My name is Rachel Brown and I am a die-hard fan of the Oakland Raiders!

I am a native of Southern California and was born in Los Angeles. My entire childhood was spent between Pasadena and Claremont, where each of my parents lived after their divorce. I joined the US Army when I was 19 years old and served honorably as a combat medic/medical specialist. I am a service-connected disabled veteran who to this day continues to live by the soldier's code of honor. I am a single parent mother of three daughters and the grandmother of two. I presently work for the Oakland Fire Department and I am an EMD and fire communications shift supervisor.

I am an Oakland Raiders season ticket holder and presently have 15 seats -- which still is not enough. I became a Raider fan at an early age, simply because some of my family members are Raiders fans, my uncle being one of the most devoted I know. But I didn't become a die-hard Raiders fan until I was stationed at Fitzsimons Army Medical Center just outside of Denver, Colorado, in 1988.

John Elway was the Denver Broncos quarterback and the base civilians rammed Elway down my throat morning, noon and night. They had Denver Broncos memorabilia everywhere you looked. Elway was on TV and radio daily with his own sports shows and owned local car dealerships. Denver residents were even buying Ford Broncos and painting them blue and orange. I couldn't wait to go home on leave and bring back something Raiders to put up in my barracks window! And a die-hard fan was born.

Being the sole provider for my family, for many years I couldn't afford season tickets so I supported [the team] to the best of my ability while working two jobs and raising my daughters.

As my girls got older, more opportunities to do things began to open up. Then my uncle's wife became ill with cancer and passed away and my beloved uncle was heartbroken and mourning. So I purchased my first pair of season tickets in the Black Hole to try to give him something else to think about... and my life has never been the same. Now, several years later Raider Nation has become family to me also.

A few years ago I started a group called "Dem Raider Girlz" for female Raider fans to come together and support our team. My goal when creating the group was to network with other female fans locally and afar so that we can come together and share our passion for the men wearing Silver & Black.

Over the years the group has done some wonderful charitable events for Children's Hospital of Oakland, Ronald McDonald House, MADD, Fans Against Violence, various veterans organizations, battered women's organizations and various children's organizations. To date, we have members all over the country and even have members abroad, from places as far as Australia and Great Britain and have grown to over 400 strong and still growing all the time.

I was recently inducted into the Pro Football Ultimate Fan Association (PFUFA) which was a great honor. I hope that I can continue to bring fans together and tear down the walls between opposing fans, making game day experiences more pleasurable for everyone.

I try to help people whenever I am able, in any way I am able. But that really isn't a football thing... it's a human thing.

Go RAAAAAIDERS!!!!