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As you wandered the winding halls of Horseshoe and Paris Las Vegas yesterday, the usual sea of caps and jackets branded with training sites and online poker platforms was easy to spot.

But among the crowds, if you looked a little closer, there was something else in the mix too — army, navy and air force gear, worn by veterans returning for Day 2 of the annual $500 SALUTE to Warriors event. Quiet nods to a career of service, and a mark of pride for the branch of the military they call home.

As the day wore on and the field thinned, some of those military caps faded from view. But one that stood out as Day 2 wrapped up belonged to Robert Gingher of the US Navy, who bagged a healthy 5,750,000 chips to return in 12th place with 32 players remaining today.

Navy Vet Talks Serving & SALUTE

“I come to the WSOP every year,” Gingher told PokerNews. “This is probably the fourth year in a row I’ve been, but it’s the first time I’ve played the SALUTE.”

“I think the event is great. It’s good to see the WSOP recognizing veterans. I’ve met a few fellow vets at the tables, and it’s been nice catching up with them.”

For those unfamiliar, the SALUTE event is open to all players and has become a popular fixture on the WSOP schedule. With 3,937 entries this year, and $40 from each entry donated to the U.S.O. and other veterans’ organizations, the tournament will contribute well over $150,000 to support active-duty service members and military families.

I think the event is great. It’s good to see the WSOP recognizing veterans.

That support goes to veterans like Gingher, who explains, “I served in the submarine force. I was stationed aboard a Trident-class, nuclear ballistic missile submarine, the USS Tennessee.”

“It was a new construction Trident boat, built in New London, Connecticut, before going through sea trials. It’s now stationed in Kings Bay, Georgia.”

Gingher served from 1984 to 1989 and recalls that there was still time for cards even miles below the surface. “I did play poker in the Navy! We didn’t play much holdem back then; it was mostly draw poker on the ship.”

He adds, “I got into poker properly around the time the Moneymaker effect kicked off the poker boom.”

Alongside his annual pilgrimage to poker’s biggest stage, Gingher says, “I used to play a lot of WSOP Circuit events, starting at Foxwoods. Now that I’m based in Atlanta, I play at Cherokee all the time.”

With a minimum payout of $5,887 already secured and $187,937 waiting for the winner (not to mention the small matter of a WSOP bracelet), Gingher and the remaining field are set for an exciting final day.

Bracelet Winner Joey Couden Leads Final Day Field

Competing alongside Gingher in today’s final day are 31 other players, including former bracelet winner Joey Couden.

Couden, who had a strong Day 2, started with a top-five stack and finished as the chip leader with 14,375,000 chips. But with the event’s structure, that amounts to just 36 big blinds, promising a fast-paced, action-packed final day full of quick eliminations.

Join PokerNews for live coverage as we watch to see if Couden can add a second bracelet or if Robert Gingher can claim the title for the men and women of the US Navy.

Follow Day 3 of the SALUTE Here

Event #45: $500 Salute to Warriors Day 2 Top Ten Chip Counts

Eliot Thomas is a Content Executive at PokerNews, specializing in casino and poker coverage. He has reported from major events including the European Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker.

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