Dog tags from 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Task Force Bronco's fallen heroes hang from a pair of combat boots as part of a sunrise memorial held to honor those lost over the last year's deployment on Forward Operating Base Fenty, Jan. 28,
2012. Photo courtesy of Task Force Bronco, Public Affairs |
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NANGARHAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan (2/7/2012) – Soldiers from 3rd
Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, Task Force Bronco, gathered to
honor their fallen heroes during a special memorial ceremony and
remembrance run at Forward Operating Base Fenty, Jan. 28.
The memorial ceremony began at sunrise and was attended by nearly
300 Soldiers, airmen, Marines and civilians, who came to pay homage
to the ‘fallen' of the Bronco Brigade.
“This morning was
such a humbling experience,” said U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Andrew
Spano, 3rd BCT, 25th ID, TF Bronco command sergeant major and
Northboro, Mass., native. “I never imagined how many people would
come out to support [the cause.] As [the commander] and I positioned
ourselves at the Memorial Flag pole at Fenty, the sun began to rise
over the eastern mountains of Nangarhar province. It was the most
beautiful sunrise I have ever seen. Then I noticed the nearly 300
[servicemen and servicewomen] who had come to support our cause. My
heart felt so warm on that chilly morning, humbled really, that so
many wanted to show their support for our endeavor.”
Many
soldiers purchased a special Remembrance Run t-shirt to wear during
the event. Proceeds from the purchase went toward a TF Bronco
memorial monument, which will be built on Schofield Barracks,
Hawaii, in honor of those Bronco troops who made the ultimate
sacrifice. Many other donations have been made to the TF Bronco
Memorial Association to attain this goal. Thus far, $12,000 has been
raised. This amount was officially presented to the TF Bronco
command team, Col. Richard Kim, TF Bronco commander, and Spano by
soldiers of the brigade during the ceremony.
The memorial
also featured a moment of silence, taps, a 21-gun salute, and a
song, written and performed on guitar, by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Tommy
Byrge, Memphis native, who is with 325th Brigade Support |
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Battalion, 3rd BCT, 25th ID, TF Bronco. The ceremony culminated with
a three-and-a-half mile run. |
Available before and after the ceremony and run were special
soldier's identification tags, all of which were printed
with the name and unit of TF Bronco's fallen. During the
ceremony and run, soldiers were encouraged to hold the tag
and silently remember the soldier represented on the tag.
“During the playing of taps and "Amazing Grace,"
please hold the ID tag that has been provided with the name
of one of our Fallen in your hand,” said U.S. Army Master
Sgt. James Meyers, native of Toledo, Ohio, and retention
non-commissioned officer with Headquarters and Headquarters
Co., 3rd BCT, 25th ID, TF Bronco.
“Trace the raised
characters on the face of the tag with your finger and
reflect on whom that soldier was, what they felt and hoped
to become, their families who were left behind, and most of
all, what they sacrificed.”
“I randomly selected the
tag of Staff Sgt. Kristofferson Lorenzo with the
Wolfhounds,” said Spano. “During the ceremony, as each name
of the fallen from this deployment was read, I held the tag
in my hand and ran my thumb over the raised portion that
spelled out his name. I felt a closeness with Staff Sgt.
Lorenzo at that moment. I felt a closeness to all of our
soldiers that have fallen during this war, and I know, in my
heart, I will never forget any of them.”
More photos available in frame below
By U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Amber Robinson, RC-East PAO
Combined Joint Task Force 1 - Afghanistan
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2012
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