Marine MP Led Patriots Onto Field

Maine veteran experiences thrill of carrying flag at Patriots opener

Bangor Daily News
Ryan McLaughlin
September 9, 2017

Like a lot of New England Patriots fans from Fort Kent to Stamford, Connecticut, Michael Flanagan was hoping for a different outcome than the shocking one the Kansas City Chiefs served up on Thursday night.

Contributed Photo | BDN

Sanford native Michael Flanagan poses with New England Patriots mascot Pat Patriot at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, Thursday evening. Flanagan, a U.S. Marine veteran, led the Patriots onto the field prior to their game carrying a U.S. flag.

But the Sanford native and 18-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps experienced a thrill that made the final score somewhat irrelevant.

Flanagan, who is currently stationed with the Navy’s ROTC program at the University of Maine, was one of four military personnel selected to lead the Patriots onto the field carrying a U.S. flag. The longtime Patriots fan was chosen to represent the Marines for Thursday’s season-opener, which featured a speech from actor Mark Wahlberg and the unveiling of the Patriots’ fifth championship banner.

“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity” said Flanagan, who has enjoyed multiple jobs in the Marines but most of his service has been as a Military Police officer.

He did two tours in Iraq as a military officer, and went back to the University of Mississippi to earn a law enforcement degree and remained in the military police field.
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