Matt Hendricks (Photo by Alena Schwarz)
Capitals forward Matt Hendricks is a staunch supporter of Defending the Blue Line, which is a charity that affords the children of military families the opportunity to play hockey. With the current NHL lockout, Hendricks lent himself to the USO Holiday Tour with several other celebrities, such as Nats pitchers Ross Detwiler and Craig Stammen. The purpose of the tour is to bring happiness to soldiers while they are separated from their families during the holiday season.
While on tour, he received a challenge coin from General Martin Dempsey, who is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
A coin given by a commanding officer is for the recognition of hard work, dedication, and special achievements. There is also a long standing tradition of challenge coins in the military, so here are the rules:
Each member of a unit is required to carry a coin they receive in their wallets (it’s a sign of belonging to a particular unit). When out drinking at a bar, a servicemember may take out their coin and slam it down on the bar as a challenge to the rest. Everyone else must produce their own coins and put them on the bar as well. If everybody can show their coins, the one who makes the challenge must buy a round of drinks. If there is one person who can’t, that person must buy the round. There’s also another challenge that can be done, too (and one we did at my unit.) If everybody can produce their coin, the coin who has the lowest rank on it must buy the round. Since the one coin I was ever awarded was given to me by a two-star general, I would owe Hendricks a drink.
Hey Matt, if I ever bump into you at a bar, I owe you one.
