THE FLATS – Georgia Tech athletics will debut its Hometown Hero program during Saturday’s homecoming football game versus Syracuse at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. The Hometown Hero program recognizes outstanding individuals from the Georgia Tech community who have gone above and beyond to make a positive impact.
Each month, a selected Hometown Hero will be honored at a Georgia Tech athletics event, where their story and connection to Georgia Tech will be shared with fans. These heroes include, but are not limited to, current or former military members, first responders, teachers and other outstanding people in the community.
Georgia Tech will honor its hero for the month of October, Brigadier General Mark Massaro, during Saturday’s game against Syracuse.
Brig. Gen. Massaro is the Commander of the Air Force Material Command at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. He leads military, civilian, and contractor personnel, directing all base operating support, infrastructure, and services support for the Air Force’s largest installation and over 19,000 joint personnel. He ensures personnel accomplish the 96th Test Wing’s missions of developmental testing and evaluation of conventional munitions, command and control systems, aircraft avionics and guidance systems, and radar cross section measurement.
Brig. Gen. Massaro earned his commission in 1998 as a distinguished graduate from ROTC Detachment 165 at Georgia Tech before he proceeded to pilot training. He has deployed as a F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot flying in support of Operation Allied Force, Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. He later served as an Experimental Test Pilot at Eglin and Edwards Air Force Base conducting flight test operations in the F-16 and F-35 Lightning II.
Brig. Gen. Massaro is a Command Pilot with more than 2,200 flight hours in more than 30 aircraft and has flown more than 100 combat hours in the F-16. He is a 5-time distinguished graduate of multiple academic programs, most notably the Eisenhower School for National Resource Strategy, National Defense University, Washington D.C. During his service he has been awarded multiple awards including the Legion of Merit, three Meritorious Service Medals and an Air Medal among many other accolades.
Community members and fans can submit Hometown Hero nominations at Hometown Hero – Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. One winner will be chosen each month from October 2025 through April 2026 to be recognized at a Georgia Tech sporting event. Hometown Hero games will be announced throughout the year.
Hometown Heroes will receive an on-field/court recognition during the select game, including four complementary tickets for friends and family members. The winner will also receive the Hometown Hero Award and be honored across Georgia Tech athletics’ online and social platforms.
Tickets still remain for Saturday’s homecoming game, when the No. 7-ranked Yellow Jackets (7-0, 4-0 ACC) face Syracuse in a pivotal ACC showdown at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Kickoff is set for noon. Tickets still remain – click HERE to secure your seats online.
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
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