what he was thinking, Faldowski was surprised, to say the least.
"I thought he was crazy," Faldowski recalls. Faldowski would eventually be supportive of the trip, but he at the time, admittedly, contemplated all the reasons Viti shouldn't go. Faldowski reasoned why he was skeptical. "He was going to put a ruck sack on and walk around the country. But that doesn't do anything for anyone but yourself," he told Viti, knowing that that was the last thing he wanted to hear. "But, if we could funnel his physical ability, his passion, and his energy to do something great, then we would have something."
Both Viti and Faldwoski are combat veterans and have a personal investment in this project. They have seen firsthand the damage that post 9-11 conflicts bring. Their hike allows them to see firsthand the effect it has on families. They know all to well that the fight for combat vets and their families are far from over. They have had Army Black Knight teammates that will carry the burden of the war on terror like former Army Offensive Tackle, Seth Nieman, who was seriously injured in Afghanistan by a roadside bomb. Nieman lost his right leg and suffered numerous other injuries. Nieman served as an athletic intern with strength & conditioning before serving as a Captain with the Third Special Forces Group out of Fort Bragg.
Some former teammates like Tony Fusco were still fighting long after separation from the military. Fusco was the first college athlete I've seen deadlift 700 for reps and a co-captain for the Black Knights, who would win most battles versus double-team blocks as a nose guard. He would eventually lose his battle versus post-traumatic stress disorder. Our GWOT veterans continue to fight against the obstacles of reintegrating into society.
September 2014
Dallas, TX
While most of us were sharing our "Never Forget" memes on Social media on September 11th, Mike Viti walked, with his Army Football brothers through Dallas Texas for 24-hours. Their journey took him just under 70 miles on that day, almost triple of a normal daily trek for Viti. Every cadet-athlete that I have ever interacted with was somehow influenced by the horrible tragedy of 9-11. The infamy of that day motivated young men and women from around the country to start the process of engaging an enemy with more emotional attachment and personal investment than most US Conflicts before.
In 2006, eighty percent of cadets were deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan within eighteen months of graduation. This sentiment was in our minds as coaches and had an influence on how we communicated with and motivated these young men and women from a physical preparation standpoint. The schedule and environment were unique in themselves and provided some challenges for strength coaches. But the underlying theme was that the young men and women you were demanding another rep from, another inch of depth from, and ten more pounds on the bar from, were going to be defending your freedom a few years later.
February 2005
West Point, NY
Mike Viti commanded a presence even in the 20,000 square foot weight-room on the south end of Michie Stadium. This was evident from my first day as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Black Knights. No one would ever guess he was a sophomore at that time. The 5'10", 241-pound full-back was one of the few Army football players to letter as a freshman. His leadership potential was as evident as his tenacious work ethic. "He was one of the hardest workers I have ever seen come through here," explains Scott Swanson, Director of Strength and Conditioning at West Point. Holding that title for the last fourteen years, Swanson has seen an enormous amount of cadet-athletes walk through his doors. Through Swanson's tutelage, Viti also became one of the strongest Army Football players. Even as a Sophomore, Viti would battle with then Senior Offensive Lineman Pete Bier for the highest bench press on the team.
Traditionally at West Point, or at least in relatively recent history, leadership on the field and with the corps of cadets were not one in the same. As Regimanetal Commander, Viti is one of the first in a long time to lead cadets on and off the field. "He was the type of guy to really change that around," explains Faldowski. Viti started a trend and more Black Knight gridders followed his lead and achieve high ranks within the corps. Having leadership roles among his teammates and all cadets undoubtedly put Viti in a difficult position.
It was no surprise to his peers how well he handled the sometimes conflicting roles. "He took the responsibility very seriously and held football players to the same standard as everyone else," Faldowski said. Faldowski believed this was integral in improving accountability among teammates, as this carried over to all aspects of cadet life. "He would fight to the death for a football player if he was in the right."
Viti has had his share of positive role models in his life, playing for legendary Berwick High School football coach George Curry and Bobby Ross during his playing career. Ross, who is one of the few coaches to coach a national championship team in college and in a super bowl in the NFL depended on Viti as much as any player. Viti would develop his own leadership philosophy by way of experience through military and athletic careers. "Make sure your own house is clean," proclaims Viti as the first thing all leaders must do. Viti understood how important leading by example and modeling behavior really was. He also understood the influence he had on plebes and privates. "Mike cared about everyone," Swanson says about Viti integration of young cadets into the cadet lifestyle and the Army Football Family.
Colin Mooney was a free agent acquisition for the Tennessee Titans in 2012 at the same position Mike Viti played at West Point. Viti understood the importance of building the Army Football Program far beyond his own graduation and planned accordingly. When Mooney arrived as a first-year, Viti immediately took him under his wing. Mooney had no choice but to be lifting partners with Viti. Viti had no regard that the young man he was tutoring could eventually take his starting job; he helped him without considering that possibility. The process of mentoring football players, cadets, and eventually soldiers took precedence. Anything else would have been selfish.
Photo courtesy of www.facebook.com/Mikeshikingforheroes
December 2014
Baltimore, MD
One question, that Viti and Faldowski will have to answer when Viti finishes his journey in Baltimore, Maryland is what's next? The last thing Viti and Faldowski want is their co-founded project to end that day. Their dedication is still to providing unwavering support for the families of fallen heroes. Their vision need a home. So, they created Legacies Alive, a non-profit organization to support families by building local memorials. "We are moving at a snails-pace around the country, so we have a lot of time to work out the kinks," says Faldowski. He and Viti started the Mike's Hiking for Heroes Project and Legacies Alive through a series of Skype calls and miles walked along the way. This is a work in progress that is building awareness and national recognition from media Knowing Mike Viti, Mark Faldowski, and Director of Outreach Matt Hernandez personally, I can attest their motivation is for that recognition to be focused on the fallen heroes and not on themselves. This project is the essence of sacrifice. The kilometor traveled in this journey truly honors one of those Fallen Heroes. Every one of the 7100.
“To families of the fallen, your sacrifice is not forgotten.
To our fallen heroes, your legacies are alive.”
