by FOX Sports

Updated: December 18, 2007, 8:12 PM EST Comment

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As families gather this Thanksgiving holiday to celebrate with food, friends and football, FOX Sports takes the opportunity to honor our troops and bring attention to an important health issue for American families.

On Thursday, Nov. 22 (11:30 a.m. ET), FOX NFL SUNDAY, America's Emmy Award-winning pregame show, is proud to have over 200 members of America's Armed Services in-studio during the show's special Thanksgiving broadcast, which precedes the network's Green Bay Packers-Detroit Lions game broadcast. Co-hosts Terry Bradshaw and Curt Menefee, along with analysts Howie Long and Jimmy Johnson, welcome military personnel from the National Training Center and Fort Irwin, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Edwards Air Force Base, Miramar Marine Corps Air Station and Naval Base Ventura County, all located in California. The troops are to be featured throughout the one hour show, with several participating in a football demonstration on the studio's "FOX Field" and asking questions during the show's "Rapid Fire" segment.

"Amid the tradition of Thanksgiving Day football, it's our hope to showcase the dedication of these young men and women in uniform, who defend our freedom and way of life," said FOX Sports Chairman David Hill. "Hopefully, they'll enjoy spending the day with us, and they'll realize how much we appreciate their sacrifice."

This year's set visit continues a proud tradition at FOX Sports of honoring America's troops. Since its inaugural 1994 season, NFL on FOX has carried taped messages from soldiers abroad to loved ones back home during the holidays, and the same is planned this year. In 2000, FOX NFL SUNDAY broadcast two holiday shows from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman as it patrolled in the Mediterranean Sea.

Thursday's broadcast also includes a unique initiative from Autism Speaks, an organization committed to increasing understanding of autism spectrum disorders. To bring autism awareness to millions of fans watching Thanksgiving Day football on FOX Sports, NFL ON FOX broadcasters will wear ties, pins or scarves featuring Autism Speaks' distinctive puzzle-piece logo. The ties featured can be purchased at the Autism Speaks online store by visiting www.autismspeaks.org with proceeds funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and cure for autism.