--- title: "Army staff sergeant makes NFL history during draft" description: "Thanks to USAA, Staff Sgt. Vohn Arnold wrote out the card announcing Fernando Mendoza as the Las Vegas Raiders' selection as the No. 1 overall pick of the NFL draft on Thursday night." date: "2026-04-24" modified: "2026-04-24" authors: - name: "Stephen Ruiz" job_title: "Editor, Writer" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/stephen/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/entertainment/army-staff-sergeant-makes-nfl-history-during-draft/" categories: - "Entertainment" - "Sports" tags: - "Army" - "National Guard" - "Sports" --- # Army staff sergeant makes NFL history during draft ![USAA NFL draft]() *ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes (middle) and Steelers captain Cam Heyward (right) participate in a Q&A for military members at a USAA NFL Salute to Service NFL draft event Thursday in Pittsburgh. (USAA)* Staff Sgt. Vohn Arnold grew up a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan. When the city hosted the first round of the NFL draft Thursday night, Arnold didn’t expect to be much more than a spectator. He was just happy to join roughly a hundred other service members at a USAA Salute to Service gathering at a local winery earlier in the day. The event included a Q&A with Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward, one of the team’s captains, and ESPN NFL analyst Mina Kimes. **Related: [This No. 1 overall draft pick became the NFL’s MVP while in the Army]()** During the event, USAA selected a military member to fill out the draft card for the No. 1 overall pick. After Arnold was chosen for that honor, the Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran was understandably stunned. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXf9SolAOsb/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== “It means a ton,” Arnold said in a video on USAA’s Instagram account. “I’m a big football fan. I’ve been watching the draft since I was little. It’s one of my favorite things to look forward to.” Arnold has served in the active-duty Army and the Pennsylvania Army National Guard for nearly a decade. He is in the 128th Brigade Support Squadron, according to a USAA email regarding the event. “I’m such a big fan that when I was in Iraq, against better judgment, I was standing on top of a roof in the middle of Kirkuk with my phone, listening to [the home broadcast] just so I could hear it,” Arnold said on the video. Arnold wrote out a card with Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s name on it. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell read what Arnold wrote to announce the Las Vegas Raiders’ selection to kick off the draft. That card is headed to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio—about 50 miles northwest of Arnold’s hometown, Irondale. Arnold called the moment “wild” and—just like the Steelers’ biggest victories—one he won’t forget. USAA has been an official NFL Salute to Service partner since 2011. ### Don’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty ##### **• [How a bidding war inspired a WWI veteran to push for an NFL draft]()** ##### **•[ How a Navy veteran basically invented the sports drink industry]()** ##### **• [This former Navy pilot became one of the unlikeliest Super Bowl champions ever]()** ## Author Stephen Ruiz is an editor and writer at We Are The Mighty. His writing revolves mostly around military history and sports stories, but it can branch into other areas. Stephen has more than 35 years of journalism experience. His career began with stints at The Ledger newspaper in Lakeland, Florida, and The Kansas City Star in Missouri, but most of his time was spent on the copy desk at the Orlando Sentinel. After accepting a buyout from the Sentinel in 2020, Stephen worked at Military.com for 4½ years as a content editor and writer. He joined the We Are The Mighty staff in December 2025. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()