HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Three Air Force Life Cycle Management Center program managers here participated in the 2025 Armed Forces Men’s Soccer Championship this summer as members of the Department of the Air Force team.
1st Lt. Tyler Johnson, 1st Lt. Michael Neacsu, and 2nd Lt. Brandon Cobb, helped defeat Army in the championship match 1 to 0 at Fort Hood, Texas.
“It feels great to be champions,” said Johnson, who works in Kessel Run. “There’s that competitiveness, desire to win, and a strong rivalry that makes it special to come out on top.”
The Armed Forces Sports program is the culmination of each branch of service’s sports and fitness program.
Service members compete at unit intramural level before advancing to the all-service level. AFS hosts 16 championships annually for all Department of defense branches, as well as the U.S. Coast Guard.
Johnson, Neacsu, and Cobb have each played soccer for many years, including for the Air Force Academy team.
“I’ve had the privilege of playing with several of the players on this year’s team before, whether at the Air Force Academy or in other competitions,” said Cobb, who works in Aerospace Management Division. “That existing camaraderie definitely helped lead us to victory.”
Victory did not come easily, however.
“Army showed a lot of fight,” said Neacsu, who works in Cloud One. “They came out with a strong game plan and stuck to it in the championship match. They caught us off guard.”
Battling fatigue and the 96-degree heat, Cobb still managed to score the winning goal at the 41-minute mark of the match.
“It was truly special being able to share the victory with fellow Airmen and some of my closest friends,” he said. “Winning alongside people you respect and admire makes the accomplishment even more meaningful.”
AFS uses these types of programs to promote goodwill among the services, encourage fitness and project a positive image of the armed forces.
The full box-scores and photo highlights from this year’s championship can be viewed at the Armed Forces Men's Soccer Championship website.