During USAA’s 2024 Memorial Day ceremony, 1st Lt. Mike Blassie ’70 was honored in an excellent video, A Warrior’s Legacy. We encourage you to watch it.

It is a fitting tribute to a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate who led the life of a warrior and made the ultimate sacrifice. Blassie was shot down while flying a close air support mission in Vietnam in 1972 and years later was buried in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. His family continued their search for his remains in a valiant effort to “bring him home.” Ultimately, through DNA analysis, he was identified and reinterred near his hometown in Missouri.

Blassie’s improbable journey began at USAFA when he entered with the Class of 1970. A fundamental principle of the Academy’s academic and military training stresses the need for and prepares cadets to be warriors and leaders, and that spirit permeates every aspect of cadet life, and it is how Blassie is remembered by those who knew him.

Another equally essential feature of cadet life is athletics. In years past, every cadet opened Contrails and memorized Gen. Douglas MacArthur's quote: “Upon the fields of friendly strife are sown in the seeds that on other days, upon other fields, will bear the fruits of victory.” From the first moment cadets walk onto those fields, they begin to learn grit, determination, strength of purpose, leadership, teamwork and that never-give-up attitude. Excelling in multiple sports, Blassie embodied Gen. MacArthur’s vision.

Our alumni have used what they were taught and absorbed at the Academy to accomplish great things for their teams, for the Air Force and Space Force, and for the nation. Outstanding accomplishments during academic years and at graduation are recognized by an array of important awards, and now an award has been established to also highlight the warrior spirit.

More than two years ago, two alumni and soccer teammates created a recognition of that never-give-up attitude learned and refined on the “fields of friendly strife.” Athletics are clearly where cadets hone their competitive skills. Their experience as soccer players taught them that although each soccer player carries a winning stance onto the field, there is always at least one who stands out and distinguishes themselves in this way for others to emulate. He may not be the MVP or the one who scores the most goals, but rather the one who never quits and holds the respect of all his teammates on and off the field.

In developing the award, the creators wanted to annually recognize a soccer player who continuously shows great vigor, confidence, courage, discipline, endurance, strength and an ability to overcome adversity under the pressure of athletic competition by making an all-out, purposeful effort to become a most effective force for winning. Blassie exemplified those attributes, and along with the wholehearted approval of the Blassie family, the award was dedicated and named after him — simply titled The Mike Blassie Warrior Award. Notably, each selectee is voted on exclusively by his teammates, as they obviously know best who represents all those values.

The award is crafted to perpetuate Blassie’s legacy and underscore the warrior ethos fostered at the Academy. While the award and a set annual donation are endowed in perpetuity by the originators, the gifted amounts are managed and presented by the AFA Men’s Soccer Alumni Association in Blassie’s and the current award recipient’s names. In May 2024, at the annual men’s soccer reunion, the first recipient of the Mike Blassie Warrior Award was presented to then-Cadet Remi Smith ’24 by a unanimous vote and through acclamation of his teammates. Smith has since graduated and attended pilot training. The most recent, and unanimously chosen, “selectee” was Cadet Carter Rizzo. In May, the AFA Men’s Soccer Alumni Association will again present the annual award to the player selected by his teammates.

Soccer-promoting donations are sought and most welcomed, not only from soccer alumni but all grads who reflect on continuing to emphasize and uphold a warrior character. The funds are managed in the same manner, thus specific contributions go directly to the soccer team. You can learn more about this aspect at the links below:

Blassie Award Website
Donation Form