Jeff Monken understands the significance and impact of the Army-Navy game, and as the Army head coach, he hears how much the game means to people around the world.

“We get messages from around the world, it’s incredible,” Monken said on ESPN’s College GameDay. “It’s incredible to realize the impact that this game has on so many. It’s just such an honor. … We’re representing our special forces with the uniforms we’re wearing, and we have some members of Task Force Dagger, who we represent here on our sleeve.”

Monken added that while the fires were still burning at Ground Zero following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, he said the United States had soldiers on the ground in the Middle East.

“They were answering our nation’s call,” he said. “To get messages from people like that, from around the world who I know today are still out there. It’s not all quiet on the front. We’ve got people out there that are defending our freedom today at this moment.”