Chad William Hennings (born October 20, 1965 in Elberon, Iowa) is a former American football defensive lineman for the Air Force Academy Falcons, winning the Outland Trophy his senior year. Despite facing an obligation to enter the Air Force upon graduating the Academy, he was drafted in the eleventh round of the 1988 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, and would go on to play in the National Football League, winning three Super Bowls. While at Benton Community High School in Van Horne, Iowa, Hennings became the state heavyweight wrestling champion his senior year.

After graduating from the United States Air Force Academy in 1988, Hennings entered the Euro-NATO program and soon found himself at the controls of the A-10 Thunderbolt.

During his four-year stint with the Air Force, Hennings flew 45 missions in support of Operation Provide Comfort in northern Iraq, an effort that helped provide relief and humanitarian aid to Kurdish refugees. He received two aerial achievement medals, a humanitarian award and an outstanding unit award for his actions in the service.

In 1992, Hennings left the Air Force and joined the Dallas Cowboys as a 27-year-old rookie. He spent nine seasons with the team, amassing 28 sacks, six fumble recoveries, four return yards and one touchdown in 107 games before retiring after the 2000 season.

He was inducted into the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame in 2004, the College Football Hall of Fame in 2006, and was in the inaugural class of the Air Force Academy Athletics Hall of Fame in 2007.

Hennings is married and has two children. Following his football career, Hennings became a Christian motivational speaker and author. His self-help book for men, "Rules of Engagement: Finding Friendship, Faith, and Strength in a Disconnected World" was published in 2009.

Source:
www.arlington.org/sports_recreation/cowboys_football/behindthescenes/heroes_chad_hennings
 

My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys

Chad Hennings: Former Cowboy player and Air Force pilot helps wounded troops at Brooke Army Medical Center
By Kristi Scales

Chad Hennings starred on the Cowboys�?? defensive line from 1992 through 2000 winning three Super Bowl rings in his nine year professional career.  The former Air Force pilot and Dallas Cowboy has remained loyal to both of his former �??America�??s Teams.�??  He recently delivered Cowboys shirts, caps, and other merchandise to wounded soldiers who are recuperating at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.

Although Hennings didn�??t join the Cowboys until 1992, he was actually drafted in 1988 following a stellar career at The Air Force Academy in which he won All-America honors as well as the 1987 Outland Trophy Award.  The Cowboys�?? spent an 11th round pick on Hennings even though the team knew that he must serve his four-year military commitment.

As a pilot of the A-10 tankbuster (the �??Warthog�??), Hennings was stationed in London the two years preceding his arrival in Dallas.  In the final days of the Gulf War, he escorted the planes that dropped supplies to the Kurds in northern Iraq as part of �??Operation Comfort�??.

After arriving in Dallas, Hennings continued to fulfill his military duties as a Captain in the active reserves, serving as Liaison Officer for the Air Force Academy.  He currently is designated as �??inactive ready reserve�??.  Technically he could still be called up to active duty, but it would have to be a major act of war.  He keeps his association with the Air Force by doing public service announcements, speaking at military functions, and visiting wounded veterans.

Since retiring from football seven years ago, Hennings remains in North Texas and keeps busy as a husband to Tammy and father to son, Chase, and daughter, Brenna.  He and his family remain committed to many worthy causes and organizations, including the Ft. Worth Airpower Council which raises money for troops and their families which may encounter financial difficulties when a soldier is deployed overseas.

�??We are taking a contingent of the Ft. Worth Airpower Council along with myself and several Marines to San Antonio to visit the troops and families to let them know that we care about them,�?? explains Hennings.  �??The Cowboys have been generous enough to donate merchandise �?? pullovers, t-shirts, hats �?? to Marines that have been injured in the war and fight against international terror.  These Marines are in San Antonio at Brooke Army Medical Center.  This merchandise is also for the troops�?? families.  The Cowboy organization cares about them and wants to be able to bless them."

�??Anything we can do to give these guys hope or let them know that America cares is important.  They need to know that their sacrifice was not in vain.  I�??ll continue to do things like this project to help our wounded, and I encourage other businesses to get on board to give a little back.�??

Hennings�?? approached the Cowboys and asked for the donation of merchandise as a way of linking �??America�??s (football) Team�?? with the true heroes of the real America�??s Team �?? the United States military.

�??That�??s really the way I thought of approaching this project,�?? Hennings recalls.  �??In sports, the Dallas Cowboys are truly America�??s Team and have been marketed as such.  And I know that they try to do a lot in the DFW area with different charities.  But it�??s my association and experience as an Air Force veteran to reach out to guys who are, in my opinion, true heroes because of the sacrifices they�??ve made.  They�??ve given it all for their country.  For �??America�??s Team�?? to recognize the guys who have fought for the true America�??s Team, I just think it�??s a perfect fit.

�??Having traveled overseas during the last couple of years, I�??ve realized that the Dallas Cowboys�?? star is probably the most recognizable brand in professional sports in the whole world.  I�??ve been to Europe and you mention �??Dallas Cowboys�?? and people know who you are.  The same thing happens in Asia.  For me as a former player, utilizing that association with the Cowboys for the good of military men and women is a positive thing.�??

Hennings finds it ironic that the true heroes �?? the military men and women who serve our country �?? look at professional athletes as heroes. 

�??It�??s a juxtaposition and a real irony.  I can remember from my personal experience of when I first arrived in Dallas.  A lot of the guys in the locker room were intrigued by my military experience flying jets in Iraq and whatnot.  And I was just as intrigued by their experience of playing in a Pro Bowl or a playoff game."

�??That�??s one thing that makes America great.  We all bloom where we�??re planted.  We�??re able to excel in our own entities.  We can appreciate what the men and women in the military do as well as what we can accomplish on the athletic field or in the office or in the church or school.�??

The visit to Brooke Army Medical Center includes meeting soldiers who are being treated in the burn unit.  What does a former Air Force veteran think about when visiting a �??wounded warrior�???

�??I think of them as husbands and fathers.  What�??s going through their minds when they�??re separated from their families for many months?  Sometimes it could be their 2nd or 3rd or 4th rotation over there.  I remember what it was like when I was deployed and separated from my family.  These guys are injured and there are all sorts of things going through their minds, such as �??Am I going to be able to sustain a job?�??  They�??re critically injured or severely burned.  Many have lost a foot or a limb.

�??These �??wounded warriors�?? need our help.  People like myself and Roger Staubach came from similar backgrounds as Service Academy graduates who played for the Cowboys after serving active duty.  There aren�??t too many guys out there who�??ve had the privilege to do both.  As a veteran, I support the men and women who sacrifice all they have for America.�??