The Air Force has identified the service member who died after a rappelling accident at the UTSA versus Naval Academy football game on Saturday. Tech. Sgt. Ian Patterson fell while attempting to rappel from the stadium rafters during a pregame demonstration. He was transported to a hospital, where he later died. The game was UTSA’s annual Salute to Armed Forces and Veterans event, making the timing especially painful for everyone in the building.
Patterson was a 15-year Air Force veteran from Fort Stewart, Georgia. At the time of the accident, he served as a Tactical Air Control Party instructor assigned to the 6th Combat Training Squadron, Detachment 2, at Joint Base San Antonio. In 2022, he was recognized as the Air Force Special Warfare Enlisted Instructor of the Year at the Headquarters Air Force level, a distinction that speaks to the caliber of airman he was. Brig. Gen. Scott C. Mills, commander of the 57th Wing, said Patterson’s service mattered immensely to the wing and to everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
The accident is under investigation, and no findings have been released. For Suncoast communities with deep military ties, the story is a reminder of how often service members step into visible roles at public events, and of the risks that come with those demonstrations. Have you ever attended one of these pregame military tributes at a Tampa Bay area game? We’d like to hear your thoughts.
