--- title: "How troops and vets can get free Tampa Bay Rays tickets" date: "2020-02-05" modified: "2020-10-22" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-trending/how-troops-and-vets-can-get-free-tampa-bay-rays-tickets/" categories: - "Discounts" - "Entertainment" - "Sports" - "Veterans" --- # How troops and vets can get free Tampa Bay Rays tickets ![]() Tampa Bay, Florida is an important part of our country's great defense strategy. It's not always a highly visible part, but it's an effective part. --- ![]() *You might have heard of it at some point.* But whether you're stationed in Tampa Bay, got out of the military in Tampa Bay, or just happen to be passing through Tampa Bay, the local baseball team wants you to stop by. So much so that the Tampa Bay Rays are giving away free tickets to active duty troops, retirees, and honorably discharged veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. ![]() *Yes Coasties, this means you, too. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)* A lot of organizations have a salute to service program, but [the Tampa Bay Rays are offering]() something special. You can pick up two complimentary tickets to any of seven Monday home games, with three possible additional bonus dates and special ticket offers throughout the season. In case Tampa Bay isn't *your* home team to root for, the possible games are with teams from around the country, from Cleveland to Los Angeles and Baltimore to Texas. Just [go to the Rays Salute to Service game listings]() and pick them one week before the scheduled game date. If you're the forgetful type, you can have the site notify you when the tickets become available. So if you're stationed in the area and want to come root for home team or are planning a trip through the area and want to have truly unique Tampa Bay experience with a friend or loved one, the Tampa Bay Rays will love to host you. The Rays are one of Major League Baseball's most fun teams – after all, this is the team that [set their batting order to 8-6-7-5-3-0-9](), for funsies one time. They didn't win the game that night, but a lot of people learned how numbers are assigned to baseball's defensive positions, [and Tommy Tutone got stuck in every one's head one more time](). ![]() *Now it's in my head. And yours too. Admit it.* This isn't the first time the Rays offered free tickets to the military-veteran community. The team has been offering them for years, and also offers free tickets for first responders and teachers (but they get honored on different days, of course). So grab a few seats, a cold one, and some peanuts and make a trip to the old ball game. Go Rays! ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()