Eagles Nominate Rachel Washburn for Salute to Service
Former Army captain and Eagles cheerleader Rachel Washburn is the team's nominee for the NFL's 16th annual Salute to Service Award.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Military
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The Philadelphia Eagles have named Rachel Washburn as their nominee for the NFL Salute to Service Award. Fans can vote once per day for nominees through November 30.
Why it matters
The nomination recognizes a veteran whose service and post-military career connect to the Philadelphia area, where she was a cheerleader and a student at Drexel University. It also gives local fans a direct way to take part in the award process.
The nomination rests on a service record of six years of active duty and two Afghanistan deployments, including more than 100 combat operations. Fan voting runs once per day through November 30, and the three finalists will not be announced until January.
The players
Rachel Washburn
A former U.S. Army captain and intelligence officer who served two Afghanistan deployments and is now a vice president at Academy Securities.
Philadelphia Eagles
The NFL franchise based in Philadelphia that selected Washburn as its nominee for the league's Salute to Service Award.
The details
Rachel Washburn is a former U.S. Army captain who served six years on active duty as an intelligence officer and was deployed to Afghanistan twice. She trained local security forces, and during one deployment she lived in a village in southern Afghanistan for nine months. She was one of the first women to train and deploy with special operations teams to Afghanistan and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal. Washburn also cheered for the Eagles from 2007 to 2010 while a student at Drexel, and she now serves as vice president of geopolitical intelligence and capital markets at Academy Securities.
Timeline
2007 to 2010: Washburn cheers for the Philadelphia Eagles while attending Drexel University.
Until 2016: Washburn remains in the U.S. Army.
November 30: Fan voting for the Salute to Service nominees closes.
January: Three finalists for the award will be announced.
Military Recognition
The NFL Salute to Service Award is the league's annual program honoring veterans, and this year marks its 16th edition. Each participating team names one nominee, and the public vote helps determine which finalists advance.
Fans can vote once per day for Rachel Washburn through November 30 to support the Eagles' nomination. Voting is the main way for local supporters to take part in selecting the award's finalists.
The takeaway
Recognition programs like the Salute to Service Award give the public a direct role in honoring veterans, and daily voting lets anyone add their support before the November 30 deadline.
What happens next
Fan voting for the Salute to Service nominees closes November 30, and the three finalists will be announced in January.
Further reading
For more on veterans and service members in the region, see Philadelphia Military coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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