Veteran Firefighter Ross Byrd Honored at UW Cowboys Game
AARP Wyoming posted on November 12 that Ross Byrd, a military and firefighting veteran with long ties to University of Wyoming athletics and local emergency response, was named AARP Wyoming’s Hero of the Game for the November 22 UW Cowboys football game versus Nevada in Laramie. The recognition highlighted Byrd’s community service and brought public attention to local first responders and veteran contributions to Albany County.
A University of Wyoming game on November 22 became a platform for local recognition when AARP Wyoming honored Ross Byrd as its Hero of the Game during the Cowboys matchup with Nevada in Laramie. AARP Wyoming posted the feature on November 12, describing Byrd’s military service, his role with the Laramie Fire Department, and his long ties to UW athletics. Byrd and his family received complimentary game tickets, parking and dinner, and he was recognized on the field during the event.
The honor underscored Byrd’s record of community service and the visibility that public events can provide for veterans and emergency responders. AARP Wyoming framed the recognition as a way to spotlight individuals who contribute to community safety and civic life. Local residents attending the game saw the award as a tangible acknowledgment of the ways military service and firefighting careers intersect with broader community support networks.
For Albany County officials and civic organizations, the event served as a reminder of the reciprocal relationship between university athletics and local institutions. Celebratory moments at public sporting events can reinforce community ties, offer morale boosts for public safety personnel, and create opportunities to draw attention to workforce and volunteer needs in emergency services. While the recognition itself is ceremonial, it contributes to ongoing public conversations about recruitment, retention and support for first responders and veterans in the region.
AARP Wyoming’s selection of Byrd also reflects the organization’s engagement in local civic life, using public ceremonies to honor service and encourage community participation. For residents, the honor was a moment to acknowledge a familiar local figure and to consider how public recognition complements policy debates about resources and support for emergency response and veteran services. The field presentation at the Novemer 22 game offered a brief but visible connection between community service and civic celebration in Laramie.
