It's Curious City, where we take your questions about Chicago and the region, and investigate, report, explore, from WBEZ.

Northwestern football is committed to recognizing the men and women of the armed forces that unselfishly protect our freedom every single day.

Hi, I'm curious city reporter Monica Eng,

and you're listening to a tribute to an American soldier.

It took place during a recent Northwestern University football game.

The game began with the Star-Spangled Banner.

It was followed by the unfurling of a giant American flag.

Then another flag sailed onto the field via parachutist, and the crowd cheered.

Our questioner Nick likes to go to Northwestern games, and he's seen his share of these salutes to the military at sports events.

But he's also a veteran of the Vietnam War,

and he's got some suspicions about these kinds of patriotic displays.

I've heard and read about the Department of Defense,

giving pro teams money to do these displays at their games, be football or baseball.

He's talking about stories that came out after this government report in 2015.

Arizona Senators John McCain and Jeff Flake have issued a scathing report revealing the Department of Defense

paid millions of dollars for displays of patriotism before and during sporting events to boost military recruitment.

In their report, the senators called out a bunch of teams that took money,

from both the Department of Defense and the National Guard.

This was for staging patriotic tributes like the ones Nick still sees at Northwestern Games.

So he's got some questions.

I'm just kind of wondering if that filter down to sports at the... Nick still sees at Northwestern Games. So he's got some questions.

I'm just kind of wondering if that's filtered down to sports at the collegiate level.

...